Police Seek Driver Of Pickup That Struck, Killed Woman In North Hollywood Crosswalk

The Los Angeles Police Department is looking for a driver who struck and killed a pedestrian in North Hollywood Thursday night. The pedestrian, a 55-year-old woman, was in a marked crosswalk on Laurel Canyon Boulevard at Keswick Street around 8:30 p.m. when she was struck by a two-tone older blue Toyota or Nissan pickup truck, police said in a news release. The truck ran a red light while striking the woman and continued southbound without stopping to help the woman. The victim was taken to a local hospital in grave condition, where she died, police said. Video of the suspect’s vehicle pulling into a parking lot after the collision was released by LAPD. Authorities believe the truck sustained front-end damage from the collision. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Davis, Serial No. 38353, at 818-644-8032 or 818-644-8000.

KTLA 5

Pico-Union Shooting Spurred By ‘Love Triangle' Dispute, LAPD Says

One man was in surgery and a second was arrested for attempted murder Tuesday morning in what officers described as a "love triangle" dispute that led to a shooting. Los Angeles police officers responded to a report of a shooting victim at Good Samaritan Hospital at about 3 a.m. Tuesday. Police believe the shooting occurred just before 3 a.m. at Elden Avenue and West 12th Street in the Pico-Union District. The unidentified man was reportedly taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in a private vehicle. He was later transported to California Hospital Medical Center to undergo surgery. His condition was not immediately released. The shooting suspect was described a man driving a gray BMW. At about 3:30 a.m., Rampart officers located the gray BMW at 6th Street and South Union Avenue in the Westlake District about two miles away from the shooting scene and stopped the vehicle. The driver was taken into custody. Officers searching the BMW reportedly found a gun and about 30 pounds of marijuana.

CBS 2

LAPD Searching For Suspect After Boy Loses Leg In Hit-and-Run Crash

The Los Angeles Police Department is asking for the public's help identifying a suspect after a 13-year-old boy lost his leg in a hit-and-run crash in the Boyle Heights area. On March 30, around 3:30 p.m., Joshua Mora was crossing Whittier Blvd., within a marked crosswalk, when a motorcycle traveling eastbound on Whittier Blvd. collided with him, the LAPD said. New video of the crash released by the LAPD shows the motorcyclist fall to the ground, as the bike slid approximately 80 feet before stopping. The motorcyclist gets up, before taking off from the scene. The unidentified suspect then got back on his bike and fled eastbound on Whittier. Mora was taken to a local hospital with severe injuries. According to a GoFundMe created to help with his medical expenses, he lost his leg as a result of the crash. Family members are now trying to help raise funds to help towards his recovery and possibly to help pay for a prosthetic leg. No detailed description of the suspect was provided. The motorcycle is described as black, with damage that occurred during the collision. Anyone with information is asked to contact Central Traffic Detective Daniel Ramirez, at (213) 833-3713 or e-mail [email protected]. You can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (1-800-2228477) or go directly to lacrimestoppers.org.  

FOX 11

Man Wounded In South Los Angeles Shooting

A man was wounded in a shooting at an apartment complex in the Adams-Normandie area, authorities said Sunday. The shooting was reported at 11:39 p.m. on Saturday in the 2700 block of South Normandie Avenue, according to a dispatcher at the Los Angeles Police Department’s Operations Center. The 32-year-old victim became involved in an argument with three other males and one of the suspects fired multiple rounds at the victim before the three fled, the dispatcher said. Paramedics took the victim to a hospital where he was in serious condition, she said.

MyNewsLA

Suspect Arrested In Hate Crime At Islamic Center Of Southern California's Koreatown Building

A suspect was arrested in a hate crime investigation launched after someone vandalized the Islamic Center of Southern California's Koreatown building. The arrest was made Monday night, police said. Details about the identity of the person in custody and what led to the arrest were not immediately available. The crime occurred about 12:40 a.m. Sunday. Anti-Islamic hate speech was written in permanent marker on white columns at an entrance to the Islamic Center. Police released a photo of the man sought in the crime who was seen on the Center's security camera video. That photo and a description of the vandal were on a message board placed next to the hate messages at the Center's entrance. The Islamic Center of Southern California issued a statement saying: "We are deeply saddened and disturbed to announce that a hate crime against the Muslim Community at the Islamic Center of Southern California occurred early this morning on Easter Sunday in Los Angeles. This is an appalling act of vandalism targeting the center where innocent individuals gather for their daily religious observances. "The Los Angeles Police Department is currently investigating this odious crime and are working closely with leaders from the ICSC to gather all the necessary information to bring the perpetrators to justice. We urge anyone with information to come forward and assist with the investigation.

NBC 4

Three Arrested After Police Chase In South LA; Puppy Thrown From Vehicle

Authorities in South Los Angeles apprehended a man and two women suspected of carjacking and attempted murder after a police pursuit, during which a puppy was thrown from the suspect's vehicle. The Los Angeles Police Department reported that the puppy was placed in a designer bag and tossed from the vehicle but was found unharmed and taken into the care of Los Angeles Animal Services' South LA shelter. The pursuit took place across several cities in Los Angeles County before ending in Carson, at Vermont Avenue and Belson Street, where the suspects were finally apprehended. Gustavo Alvarez, 27, a resident of Los Angeles, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and carjacking, which authorities said took place in the 101st and San Pedro streets area on March 26. He is being held without bail. Lynette Moreno, 27, of Los Angeles, was also arrested on suspicion of being an accessory and evading after allegedly setting up the second getaway vehicle. Her bail was set at $67,000. Michelle Zamudio, 25, of Santa Monica, was arrested on suspicion of evading. Her bail was set at $75,000.

Westside Current

Sheriff’s Helicopter Lands On La Brea Avenue In West Hollywood After Woman Shot

A man allegedly fired multiple shots inside a West Hollywood apartment complex Friday, injuring a woman in an adjacent unit and sparking an hours-long standoff, but the suspect eluded capture. The shooting was reported about 8:15 a.m. at the building at Santa Monica Boulevard and La Brea Avenue, according to the sheriff’s department. A sheriff’s spokesman told KNX News at the scene that the woman — in her 50s —was shot twice, once in the upper body and once in the lower extremities by bullets that passed through the wall of her apartment. Her injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, sheriff’s officials said. Sheriff’s deputies unsuccessfully attempted to make contact with the suspect in a third-floor apartment, prompting a standoff and evacuations of some building residents. Santa Monica Boulevard and La Brea Avenue were both closed in the area, snarling traffic. Members of the sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau were brought to the scene via helicopter, which landed on La Brea just north of Santa Monica.

Los Angeles Daily News

LASD Warns Of Scammers Impersonating Deputies And Demanding Money

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is warning the public about phone scammers who are impersonating deputies and are calling to demand payment for fines. The scammers claim that the people they call owe fines for outstanding warrants or failing to respond to jury duty. Many of the victims are elderly and are tricked into making payments for gift cards, Bitcoin, or pre-paid credit cards. At times, the scammers claim to work for other government organizations. The LASD says it will never call to demand money. Anyone who is contacted by an impersonator is urged to call the Sheriff's Department or their local police, or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

CBS 2

Former LA Armenian Mafia Leader Sentenced To 40 Years In Billion-Dollar Biofuel Tax Scheme

A former leader of the Armenian mafia in Los Angeles was sentenced to 40 years in prison Friday for his role in a billion dollar scheme to rip off American taxpayers. Lev Aslan Dermen, also known as Levon "The Lion" Termendzhyan, was convicted of conspiring with members of a polygamous sect in Utah known as "The Order" in one of the most audacious tax frauds in history. He was found guilty after a seven-week trial of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. Dermen was a Bel Air billionaire and gas station tycoon when he joined forces with members of the polygamous Kingston clan. According to the Department of Justice, court documents and testimony from Dermen's 2020 trial show that from 2010 to 2018, Dermen conspired with various members of the Kingston family to fraudulently claim more than $1 billion in refundable renewable fuel tax credits.

ABC 7

Special Delivery: Drones Are Smuggling Contraband Into California Prisons, Feds Say

Walls and rules have never stopped prisoners from getting what they need. Drugs, phones and other contraband have been smuggled in by guards and visitors, flung over fences and even stashed inside hollowed-out pastries in care packages. Now, two men are accused of using an increasingly common technology to bypass prison walls: drones. Federal prosecutors in Fresno have charged Jose Enrique Oropeza and David Ramirez Jr. with using drones to drop loads of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, tobacco and cellphones into the yards of seven prisons across California. Oropeza was arrested March 29; Ramirez on April 4. Along with drug trafficking offenses, the men face airspace violations of operating unregistered aircraft and flying without a certificate, a redacted indictment shows. Several others whose names are obscured have been charged in the case but have not been arrested. Ramirez and Oropeza have pleaded not guilty. Ramirez’s attorney, Serita Rios, said she had just been appointed to represent him and could not comment. Oropeza’s attorney didn’t return a request for comment.

Los Angeles Times

Indiana Veterinarian Honored For Providing Free Care To Area K-9's For Over 40 Years

Clarksville veterinarian Dr. H.R. Gough tearfully remembers the late night he was called to his office to check on a K-9 officer following the line-of-duty pursuit crash death of Charlestown Police Sgt. Benton Bertram. "They brought the dog in here. I had just lost my first wife when that happened in 2018 and it was a sad time for me," Gough said. "It was 2 o'clock in the morning when they brought the dog in. He was OK. I'll never forget it; it was just me and him, and I laid down on the floor with him and talked to him." He said Bertram was an amazing K-9 officer and that he still sees the dog as a patient to this day. Gough has spent more than 40 years helping K-9 officers and police departments across Indiana by providing free veterinary services for police dogs. He owns Clarksville Animal Hospital, 1137 Eastern Boulevard, which he opened in 1978. His late wife, Karen, spent years working with him at the office. Today, the Clarksville Town Council is expected to approve a resolution that names a street in the town after Gough.

The Evening News & Tribune

Dog Hospitalized After Ingesting THC And Cocaine While On Walk At Studio City Park

A dog is recovering after it accidentally ingested drugs at a park in Studio City. Nova's owner Andrew Epstein said he takes the dog to Woodbridge Park for a walk almost every day. Last week, Nova ate something and immediately started to get sick. A toxicology report said Nova ingested both THC and cocaine, forcing her to spend the night at an animal hospital. "She was out of it," said Epstein. "Her eyes were dark, she wasn't moving around and she just wasn't who she was. The doctor said, 'Yes, there's THC in her blood,' and we were stunned. I mean, just absolutely speechless and just absolutely shocked." A similar incident happened last year when another dog named Chance got sick after somehow ingesting Oxycodone in Santa Monica. Doctors were able to save his life but the drug left the dog blind. The park near North Hollywood is a short distance from a homeless camp under the 101 Freeway. Epstein said the camp has grown bigger over the years.

ABC 7

Video Captures Dramatic Helicopter Rescue Of Injured Hiker In Angeles National Forest

Dramatic video shows the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department saving an injured hiker in the Angeles Forest. The department's Air Rescue team along with Special Enforcement Bureau medics were able to hoist the hiker into their helicopter and airlift him to safety. The injured hiker was on the Mount Wilson Trail of the Angeles Forest. The department said that saving lives is their number one priority. No word on the hiker's condition.

ABC 7

Apartment Fire Engulfs Unit In Arlington Heights

A fire broke out at an apartment building in Arlington Heights Monday morning causing damage to one unit. Around 4:12 a.m. LAFD firefighters responded to calls of a fire at 1732 S. Crenshaw Blvd. When they arrived they found one unit on the second floor engulfed in flames. The first 30 firefighters were able to put out the flames in about 15 minutes. Firefighters contained the fire to one single unit. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire and the cost of damage remains unknown as authorities conduct their investigation.

NBC 4

LA County Unveils Platform To Address Gun Violence

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health unveiled its multi-point Gun Violence Prevention Platform to address firearm homicides impacting communities in the county and across the country. "There have been far too many families and communities in L.A. County impacted by violence that is both predictable and preventable," said Barbara Ferrer, director of Public Health. "Stronger gun regulations and innovative solutions that are laid out in the Gun Violence Prevention Platform are necessary steps to address this crisis and prevent acts of violence, including mass shootings, that take the lives of friends, neighbors and community members." Ferrer said in the first 11 weeks of 2023, the country experienced more than 100 mass shootings, including the deadly mass shooting that occurred in Monterey Park in January. The 40-point platform includes a range of strategies spanning prevention, intervention and healing.

FOX 11

L.A. City Planning Department Releases Revised Al Fresco Ordinance To Support Outdoor Dining

The Los Angeles city Planning Department on Friday released a revised draft of their proposed Al Fresco Ordinance regarding outdoor dining on private property. Officials noted that the revised proposal reflects the feedback they received from the community during public hearing and comment sessions on the initial draft, which was first released in November. They were focusing on creating a simple and streamlined transition process based on the current outdoor dining operations throughout the city, while regarding Zoning Code regulations in place. "Al Fresco shows us a better way that supports small businesses, creates jobs and adds vibrancy to our neighborhoods," said Mayor Karen Bass in a statement on Friday. "I directed city departments to work together to make this a permanent Al Fresco program that incorporates everything that made the temporary program successful and to make the process simple and easy to navigate for our restaurants." New revisions include updates on parking relief in impacted areas, as well as operational standards and alcohol authorizations. They also address restaurants that may look to expand their outdoor dining experience in the future. 

CBS 2

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.