Shooting Leaves Pro Boxer Dead In South Los Angeles 

Authorities are looking for the gunmen and motive behind a shooting that left a professional boxer dead on Sunday afternoon. The shooting occurred in the 1600 block of 87th Street at about 4:50 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The preliminary investigation revealed that the victim, later identified as Mylik Birdsong, was standing outside a vehicle with his girlfriend inside when another vehicle approached. “A dark-colored SUV drove by westbound on 87th and shot at the victim,” an LAPD spokesperson told KTLA 5 News. “The victim then ran towards his residence [when] two suspects from the vehicle started chasing him while shooting at him.” Birdsong fell to the ground in the driveway, the spokesperson said. First responders arrived and rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police said he had suffered seven gunshot wounds to the torso. The suspects fled the area in a dark-colored SUV, LAPD said.  

KTLA 5

LA County Prosecutors Charge Man Who Allegedly Hijacked A Metro Bus And Killed A Passenger

The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office announced charges against the man who allegedly killed a passenger while hijacking a Metro bus last week. District Attorney George Gascón charged Lamont Campbell, 51, with 12 felonies in addition to an enhancement of using a handgun during a crime. The charges include murder, carjacking, assault, attempted murder and four counts of kidnapping. If convicted as charged, he faces a maximum sentence of 90 years to life. "Holding the person who committed this heinous crime accountable for his actions is an important step in helping to dissuade further crime on our system," said Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins. Campbell has been in custody in lieu of $2 million bail. The hijacking started at the Figueroa Street and Manchester Avenue intersection in South Los Angeles at about 1 a.m. last Wednesday. Campbell allegedly boarded the bus and began arguing with the driver, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. After the spat, Campbell allegedly held the driver at gunpoint while some passengers ran off the bus. Investigators said two passengers remained on the bus. 

CBS 2

Fatal Stabbing In University Park

Police Tuesday are investigating the fatal stabbing of a man in the University Park neighborhood near downtown Los Angeles. The stabbing was reported at 2:45 a.m. and officers from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Southwest Division responded to a radio call at Washington Boulevard and Oak Street regarding a suspicious death, LAPD Officer Rosario Cervantes told City News Service. When officers arrived at the location, they found the victim on the sidewalk with multiple stab wounds and called Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics, who pronounced the man dead at the scene. There was no suspect description.

MyNewsLA

Man Sentenced To Prison In Shootings Of 2 Jewish Men Leaving LA Synagogues

A Southern California man charged with shooting and wounding two Jewish men as they left synagogues in Los Angeles last year was sentenced Monday to 35 years in prison, federal prosecutors said. The February 2023 shootings raised fears among the city’s Jewish community after officials said the victims were targeted because they wore clothing that identified their faith, including black coats and head coverings. Both men survived. Former Riverside resident Jaime Tran, 30, pleaded guilty in June to two counts of hate crimes with intent to kill and two counts of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement. "After years of spewing antisemitic vitriol, the defendant planned and carried out a two-day attack attempting to murder Jews leaving synagogue in Los Angeles,'' Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement. Tran told law enforcement that he looked online for a “kosher market” and decided to shoot someone nearby, according to an FBI affidavit. Tran had a “history of antisemitic and threatening conduct,” the affidavit said, citing a review of emails, text messages and unspecified reports.

NBC 4

Metro Ridership Reaches New Heights Amid Public Safety Concerns

While Metro grapples with another high-profile violent crime that occurred on its system last week, the transit agency Monday touted continued growth in ridership and efforts to improve public safety. In August, Metro's ridership stood at 27,066,446 boardings, reaching 84% of its August 2019 pre-COVID levels. The agency reported that weekday ridership stood at 21,878,950 boardings whereas weekend ridership stood at 5,878,950 boardings. Bus ridership rose to 21,147,858 rides, an 8.2% year-over-year increase compared to August 2023, with weekday ridership at 16,669,840 boardings, and 4,478,018 boardings on the weekends. Meanwhile rail ridership increased to 5,918,588, representing a 2.5% increase compared to August 2023, and a 81.3% increase from August 2019 data. Weekday rail boardings stood at 4,517,656, according to Metro. The agency cited special events for the increase in ridership, such as HARD Summer Music Festival at Hollywood Park, Nisei Week in Little Tokyo, Reggae Night, The Gipsy Kings and Sara Bareilles at the Hollywood Bowl, and CicLAvia in Hollywood. Metro noted end of summer concerts at the Crypto, BMO, Expo Park, Kia Forum and SoFi Stadium led to more riders on its system as well.

Westside Current

Man Punched Party Magician, Was Chased By Parents Before Arrest In Pacific Palisades, Victims Say

A man was arrested Saturday in Pacific Palisades on suspicion of assaulting three people — including a homeowner who was left bloodied and a magician who was sucker-punched in the middle of a children’s birthday party, according to victims and witnesses. Before police could apprehend him, the suspect was chased by angry parents, witnesses said. The bizarre string of attacks started around 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Bryan Stennett, 36, assaulted an individual in the 400 block of Mesa Road, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. That victim’s identity and condition have not been released. About 15 minutes later, as he was driving home, Pacific Palisades homeowner Mike Deasy noticed Stennett walking nearby. As Deasy drove past, he told The Times, he heard Stennett make a loud noise. When Deasy got home, he picked up a package that had been delivered to his porch — with both hands, so he couldn’t close the door behind him — and put it inside. When he returned to close the door, he said, Stennett was in the doorway. Stennett asked him, “Is this your house?” “I don’t remember what I said,” Deasy said. The man then rushed him and punched him half a dozen times, he said. The moments leading up to the attack were caught on home surveillance video. The suspect appears to speak incoherently before attacking.

Los Angeles Times

Series Of Burglaries Caught On Camera In Mar Vista Neighborhood

Neighbors in one Mar Vista neighborhood have started banding together after repeated targets by burglars in recent weeks, many of which have been captured on home surveillance footage. Most recently, just under a week ago, a trio of suspects can be seen hopping the fence of a property under construction before breaking into the home next door to Monica Richardson. "They've been broken into four times in a year-and-a-half," Richardson said. Her security cameras showed the moments that the suspects bolt from the house, jumping into what looks like a light-colored, late model Toyota Camry. Last weekend, on Set. 21, different video shows two men wearing all-black clothing and masks broke into a different home in the same neighborhood. Neighbors believe that the burglars are in search of jewelry and designer bags. Residents say that the burglars have a similar MO in each incident, often using a WiFi jammer to disrupt the signal at homes and turning off the power by using circuit breakers. 

CBS 2

Man Admits To Being Getaway Driver In $2.7M Smash-and-Grab In Beverly Hills

A Long Beach man has admitted to his role in a smash-and-grab robbery that netted nearly $2.7 million worth of merchandise from a Beverly Hills jewelry store in 2022. Ladell Tharpe, 39, pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of interference with commerce by robbery, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release. Prosecutors say Tharpe was a getaway driver and lookout for the thieves who struck Luxury Jewels of Beverly Hills on March 23, 2022. He joins Jimmy Lee Vernon III, 32, and 22-year-old Deshon Bell of Long Beach in admitting to the robbery. Bell was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, while Vernon is scheduled to be sentenced in December. In broad daylight, they used tools like sledgehammers and axes to smash their way into the store, grab expensive merchandise and quickly flee.

KTLA 5

Texas Trooper Dies After Being Struck By Vehicle During Crash Investigation

A Highway Patrol trooper died after being hit by a car while he was investigating a crash, Texas authorities said. Trooper Kevin Alexis Ramirez Vasquez, 25, died Sept. 28, according to a news release from the Texas Department of Public Safety. “Trooper Ramirez Vasquez was a true servant leader and a man of valor, honor and purpose,” the department said in a Facebook post announcing his death. Officials said on the morning of Sept. 17, Ramirez Vasquez was investigating a crash along State Highway 302 near Odessa when a passing car struck him. The trooper was taken to a hospital with serious injuries before being airlifted to a Lubbock-area hospital where he died, officials said. “Texas Highway Patrol Trooper Kevin Alexis Ramirez Vasquez served this state honorably to his very last breath,” DPS Director Steven McCraw said. “His commitment to keeping the roads safe, protecting the people of Texas , and the sacrifice he made will never be forgotten,” McCraw said. “I ask that you keep his family, friends and colleagues in your prayers during the difficult days ahead.”

Charlotte Observer

Tennessee K-9 Killed In Helene Flooding

A K-9 who went missing during flooding caused by Hurricane Helene was found dead, WVLT reported. Erwin Police Department‘s K-9 Scotty disappeared from the Bumpass Cove area, located about four miles west of Erwin, during the flooding, according to the report. Despite efforts to locate him, the department announced his death. “Please pray for his handler and all who loved him,” the Erwin Police Department said in a statement. Unicoi County experienced significant flooding that left dozens of people unaccounted for. More than 50 individuals had to be rescued from the roof of Unicoi County Hospital after becoming trapped due to rising floodwaters, according to the report. The community continues to recover from the devastation caused by the flooding.

PoliceOne

City Of LA Prepares Cooling Centers In Advance Of Extreme Heat

Prompted by an excessive heat warning, the city of Los Angeles will open and operate cooling centers through Wednesday evening, Mayor Karen Bass' office announced. The city has hundreds of free locations open for residents to find an escape from the heat, such as recreation and parks facilities and local library branches. For locations and hours of operation, visit laparks.org/reccenter or lapl.org/branches. Cooling centers are accessible to people with disabilities. They also provide charging devices for phones and some medical equipment, as well as refrigerators for medication. Starting Tuesday, five cooling centers will be available: Fred Roberts Recreation Center, 4700 Honduras St.; Mid Valley Senior Center, 8801 Kester Ave. in Panorama City; Sunland Senior Center, 8640 Fenwick St. in Sunland; Jim Gilliam Recreation Center, 4000 S. La Brea Ave; and Lincoln Heights Senior Center, 2323 Workman St. The Mayor's Office of Housing and Homelessness, in coordination with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, began outreach with unhoused residents to provide them with hotel vouchers.

NBC 4

Mosquito-Borne Virus Spreads At ‘Unprecedented’ Levels In L.A. Climate Change May Make Things Worse

Climate change is exacerbating the risk of potentially dangerous mosquito-borne diseases in California — threatening to turn more of those annoying-but-harmless bites into severe illnesses, experts say. California already grapples with West Nile virus, a potentially deadly disease that was first detected in the state about two decades ago. But officials are now warning of a potential new foe: dengue, a viral infection that in the most serious cases can also lead to life-threatening complications. Until last year, all dengue cases reported in California were associated with people traveling to a country where the disease is common. But Los Angeles County public health officials are now warning about the “unprecedented” local transmission of dengue, which is commonly found in tropical and subtropical climates. Just this month, the county Department of Public Health has reported four cases of locally acquired dengue — meaning people were infected in their communities, not while traveling. Three were documented in the San Gabriel Valley city of Baldwin Park; the latest was reported Wednesday in Panorama City, about 30 miles to the northwest.

Los Angeles Times

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.