LAPD's 2024 end-of-year crime report shows decrease in homicides, overall violent crimes

The Los Angeles Police Department's newly released 2024 end-of-year crime report showed that homicides and person crime have decreased across the city, officials announced Monday. Mayor Karen Bass and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell held a press conference detailing findings from the report. Bass and McDonnell were joined by members of the LA Board of Police Commissioners and other community members. McDonnell who was sworn in as chief in November 2024, highlighted the 14% decrease in homicides and 19% decrease in shooting victims a significant stride to reduce crime. He credited the improvements to targeted enforcement and strategic policing. The Valley Bureau of the LAPD had the most significant decrease of 28% in homicides in 2024. In 2023, the LAPD released its first end-of-the-year crime report in nine years. The department reported LA has a 3% decrease in violent crime in every category and a 17% decrease in homicides. "This progress is the direct result of the tireless work of our law enforcement officers, community leaders and residents who have come together to build a safer, stronger city," Bass said. "While we recognize this progress, we remain committed to sustaining these reductions and ensuring that every resident feels safe in their home, on their street and in their community."

CBS 2

Body found near high rise in L.A. neighborhood

Police have been called to a Century City neighborhood in Los Angeles after a body was found in plain sight near a tall residential complex Monday morning. Officers were sent to the area of Century Park E and Galaxy Way after someone reported finding a body near a dog park around 9:11 a.m., a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson confirmed. It was not known if the deceased was a male or female but officers located the body upon arrival and requested a canopy, the spokesperson said. Sky5 was over the scene at 10:30 a.m. where the canopy could be seen in a grassy area near the high-rise complex. There was no immediate word on whether the person lived at the building or was homeless.

KTLA 5

Killer says ex-lover had no role in her husband’s slaying: ‘I murdered him because I wanted her’

To hear convicted murderer Robert Baker tell it from the witness stand, his ex-lover Monica Sementilli was never part of a conspiracy to fatally stab her famous hairstylist husband and make it look like a home invasion gone wrong. “I murdered him because I wanted her,” Baker told jurors recently in her high-profile Los Angeles murder trial. “She had nothing to do with it,” the star defense witness testified before a packed downtown L.A. courtroom. Monica Sementilli has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder with special circumstances and conspiracy. The reason he killed the husband of his ex-lover, Baker said, was because he was fed up with sharing her and living a life of secret liaisons. Baker is now serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the killing. More than eight years after Fabio Sementilli was stabbed to death on the patio of his Woodland Hills home, Baker tried his best to bolster his one-time lover’s defense.

Los Angeles Times

Morning shooting in Pacoima under investigation

A shooting investigation was underway in the San Fernando Valley on Monday. Investigators believe the victim was shot while on his way to work. Officials with the Los Angeles Police Department said they received a call just after 6 a.m. regarding a man who was bleeding after being shot near Van Nuys and Laurel Canyon boulevards in Pacoima. Investigators said the shooting victim was on his bike when, at some point, he got into a confrontation with the suspect and was shot multiple times. The victim then got off his bike and walked to a nearby shop where he collapsed. A passerby stopped to perform CPR and mostly likely saved the victim's life. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Police are hoping he’ll make a full recovery. 

FOX 11

Man arrested for violent robberies targeting elderly victims in downtown Los Angeles

A man was arrested for a series of violent robberies that targeted elderly victims in businesses across downtown Los Angeles. The suspect, Richard Nerve McDowell III, 20, was arrested for the string of assaults and Los Angeles police believe there may be more victims. On Jan. 27, McDowell is accused of entering a store in the 900 block of South Santee Street. He pretended to be interested in buying an item. As the 70-year-old clerk walked to the back of the store, McDowell allegedly pushed him into a closet and placed him in a chokehold. He brandished a firearm, took money from the man and fled the scene, police said. On Feb. 20, he targeted a shop in the 1100 block of South Los Angeles Street. He browsed around and waited until the 72-year-old clerk walked to the back of the store before knocking him to the ground, police said. He allegedly punched the man several times, stomped on his chest, then strangled him until he lost consciousness. He took the man’s property and cash register before fleeing.

KTLA 5

Suspect to plead guilty in recent $1 million robbery at Beverly Wilshire Hotel

One of two South American nationals suspected of participating in the armed robbery of a $1 million emerald-encrusted watch from a tourist sitting on the patio of a restaurant at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel is expected to plead guilty Monday to a federal charge. Jamer Mauricio Sepulveda Salazar, 22, of Colombia has agreed to enter a plea in downtown Los Angeles to one count of interference with commerce by robbery -- known as a federal Hobbs Act crime, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. A co-defendant, Jesus Eduardo Padron Rojas, 19, of Venezuela currently faces trial next month. A mystery lingers over how Sepulveda and his co-defendant came into possession of a handgun registered to Christopher Dorner, the notorious former LAPD officer who killed four people before dying at the end of a standoff with police 12 years ago. The suspected robbers are believed to be part of a "crime tourism'' group composed of foreign nationals who travel to the United States to engage in high-value theft.

ABC 7

Watts metal company ordered to stop operating as owners face felony charges

A long-sought victory for residents in Watts as the owners of a metal salvage and recycling yard face felony charges of knowingly disposing hazardous waste at a site with no permit. Atlas Metals, which has been owned by the Weisenberg family for 80 years, is next to Jordan High School and some of the hazardous waste was allegedly deposited onto the campus. During court Monday, Atlas was ordered not to receive or process any new materials. "I honestly didn't think I would ever see that day," said former student Genesis Cruz. "Today the judge really put some limitations which is a huge step for accountability." District Attorney Nathan Hochman called it a historic day. His office released a statement that read, "This is a historic day for Watts, Jordan High School and criminal justice—for the first time, after decades of endangering children with metal projectiles and hazardous waste, Atlas Metals has been ordered to stop accepting and processing new material, essentially shutting down operations. For decades, as alleged in court, Atlas Metals has recklessly allowed deadly shrapnel to be launched onto the property of Jordan High School and contaminated the school with lead and other toxic chemicals. For 70 years, as alleged in court, Atlas Metals has collected all the profits, and the children at Jordan High School have borne all the risks.”

FOX 11

He got a 400-year prison sentence after being found guilty of sexually assaulting minors

A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to 400 years in prison after being found guilty of sexually assaulting underage girls while they slept over at his home. Brandon Xiong was found guilty of sexually assaulting four girls between the ages of 5 and 10, according to the Sacramento County district attorney’s office. The victims were invited to sleepovers at Xiong’s home and, as they slept, were carried into a secluded part of the home where Xiong sexually assaulted them. One of the victims disclosed the abuse to her mother in October 2018, which led investigators to discover additional victims. No details were provided in a news release by the district attorney’s office on the circumstances surrounding the sleepovers and why the girls were allowed to stay at Xiong’s house. The office did not immediately return The Times’ request for comment. Xiong was convicted last week of nine felony counts: three counts of forcible lewd act upon a child, two counts of sex acts with a child under 10 years old, three counts of lewd acts upon a child and one count of contacting a minor to commit a felony, the district attorney’s office said Monday.

Los Angeles Times

Roof, walls partially collapse after truck topples hydrant outside T-Mobile store in North Hills

The roof and at least two walls partially collapsed at a T-Mobile store in North Hills on Sunday afternoon after a hit-and-run driver in a pickup truck toppled a fire hydrant and slammed into a utility pole outside the building. The crash occurred shortly before 3 p.m. at the intersection of Nordhoff Street and Sepulveda Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. No injuries were reported. A description of the driver, who fled the scene on foot, was not immediately available. The toppling of the hydrant resulted in a geyser of water shooting high in to the air. A "large" amount of water accumulated on the roof of the business, the LAFD said, adding that the structural integrity of the single-story building was compromised. 

ABC 7

Metro to Temporarily Close Section of Wilshire Boulevard

Metro will close a section of Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills Monday as part of ongoing work of its D (Purple) Line Subway Extension Project. Wilshire Boulevard between Crescent Drive and east of El Camino Drive will be closed until April 7. Staff will remove the concrete deck panels used during construction and perform street- and utility-restoration on the extension project, according to the transit agency. Metro asks motorists to follow recommended street detours and allow for extra time when traveling through the area. The closure will enforce the following: pedestrian access will be maintained along Wilshire Boulevard; no road closures are planned during holidays or regional events; all commercial property driveways adjacent to the closure will be accessible; bus stops locations along Wilshire Boulevard will be relocated and further information will be provided; and access for emergency vehicles will be maintained outside the construction zone.

MyNewsLA

FBI issues spring break travel warning. See if your destination is on advisory

People who are planning to travel abroad during spring break must be cautious and aware of their surroundings, FBI Los Angeles said Monday. Travelers first must check if there are any travel advisories in effect at their destinations. Among some African and Middle East countries that are on the ”level 3: reconsider travel” list, Americans are recommended to avoid Egypt, which used to be a popular destination for students or those seeking educational travel experience. Jamaica is also a popular travel destination that’s under level-3 alert as the Department of State believes there “may be serious risks” when traveling to the country. Many parts of Mexico, one of the most popular destinations among spring breakers, are under a level-2 advisory, which urges travelers to “exercise increased caution when traveling,” Americans are recommended that they do not travel to regions, such as Jalisco State and Baja California, over crime and kidnapping concerns. The Mexican states that are embattled by cartel violence, including Sinaloa and Zacatecas are on the “level-5 do not travel” list.

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.