Police Seek Public Help Locating Shooting Suspect In North Hollywood

A man was shot in North Hollywood Tuesday, and police sought the public’s assistance in locating the shooter. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers responded to the 7500 block of Laurel Canyon Boulevard, south of Saticoy Street, shortly after 1:10 p.m. Tuesday regarding a report of shots fired. The man who was injured was taken to a hospital in unknown condition. The suspect, described as a man wearing dark-colored clothing, fled the scene in an older model Toyota sedan before police arrived. It was unclear what motivated the shooting. Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to call the LAPD’s North Hollywood station at 818-754-8300, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

MyNewsLA

Mar Vista Residents Report Series Of High-Value Robberies

Residents of a Mar Vista neighborhood are on high alert following a series of robberies, with some victims reporting tens of thousands of dollars worth of personal belongings stolen. NBC4 has reported that up to a dozen incidents, believed to be related, have occurred over recent months. Thieves, caught on surveillance cameras wearing masks and gloves, have been targeting high-value items such as jewelry, heirlooms, and purses before making their escape in a black SUV. One victim, speaking to NBC4, recounted a loss of personal belongings valued at tens of thousands of dollars. Another resident described a theft of approximately $100,000 in jewelry and purses, characterizing the heists as well-organized. Local law enforcement, alongside federal authorities, are investigating the string of robberies. NBC4's coverage highlighted the ongoing efforts to address the surge in crime in the area. Residents with any information related to these robberies are urged to contact the Los Angeles Police Department. 

Westside Current

4 Arrested For Trespassing Graffitied Skyscraper In Downtown LA, Police Say

Four people were arrested for trespassing at an abandoned high-rise building in downtown Los Angeles that recently made headlines after it was covered in graffiti. Nearly three dozen LAPD officers responded to the Oceanwide Plaza complex just before 2 p.m. Tuesday to search for vandalism suspects. Details surrounding the four arrests were not immediately released. Trespassers last week were seen spraying graffiti on the exterior of the building, leaving floor after floor tagged on several sides. The empty three-tower complex is located near Crypto.com Arena and L.A. Live. Construction work on Oceanwide Plaza stopped in October 2020 after the project's China-based developer ran out of money. Last week, L.A. City Councilmember Kevin de León introduced a motion to clean up the graffiti.

ABC 7

LA City Council Takes Step Towards Combatting Rash Of Street Takeovers

Los Angeles City Councilmembers on Tuesday took a step towards combatting the rampant issues of street takeovers across the city, advancing a list of recommendations that they believe will help prevent the issue. The nearly unanimous vote, saw 12 out of the 13 councilmembers approve the recommendations, which were only opposed by Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez. The recommendations call for the Department of Transportation and the Los Angeles Police Department to begin the process of establishing a pilot program that will address street racing and takeovers at some of the most frequently targeted intersections. Department of Transportation officials claim that they have four options available to help enhance intersections, including implementing hardened centerlines, adding Bott's Dots or raised pavement markers, or rumble strips and gutters at intersections. They say that hardened centerlines may be the best option, as the others could cause a negative impact on other vehicles like bicycles and motorcycles. A report from the city's administrative officer says that the total cost to implement these measures would run around $80,000, and that LADOT would need to determine the plans for installation. The report also noted that the cost of the initial work could be covered under the current fiscal year. 

CBS 2

Southern California Man Arrested For Embezzling 14 Cars, Stealing 1

A 41-year-old man from San Bernardino County was arrested earlier this month on charges of vehicle theft and embezzlement, authorities announced this week. Investigators allege that Christopher Harms has been operating an unlicensed and unapproved auto shop out of his home where he would not only fail to complete the promised mechanical work but refused to allow victims to retrieve their vehicles. Deputies with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department began receiving reports over the last several months of victims trying to get their vehicles back from the 41-year-old, a SBSD news release stated. In some cases, Harms is accused of keeping victims’ cars for more than a year. On Feb. 1, deputies with SBSD’s Yucaipa Sheriff’s Station, along with members of the multi-agency San Bernardino County Auto Theft Task Force, county animal control and Yucaipa Code Enforcement, served a search warrant at Harms’ residence. “During the service of the search warrant, a previously reported stolen vehicle was recovered along with 14 embezzled vehicles,” authorities said. 

KTLA 5

New York Officer Dies Of 9/11-Related Illness

A Port Authority Police officer has died of cancer resulting from rescue work at Ground Zero, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department Officer Richard Louis Ruiz, Sr., 68, died on Nov. 18, 2023, according to the page. He was assigned to search and rescue efforts following the 9/11 terror attacks. Ruiz Sr. had served with the Port Authority Police for 25 years, according to the page. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, a son, his mother, and three grandchildren.

PoliceOne

Michigan School Shooter’s Mother Found Guilty Of Involuntary Manslaughter

A Michigan jury convicted a school shooter’s mother of involuntary manslaughter Tuesday in a first-of-its-kind trial to determine whether she had any responsibility in the deaths of four students in 2021. Prosecutors say Jennifer Crumbley was grossly negligent when she failed to tell Oxford High School that the family had guns, including a 9 mm handgun that her son, Ethan Crumbley, used at a shooting range on the weekend before the Nov. 30, 2021, attack. The jury — six men and six women including some gun owners or people who grew up with guns — began deliberations Monday morning. They sent a note to the judge that afternoon asking if they could “infer anything” from prosecutors not presenting Ethan Crumbley or others to explain specifically how he got access to a gun at home to shoot up Oxford High School. “The answer is no,” Oakland County Judge Cheryl Matthews said. “You’re only allowed to consider the evidence that was admitted in the case.” Prosecutors say Jennifer Crumbley had a duty under Michigan law to prevent her son, who was 15 at the time, from harming others. She’s accused of failing to secure a gun and ammunition at home and failing to get help for her son’s mental health. The morning of Nov. 30, 2021, school staff members were concerned about a violent drawing of a gun, bullet and wounded man, accompanied by desperate phrases, on Ethan Crumbley’s math assignment. He was allowed to stay in school following a meeting with his parents, who didn’t take him home.

Associated Press

Florida SWAT Sniper Takes Down Bank Robber Who Held Knife To Hostage’s Throat

A bank robber in Fort Myers, Fla. claiming to have a bomb was taken out by a SWAT team sniper when he held a knife to a hostage’s throat. Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said at a Tuesday press conference that his officers responded with deadly force after an 11 a.m. robbery at the Bank of America in Bell Tower Shops turned violent. “It was a chaotic scene,” Marceno said. “We applied all technology — that’s the robodog, our SWAT team, electronic, surveillance [and] drones.” The Lee County Sheriff’s Office was also assisted by the FBI. According to Marceno, police tried to negotiate with an unidentified man who was holding two people hostage. When the suspect grabbed a woman and put a knife to her throat, law enforcement opened fire. “This is exactly what we train for,” Marceno said. “The suspect who presented deadly force is no longer with us.” The shooter who took down the suspect will be placed on administrative leave while the situation is investigated, as per protocol. NBC News in Florida reported the sniper was with the police department’s SWAT unit. Marceno said officers resorted to lethal force out of fear the hostage would be hurt or killed. Deputies blocked roadways around the southwest Florida bank while the situation was unfolding. No other injuries were reported.

New York Daily News

Driver Crashes Off Bridge And Into Water In Marina Del Rey, Rescued By Good Samaritan

A driver who crashed off a bridge in Marina del Rey and drove into the water below was rescued by a good Samaritan Tuesday morning, officials said. The crash was reported shortly after 4:30 a.m. at the Pacific Avenue bridge near Fiji Way, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Firefighters arrived at the scene to find that the driver, a 28-year-old man, had been extricated from the truck with the help of a witness, a Fire Department spokesperson said. The man was transported to a hospital; whether he was seriously injured was unclear. A team of divers entered the water in an effort to ensure that no other occupants of the vehicle were missing. The cause of the crash was under investigation.

ABC 7

Has California’s COVID-19 Winter Surge Peaked? Here’s What The Data Show

The winter respiratory virus season may have hit its peak in California, with coronavirus levels in sewage and COVID-19 hospitalizations starting to decline following weeks of steady increases. Should the trend continue, 2023–24 would be the mildest winter of the COVID era in terms of severe illness — free of anything even approximating the devastating and disruptive surges seen in prior years. While there’s been real progress in curbing coronavirus-positive hospitalizations, there are still significant numbers of people getting sick. And despite improvement in patient outcomes — thanks to the rollout of vaccines and therapeutics — COVID-19 still causes more deaths and new respiratory hospitalizations than the flu. Despite recent declines, COVID disease levels remain elevated compared to pre-winter, and health officials say it’s important that residents — especially those who are older — continue to take steps to protect themselves. “Your next COVID-19 infection could be your worst, so don’t gamble with your health,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wrote in a social media post. “Vaccination reduces risks and severity and keeps you protected.”

Los Angeles Times

LA City Council Seeks To Bolster Jail In-Reach Programs

The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday took steps to bolster its jail in-reach programs and take necessary steps to ensure formerly incarcerated individuals do not fall into homelessness. Council members voted 13-0 to approve a series of reports on next steps in the effort. Council members Imelda Padilla and Kevin de Leon were absent during the vote. The council instructed the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, in collaboration with the L.A. Police Department and several other groups, to prepare a report on the status of jail in-reach programs. It will also examine the level of engagement and service connection with people experiencing homelessness as they move through the justice and jail/prison systems, and the degree in which law enforcement and homeless services coordinate when people experiencing homelessness exit jails. The LAPD will be tasked with providing a second report examining annual data since 2018 surrounding the number of homeless people in the department’s custody, the number of arrests and breakdown of crimes, as well as the consequences. That data is expected to be released annually.

MyNewsLA

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 8,900 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.