Daily News & Updates Good morning! On April 15, 2023, Officer B. Jerry Sandoval was killed in a traffic collision. Please consider donating to the Blue-Ribbon account established for Jerry to support his wife, Christine and twin sons, Logan and Jacob. Click here for more details. Law Enforcement News Metro Bus Driver Stabbed In The Back In Venice, The Second Attack In A Month Los Angeles police have arrested a man suspected of stabbing a Metro bus driver Thursday afternoon in Venice. The driver was behind the wheel near Main Street and Venice Way around 2:15 p.m. when a man stabbed him in the back, according to police. The suspect then fled into a nearby business and was later detained by police, authorities said. The weapon was recovered by law enforcement. The driver is in stable condition, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. “Metro is angered and saddened to hear about this heinous act of violence and is providing support to our employee and his loved ones,” Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesman Dave Sotero said in a statement. “We will work closely with the LAPD to investigate this incident and are grateful for their swift action in arresting the suspect.” The assault is the second stabbing of a bus driver in a month: On May 24, a 61-year-old Metro driver suffered life-threatening injuries after he was stabbed by a 17-year-old boy over an argument about fare evasion. Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park, whose district includes Venice, said Thursday that “violence on public transit is out of control.” Los Angeles Times Family Seeks Justice After 25-Year-Old Son Shot, Killed Near Boyle Heights Home Police are searching for the gunman who shot and killed a 25-year-old man with autism near his Boyle Heights home. Noah Martinez was gunned down not too far from his home last Tuesday. "If you needed a friend he was your friend," said Jonathan Martinez, the victim's father. "If you were down he would try to make you laugh or smile." Noah did custodial work for a nearby warehouse and collected recyclables. His parents say he was diagnosed with high-functioning autism. His family said he was a happy young man. "Noah had friends of all ages, walks of life," Noah's mother Natalie Martinez said. "He had no fear. He loved everyone." Father's Day was a painful day for the family. Along with the death of Noah, the family last month lost their 35-year-old son Andrew Mittwer to cancer. The Martinez family says their faith is what's giving them strength while they grieve the loss of two sons. ABC 7 Metro looks to create its own police force. It won't be easy Amid a dramatic rise in drug overdoses and several stabbings, Los Angeles County transit officials moved forward with creating a new police force in hopes of putting riders at ease. The in-house transit force would save more than $38 million over contracting with the Los Angeles Police Department, the Long Beach Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which policed the trains and buses at a cost of $172.9 million this year, according to a study commissioned by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board. Los Angeles Times Woman Hospitalized In Critical Condition After Baldwin Hills Shooting A 31-year-old woman in a car was shot Thursday morning in a gun battle on a Baldwin Hills street. The woman, who suffered multiple gunshot, wounds was hospitalized in critical, but stable condition. Details about a motive for the shooting were not immediately available. No arrests were reported. The shooting was reported just before midnight near the 4000 block of Gelber Place near Pinafore Street. People in at least two separate cars got out of their vehicles and fired rounds. As many as four vehicles were involved in the shootout, authorities said. More than 50 rounds were fired, according to investigators. The wounded woman was struck by at least one round as she was seated in the passenger seat of one of the cars, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Several evidence markers were on the street, possibly indicating the location of bullet casings. The driver and a passenger in the Mercedes Benz left the scene and ended up in a nearby business parking lot in Baldwin Hills, where firefighter-paramedics and police responded early Thursday. Video showed another person being treated at that scene. The man suffered cuts due to glass shattered in the shooting, City News Service reported. NBC 4 Councilmembers Raman, Soto-Martinez Arrested During Hotel Workers Protest Near LAX Councilmember Nithya Raman and Hugo Soto-Martinez were arrested during a hotel workers' protest near LAX, according to their offices. Unite Here Local 11, the union representing nearly 32,000 hotel workers, picketed on Century Boulevard outside LAX Thursday afternoon. The demonstration prompted police to close the major thoroughfare in both directions from Sepulveda to Airport Boulevards. "We're here to ensure a safe environment for everyone exercising their First Amendment rights," the Los Angeles Police Department tweeted Thursday afternoon. "We appreciate the peaceful nature of the demonstration and remain committed to public safety." According to Unite Here, 300 people were arrested during the protest. United Teachers Los Angeles claimed their vice-president-elect was part of the group that got arrested. "We are ready to put our bodies on the line for our right to live comfortably and safely in LA," the union tweeted CBS 2 LASD Deputy Hospitalized In Patrol Car Crash, Suspect Shot In Bell Gardens A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy was hospitalized and later released after a suspect rammed their vehicle their patrol car multiple times early Thursday morning in Bell Gardens, officials said. Authorities said a deputy from the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station observed a white SUV that was speeding and doing donuts at the intersection of Eastern and Florence avenues. The deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop when investigators said the suspect intentionally plowed into the deputy’s patrol vehicle. The suspect then rammed into the patrol vehicle at least four times. By the third time, the deputy opens fire on the suspect. Officials said even after the deputy-involved shooting, the suspect continued to back up, and slam into the patrol vehicle so hard, it pushed the vehicle against a light pole. The entire incident was recorded on video and shared with FOX 11. The suspect was detained and taken into custody. He was taken to an area hospital for gunshot wounds. The deputy was also hospitalized for injuries sustained in the crash. FOX 11 Authorities Seeks Public’s Help Finding Missing 46-Year-Old Man Authorities sought the public’s help Thursday to find a missing 46-year-old man last seen in Compton who requires medical assistance because of his diabetes diagnosis. Marcos Trujillo was last seen Sunday in the 1900 block of South Acacia Avenue, near the Metro A (Blue) Line Artesia station, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Deputies presumed that he may be in Long Beach. Trujillo is described as a 5-foot, 10-inch Hispanic man weighing 180 pounds with black hair and brown eyes, according to the Sheriff’s Information Bureau. He was last seen wearing a brown sweater, black pants and sandals. Anyone with information regarding Trujillo’s whereabouts was urged to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau Missing Persons Detail at 323-890-5500. Tipsters who choose to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477. MyNewsLA Two Arrested For Food Truck Stabbing In Glendale Two people were arrested for a stabbing that occurred near a food truck in Glendale late Wednesday evening. According to Glendale Police Department, officers were dispatched to the 300 block of West Broadway at around 11 p.m. after learning of the incident. "Brandishing a knife, two males approached the food truck around 11:00 p.m. A fight ensued, resulting in someone getting stabbed during the scuffle," said a statement from GPD. Police noted that a customer of the food truck, who witnessed the incident, attempted to intervene, and wound up getting stabbed as a result. Both victims were hospitalized as a result of the stab wounds, but have since been released from care. "Neither individual sustained life-threatening injuries," police said. Officers identified and arrested two suspects for the incident shortly after they arrived. 23-year-old Northridge man Jerald Zaroukian and 28-year-old Bakersfield man Guadalupe Reyna, were arrested after officers tracked them back to Zaroukian's residence. CBS 2 Suspects In String Of Jukebox Burglaries Across SoCal Arrested Two suspects in a string of jukebox burglaries across Southern California have been arrested. Police said 23-year-old Dache Kelly of Riverside and 42-year-old Lehman Mitchell of San Bernardino are facing several charges related to the crimes. Kelly was arrested on June 9 for burglary by the Riverside County Sheriff's Office and has since been booked into jail. Detectives later added several other charges, including commercial burglary, grand theft, and conspiracy. Mitchell was arrested on multiple counts of commercial burglary and several weapons charges, including being an ex-felon and committing a crime while out on bail or release. According to police, in late January, detectives began noticing a trend in which jukeboxes were being broken into while businesses were closed. Those businesses included local restaurants, bars, a golf course lounge and even veterinary hospitals. ABC 7 Louisiana Officer Hospitalized After Cruiser Flips During Pursuit With Suspect A 29-year-old man is wanted in connection with a Slidell Police Department pursuit that hospitalized an officer Wednesday evening, Slidell police said. Christopher Ducre is wanted on several traffic-related counts, including aggravated flight from an officer and vehicular negligent injuring, Slidell police said Thursday. Ducre was last seen driving an orange 2019 Dodge Charger with a Louisiana license plate and a broken rear driver's-side window. The pursuit began around 6 p.m. when a deputy tried to stop the Dodge near Highway 11 and Interstate 12. The driver refused to pull over, police said. The officer pursued the car onto Highway 190 West but when he conducted an evasive maneuver to avoid striking another vehicle, his cruiser overturned into a ditch. The officer was taken to Lakeview Hospital with non life-threatening injuries, police said. Slidell police are asking anyone with information to call Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111. New Orleans Advocate Watch: Illinois Deputies Use Blanket To Catch 5-Year-Old Dropped Out Of Apartment Window During Fire Deputies with the Peoria County Sheriff's Office helped rescue a 5-year-old girl who was trapped on the third floor of an apartment during a fire. The fire happened Tuesday at 10:25 p.m. The Peoria County Sheriff's Office said when deputies got to the fire, they saw flames coming from the roof of the building. The sheriff's office said there was a family of four trapped on the third floor. When deputies tried to make entry, the hallway was engulfed in flames. Body camera video shows deputies working with nearby residents to hold out a blanket to catch a 5-year-old girl who was dropped out of the window. West Peoria Fire and other local fire departments responded and saved the other three family members from the apartment. "This is such a great example of our first responders working with citizens in our community to save lives. As you can see and hear in the body-worn camera footage, this was a very intense situation. I am proud of everyone involved and thoughts and prayers for the families affected by this fire," Sheriff Watkins said. PoliceOne Public Safety News Crews Extinguish Brush Fire Near West Hills Homes Firefighters extinguished a fire in Knapp Ranch Park in West Hills Thursday evening. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the flames have burned two acres of medium-to-heavy brush. Chinook helicopters helped the firefighting efforts as the flames crept up the hillside. No mandatory evacuation orders have been issued as of 5:00 p.m. Th fire started at about 4:30 p.m. in the 25000 block of West Kittridge Street. CBS 2 Firefighters Battle Smoke And Flames In Downtown LA's Flower District Firefighters battled a commercial building fire Thursday afternoon in downtown Los Angeles' Flower District. The fire was reported at a property, possibly a storage yard, in the 700 block of South San Pedro Street. Flames appeared to spread to the rear of a nearby building. Lee's Orchid was among the businesses damaged in the Flower District. Businesses on both sides of Lee's also burned. Authorities were working to evacuate the area, City News Service reported. Details about how the fire started were not immediately available. NBC 4 Local Government News Curren Price Pushes To Remain On LA City Council Despite Corruption Charges With the City Council's Rules Committee set to consider a motion to suspend Councilman Curren Price, the councilman Thursday is calling on his colleagues to allow him to remain on the body while he fights criminal charges. "I have lived my entire life in public service honorably and with no other focus than the best interests of my constituents," Price said in a statement Wednesday. "As such, I am eager to respond both to the misguided charges that have been filed against me, and the unfair aspersions that have been cast upon my wife. I am confident that the court, and any fair observers, will recognize that these charges are unwarranted." Price went on to say, "Until I have had an opportunity to address the charges in court, it is inappropriate for the Rules, Elections, and Intergovernmental Relations Committee to recommend my suspension from the City Council. While I respect that Council President Krekorian has to take any allegations against a member of the Council seriously, I am presumed innocent, as indeed I am, and the best way to protect the voices and concerns of those in my District is to allow me and my dedicated staff to continue to serve the needs of District 9," the statement concluded. 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