Authorities Seek Public Help Identifying Westlake Hit-and-Run Fatality

Authorities sought public help to identify a man who died Sunday in a hit-and-run collision in the Westlake area of Los Angeles. The crash occurred around 12:50 a.m. Sunday while the pedestrian was southbound on Third Street west of Lucas Avenue near the Harbor (110) Freeway. The victim was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. He was described as a white man in his 50s. The driver of the involved light-colored sedan fled the scene, police said. Anyone with any information regarding this collision was asked to contact the Central Traffic Division Detectives at 213-833-3713 or [email protected], and 877-527-3247 during non-business hours. Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous can call 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.

MyNewsLA

9 charged with looting during L.A. fires; Emmy award among items stolen

Prosecutors charged nine people with looting Monday in areas wrecked by the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires, and accused another man of intentionally setting a blaze in an Azusa park during last week’s firestorm. One trio of men is accused of stealing $200,000 worth of valuables from a home in Mandeville Canyon early Thursday, while another group is accused of stealing personal property, including an Emmy award, from an Altadena home during the Eaton Fire, according to L.A. County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman. “Let me be clear: If you exploit this tragedy to prey on victims of these deadly fires, we will find you and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” Hochman said. The charges filed Monday involved three separate alleged looting incidents in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena, where fires have burned a combined 35,000 acres and destroyed more than 12,000 structures. At least 25 people have died, but that number is expected to rise. In one case, authorities said a Ring camera captured several men moving through a residence on Mandeville Canyon Road, a street lined with multimillion dollar homes that sits at the entrance to a popular hiking trail.

Los Angeles Times

FBI looking for pilot of drone that grounded plane battling Palisades Fire

The FBI is searching for the operator whose hobby drone hit a “Super Scooper” airplane battling the Palisades Fire last week, damaging and taking a vital piece of firefighting equipment out of the sky. The collision happened Thursday morning near Malibu in airspace that was restricted in order to provide firefighting aircraft clear space to provide critical water and flame retardant drops on the raging wildfire. The CL-415 “Super Scooper” was providing aid to California firefighters after arriving in L.A. from Canada. The collision with the drone left the aircraft with a 3-by-6-inch hole in its left wing. It was able to land safely, but the damage took the plane out of service at a time when it could’ve provided critical support to crews on the ground. A Super Scooper is capable of collecting over 1,500 gallons of water from the ocean to be dropped on an active fire. With hurricane-force winds whipping the area throughout the week and limiting the flight opportunities for firefighting aircraft, each water drop was considered a precious commodity in the wildfire fight.

KTLA 5

Here’s how to spot wildfire scammers, according to the BBB

With the Palisades and Eaton wildfires destroying over 15,000 structures and damaging thousands more, officials say crooks are looking to take advantage. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Los Angeles urges residents to remain vigilant against “fire chasers” and fraudulent charities. “Fire chasers” are scammers who target fire victims by offering fake services such as help with insurance claims, cleanup, or rebuilding, the BBB says. They often impersonate legitimate businesses or government agencies. Meanwhile, fraudulent charities take advantage of those wanting to donate to relief efforts or directly to fire victims. The BBB Los Angeles has provided the following tips to help avoid falling victim to these scams: Resist High-Pressure Sales Tactics: Scammers may show up unexpectedly or call with “limited time” offers. Always take a business card and verify the company’s information, including vehicle signage, phone number, and license number. Do not rush into decisions. Do Your Research: Use BBB.org to find trustworthy businesses and check credentials with relevant government agencies, such as the California Contractor’s State License Board. Ask for references from friends or your insurance company.

KTLA 5

Two Men Sentenced to 15 to 17 Years for Fentanyl Dealing

Two men convicted of supplying fentanyl-laced pills to a drug trafficking ring were sentenced to federal prison Monday. Adan Ruiz, 27, of Garden Grove, was sentenced to 17 years and 11 months behind bars and co-defendant Omar Navia, 39, of South Los Angeles, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter. Navia pleaded guilty April 29 to a count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and Ruiz pleaded guilty June 3 to a count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and a count of distribution of fentanyl. The two have been behind bars since November 2023. From August 2021 to December 2022, the two supplied the pills to Michael Ta, 26, of Westminster, and Rajiv Srinivasan, 38, of Houston, who sold the drugs through the darknet and encrypted messaging applications to more than 1,000 customers all over the country, prosecutors said. Several of the customers suffered fatal overdoses, prosecutors said. Navia admitted in his plea agreement he also supplied methamphetamine to the drug ring, prosecutors said.

MyNewsLA

‘Don’t reach': BWC video shows shootout that led to Ill. officer’s death

Slain Oak Park Detective Allan Reddins warned a suspect not to draw his weapon moments before the man allegedly fired at him, according to five fraught snippets of body camera footage released Thursday by the Oak Park Police Department. Reddins, 40, died Nov. 29 while responding to a call of an armed subject in the 1000 block of Lake Street in the west suburb. Jerrell Thomas, of Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood, was shot by other responding officers at the scene outside the Oak Park Library and taken into custody. The recordings show five perspectives on a minutes long, armed confrontation that made Reddins the first member of the Oak Park Police Department to die in the line of duty in about 85 years. On his own body camera Reddins gets out of his car and walks over to Thomas, 37, who is standing under a pillar at the library. The entire recording lasts less than a minute. “Don’t reach, bro,” Reddins says on the recording. “Don’t reach! Keep your hands up!” The camera shows Reddins’ gun drawn while others yell at Thomas.

Chicago Tribune

3 D.C. officers wounded after suspect opens fire in apartment lobby

A suspect was killed and three police officers were injured in a shooting in an apartment lobby in D.C., WTOP reported. The Jan. 13 incident began when officers responded to a report of a man with a gun in the lobby of an apartment building located near the Gallaudet U Metro station, according to the report. D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith said officers made contact with the man upon arrival, but he fled into an elevator, prompting additional officers to join the search. Shortly afterward, the suspect exited the elevator and encountered officers in the apartment building lobby. When they attempted to take him into custody, the man drew a firearm and fired at the officers, according to the report. Police returned fire, striking the suspect, who was pronounced dead at the scene after officers attempted life-saving measures. Three officers sustained gunshot wounds but are in stable condition after being transported to local hospitals. Their names have not been released, and the suspect remains unidentified.

PoliceOne

‘The penalty they deserve’: Iowa AG introduces bill to strengthen consequences for assaults on LEOs

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has introduced a proposed law aimed at increasing penalties for assaults against law enforcement officers and first responders, KTIV reported. “Our law enforcement and first responder heroes deserve our respect and appreciation. But instead, we have seen an increase in assaults on our law enforcement, like violent attacks or spitting on an officer,” Bird said. “This bill ensures that any criminal who assaults a law enforcement hero gets the penalty they deserve.” Under the proposed changes, assaults involving a dangerous weapon or those intended to cause serious injury would be elevated from a “D” felony to a “C” felony, according to the report. Assaults that result in bodily injury would increase from an aggravated misdemeanor to a “D” felony. All other types of assaults would be raised from a serious misdemeanor to an aggravated misdemeanor and include a mandatory minimum sentence of seven days in jail.

PoliceOne

What we know about those killed in the LA wildfires

Family members have begun to identify the Los Angeles residents who were killed in the wildfires sweeping through the area since Jan. 7. As of Monday morning, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner said it was investigating at least 24 fire-related deaths from the Eaton and Palisades Fires which have burned through thousands of acres. Here is what we know of the deceased victims. Hajime White told ABC News that her father, Anthony, and brother Justin, were killed in the Eaton fire in Altadena. Both had disabilities and were in wheelchairs and were waiting for an ambulance to transport them to relatives, White told ABC News. White says her father called her the morning of the fires, saying he knew the fire had broken out and he had to evacuate. He told her he loved her, and then all of a sudden, he said, "Baby, I gotta go. The fire is in the yard," according to Hajime. "And that's the last words I have from my dad," she said. Anthony was an amputee and lived with Justin who had cerebral palsy, according to White. Anthony had several grandchildren, including Hajime's six daughters, and welcomed two great-grandchildren last year, according to his daughter.

ABC 7

Local firefighters among the many to lose their homes during destructive Eaton Fire

When the Eaton Fire spread rapidly, making its way into Altadena where it burned hundreds of homes last week, some local firefighters who have worked to protect their community from fires over the years found themselves fall victim to the destructive inferno. Between Los Angeles Fire Department Captains Jerry Puga and Al Hugo combined, they've battled thousands of fires for more than 50 years. Despite this, they both say they've never seen a fire behave in the way that the Eaton Fire did. "We all went to bed," Puga said. "No worries in my mind, I'm thinking, 'It's in the hills, it's gonna stay in the hills.'" He says that he woke up at around 3 a.m. and immediately smelled smoke. With no power or television access, he jumped in the car to see what he could find. What he saw was straight out the apocalypse — rows of homes on fire while fueled by incredibly powerful winds, which had changed the course of the flames. "Rain coming sideways, as burning embers," he recalled.

CBS 2

L.A., Ventura counties to see ‘particularly dangerous situations’ Tuesday and Wednesday: NWS

Southern California residents are expecting fire conditions to flare up again this week, but residents of some specific areas should remain on guard, according to the National Weather Service. The NWS announced that there are particularly dangerous situations expected in the 5 Freeway corridor in northern Los Angeles County and in the San Fernando Valley and much of southern Ventura County. Those conditions are expected to last between 4 a.m. Tuesday and noon Wednesday. “Do NOT do anything that could spark a fire,” the NWS added. Affected neighborhoods and cities include San Fernando, Porter Ranch, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Camarillo and Ventura. While the winds are expected to be “weaker than those last week,” winds “will be strong enough to potentially cause explosive fire growth,” officials said. Those gusts could be between 45 mph and 70 mph, strong enough to cause local damage.

KTLA 5

‘PDS' warnings were made to grab attention in tornadoes, hurricanes, and now wildfires

The National Weather Service's Los Angeles page screams “Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS)” in hot pink letters against a gray background. It's a rare warning aimed at seizing attention ahead of extreme wildfire risk that's predicted to start in Southern California at 4 a.m. (1200GMT) Tuesday. PDS warnings were first used to warn of tornado outbreaks in the Midwest. More than a decade ago, three meteorologists proposed expanding their use to disasters such as ice storms, floods, hurricanes, and now wildfires. "It catches the attention, it really heightens that awareness and the need to really act at that point," said one of those scientists, Jonathan Howell. The hope was that the phrase would “become synonymous with extreme weather events” and also could be used for emergencies such as hurricanes and snowstorms, Howell and two colleagues wrote for a presentation at a 2011 conference of the American Meteorological Society. “I definitely think this has made an impact and has saved lives over the years," said Howell, who is the science and operations officer at the weather service’s Mobile, Alabama office.

NBC 4

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.