Police Investigating Double Homicide In El Sereno 

Investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department are looking into what led up to a deadly double shooting in El Sereno. According to the LAPD, officers responded to the 4900 block of Templeton Street around 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning on reports of gunshots ringing out followed by a car speeding away. Upon arriving on scene, police discovered two victims with gunshot wounds. Both were pronounced deceased. The two victims were Hispanic men in their thirties, police said. It is unknown whether the shooting was gang-related.

KTLA 5

Suspect Sought In Fatal Shooting At Metro Orange Line Bus Stop In San Fernando Valley

Los Angeles police are searching for a gunman who fatally shot one man and wounded another person Friday night at the Metro Orange Line bus stop in Tarzana, authorities said. Officers responded to a report of a shooting at the bus station at Reseda Boulevard and Oxnard Street around 7:25 p.m., police said. They found two victims suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the station’s parking lot. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics transported the two victims to the hospital, where 28-year-old Brandyn Rodrigo Mendez of Van Nuys succumbed to his injuries, police said. The other victim, who was not identified, is in stable condition, police said. Police believe the two victims were involved in a confrontation with the suspect at the San Fernando Valley station. The suspect brandished a handgun and fired multiple times at the victims before fleeing the scene, police said in a news release. No arrests have been made and police are asking the public’s help in identifying the suspect by calling the LAPD’S Valley Homicide Bureau at (818) 374-9550. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call (800) 222-8477.

Los Angeles Times

Car Set On Fire With Homeless Man Sleeping Inside In South LA; Police Search For Suspect

A man was hospitalized in critical condition Sunday after someone set his car on fire while he was sleeping inside, police said. It happened overnight near the intersection of E 102nd St and Avalon Boulevard in South Los Angeles. According to the police, the victim was sleeping in his car when a man poured some sort of flammable liquid either in or on the car then set it on fire. Police believe the victim is homeless and was living in his car. The incident has been listed as an arson investigation by police and the suspect remains on the run. Anyone with information is urged to contact police.

ABC 7

Man Wounded In Boyle Heights Shooting

A man in his 40s was hospitalized this evening after being shot in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. The shooting was reported at 6 p.m. at Evergreen Avenue and Eighth Street, Los Angeles Police Department Officer Tony Im told City News Service. Paramedics took the victim to a hospital, where his condition was not available, Im said. He was described as between the ages of 40 and 50. A white sedan occupied by two males was seen fleeing eastbound on Eighth, he said.

MyNewsLA

Pop Smoke's Murder Connected To Homicide Of LA Man Found In Barrel In Malibu: Report

Authorities are investigating the possible connection between the murder of rapper Pop Smoke and the death of an aspiring Los Angeles rapper whose body was found in a barrel in Malibu last month, TMZ reports. The body of 32-year-old Javonnta Murphy was disovered inside a 55-gallon drum on July 31 at Malibu Lagoon State Beach. Murphy died from a single gunshot to the head, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner reported. It's not known how long his body was in the barrel before being recovered. However, Lt. Hugo Reynaga of the Los Angeles County sheriff’s homicide bureau said the body was "decomposed or had been there a long time." According to TMZ, Javonnta was the brother of Jaquan Murphy, who was one of the five suspects arrested for the murder of Pop Smoke in 2020. All five are believed to be members of a South Los Angeles gang, and at least some of them are believed to be linked to a 2019 homicide when a fight escalated into a shooting outside the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Jaquan, who was first charged with attempted murder for Pope Smoke's death, was later cleared. The publication reports Jaquan is awaiting trial for an unrelated murder in Los Angeles County.

FOX 11

Thief Steals Hundreds Of Gallons Of Fuel From Westlake Golf Course

Authorities are searching for the driver of a box truck that broke into a golf course and stole hundreds of gallons of fuel in Westlake Village. The break-in happened around 10 p.m. on July 26, at Westlake Golf Course, located at 4812 Lakeview Canyon Rd. The driver of a large box truck apparently cut the lock at the golf course’s maintenance yard and then stole 354 gallons of diesel fuel. The estimated value of the theft is $1,327.15, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Surveillance video from the golf course showed the white box truck on the maintenance yard property near the golf course fuel pumps. Photos from those security cameras were released by the Sheriff’s Department Friday, with a request for anyone with information about the theft to contact deputies with the Westlake Village Sheriff’s Station at 818-878-1808.

KTLA 5

Juvenile Arrested In Death At Culver City Home

A juvenile suspect has been arrested in a fatal family disturbance in Culver City, authorities said Sunday. Officers were sent to a residence in the 5000 block of Showboat Place at about 11:15 p.m. Saturday regarding a call about a family disturbance, according to the Culver City Police Department. Police detained the juvenile suspect at the scene and eventually located the victim at the location. Arriving paramedics pronounced the victim dead at the scene. Officers arrested the juvenile. No further information was immediately available. Culver City police urged anyone with information about the death to call them at 310-253-6316 or 310-253-6202. Anonymous tips can be made to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477, or lacrimestoppers.org.

MyNewsLA

Shooter Who Critically Wounded 2 Florida Officers Is Fatally Shot

The Orlando Police Department SWAT team on Saturday morning shot and killed a 28-year-old gunman who hours earlier had fired upon two police officers, critically injuring them before they were taken to a hospital where they are expected to fully recover, Chief Eric Smith said at an afternoon press conference. The suspect, Daton Viel, barricaded himself inside a hotel room in the Holiday Inn & Suites near International Drive following a police chase that started after he shot the officers around 11 p.m. Friday in downtown Orlando, Smith said. The SWAT Team arrived around 6 a.m. and immediately evacuated the hotel. Just before 9 a.m., Viel “shot several times” at SWAT team officers, Smith said. They returned fire, fatally striking Viel, who was pronounced dead. Viel was found at the hotel following a large manhunt that involved dozens of law enforcement officers and their respective agencies. The incident began around 11 p.m., when Viel shot the officers who were investigating a vehicle near Garland Avenue and Washington Street that was linked to a homicide in Miami, Smith said. The officers were critically wounded and rushed to Orlando Regional Medical Center. They are both expected to fully recover from their injuries, said Michael Cheatham, the chief surgical officer at Orlando Regional Medical Center, at a press conference. OPD is not releasing the officers’ names, citing Marsy’s Law, a state constitutional amendment that protects the privacy rights of crime victims.

Orlando Sentinel

LVMPD K-9 Stabbed Multiple Times During Arrest Released From Animal Hospital

A police K-9 stabbed multiple times during an arrest attempt at the end of July has been released from the animal hospital. K-9 Diko was trying to help apprehend Ezekiel Barnes, 30, a suspect in a stabbing on July 24 on the 3900 block of Cambridge Street, near Maryland Parkway. Barnes, inside a vehicle, stabbed Diko multiple times and police used other low-lethal options to arrest Barnes. “K-9 Diko has been released from the animal hospital and is now back home with his partner!” a tweet from the Metropolitan Police Department read. “As you can see, he is still healing after the stabbing incident last week. “Diko will be reevaluated in the coming weeks before he’s cleared back to duty.” In October, Diko helped police arrest 24-year-old Tyson Hampton, who is accused of fatally shooting Officer Truong Thai. 

Las Vegas Review-Journal

Firefighters Douse Small Fire In Remote Terrain In Encino

Firefighters using hose packs knocked down a small brush fire Saturday in remote terrain in Encino, authorities said. Firefighters were dispatched at 10:41 a.m. to 3905 N. Lake Vista Court, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported. The fire burned a half-acre. “This will be an extended mop up operation due to the remote terrain and difficulty accessing by foot,” the LAFD’s Margaret Stewart said. No structures were threatened. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

MyNewsLA

Firefighters Contain Brush Fire Threatening Homes In Hollywood Hills

Several homes were threatened by a brush fire burning in the Hollywood Hills area on Saturday. According to Los Angeles Fire Department, the blaze, which torched about one acre, was located in the 1600 block of Laurel Canyon Boulevard. Firefighters say that the fire was burning through moderate to heavy fuels and is "burning slowly uphill" near homes in the area. "There are currently four homes threatened but due to proper brush clearance in place, they have good defensible space and firefighters are able to get water on the fire while defending the homes," said an update from LAFD officials. At around 2:15 p.m., firefighters reported that they had contained the blaze. There are no evacuation orders or warnings in place. As firefighters continued to battle the fire, Laurel Canyon Blvd. was closed between Mulholland Drive and Hollywood Boulevard. 

CBS 2

New Millipede Species ‘Illacme SoCal' Is Found Digging Through LA

The newfound species has 486 legs, translucent and about the length of a quarter. Scientific name illacme socal, it now belongs to one of three species in that genus found in California. What makes this specimen so unique is how many leg pairs it has when compared to other millipedes found in California. Under a microscope this tiny arthropod looks straight out of a sci-fi movie. It has a round helmet shaped head with two large antennas coming out of it. It also has several body rings from its head to its tail and hundreds of pointy legs to help it crawl through organic matter. “These legs can potentially help the arthropod dig dipper in the soil to decompose materials that other species would otherwise not be able to” said UC Berkeley doctorate student Cedric Lee who was also part of team who found these millipedes. Lee said he and his colleagues were actually in search of a slug that day when they found the millipede. The process of discovering and publishing a new species is a long one, the thread millipede was found in 2018 but underwent various lab test to determine its genus. According to Lee, the average process from discovery to publishing a new species can take up to 20 years, this discovery was able to be done in 5 years, however.

NBC 4

Los Angeles City Workers Prepare To Strike Tuesday

Mayor Karen Bass said Saturday that Los Angeles officials are "available to make progress" around the clock this weekend on new contracts with workers, one day after the union representing city employees announced that members will head to the picket lines Tuesday morning for a 24- hour strike to protest what they deemed a refusal to bargain in good faith. "City workers are vital to the function of services for millions of Angelenos every day and to our local economy," Bass said in a statement issued Saturday morning. "They deserve fair contracts and we have been bargaining in good faith with SEIU 721 since January. The City will always be available to make progress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week." Sanitation workers, heavy duty mechanics, traffic officers, engineers and many more city workers, who are represented by SEIU 721, plan to walk off the job to protest city management and other "unfair labor practices restricting employee and union rights," according to a statement from the union on Friday. Bass is in Washington, D.C. through Monday to meet with senior White House officials. At 11 a.m. Tuesday, workers will meet at City Hall for a march and rally, though picket lines will begin as early as 4 a.m., according to the union.

FOX 11

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 9,200 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education.