Accused Crips leader indicted: A Grammy-winning witness, NBA all-star’s $3-million debt

A federal grand jury indictment returned this week against accused gang leader Eugene “Big U” Henley revealed new details about the reach of his alleged “mafia-like organization” and the celebrities who were entangled in it. Henley, who helped launch Nipsey Hussle’s career, was previously charged in a 107-page criminal complaint and eventually arrested last week. The 43-count indictment returned Wednesday means a grand jury believes there’s enough evidence to charge Henley. The grand jury indicted Henley, 58, on charges including fraud, robbery, extortion, tax evasion, embezzlement of donations to his charity, which receives public money, and running a racketeering conspiracy in which he allegedly murdered an aspiring rapper, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in L.A. Henley’s attorney, John Targowski, said his client “looks forward to a vigorous defense of these charges and maintains his innocence.”

Los Angeles Times

Skateboarder, 22, left for dead by hit-and-run driver in Los Angeles

Family members of a 22-year-old man killed by a hit-and-run motorist in Koreatown are heartbroken and furious someone would simply drive away after such a tragic incident. The deadly collision occurred at around 6 a.m. Thursday morning near the intersection of 6th and Catalina streets as the victim was riding his skateboard, officials said. In surveillance footage captured by a nearby business, the driver of a gray four-door sedan is seen traveling westbound on Catalina Street when they collided with the skateboarder who was approaching 6th Street, killing him. The grainy footage of the crash did not, however, provide investigators with any additional information about who was behind the wheel of the car. It is unclear if authorities were able to find footage of the crash from other surrounding businesses that provided a clearer view of the incident. While police scoured the scene for evidence, closing 6th Street between Berendo Street and Kenmore Avenue for more than two hours, a white canopy covering the remains of the 22-year-old could be seen, as well as one of his shoes knocked loose from the impact and broken pieces of his skateboard.  

KTLA 5

LAPD offering $50K reward for info in 2023 murder of South LA woman

Los Angeles homicide detectives are asking for help in solving the 2023 murder of a 43-year-old woman who was found stabbed to death inside her home. A $50,000 reward is offered for information leading to an arrest, and detectives hope to find the person or people responsible for the death of Kishaundra Gatlin. "Our detectives have been working diligently since 2023 since it occurred and has remained unsolved," Capt. Jamie Bennett said. "She deserves justice. Please, if you know something, say something." On March 29, 2023, Gatlin was found dead in her residence in the area of Figueroa and 117th streets. "Kishaundra leaves behind two girls. She will never be a grandmother. She will never see their accomplishments," her mother Lucy McDowell said at Thursday's news conference. Investigators said at the time of Gatlin's death, there was a homeless encampment by the train tracks near her home. It has since been cleared. "I want to ask, if anyone knows of any family members that were living in that area or around that area that might have information about what happened to please call us," detective Iris Romero said.

CBS 2

Man pointing firearm at passersby in L.A. neighborhood draws SWAT team: LAPD

A barricade situation involving a man with a firearm inside a second-floor apartment in the Vermont-Slauson neighborhood of Los Angeles ended in gunfire Wednesday night. Officers responded to a report of a man pointing a rifle at passersby in the 6400 block of Figueroa Street around 8:45 p.m. The man refused to comply with commands to exit the apartment and instead barricaded himself on the second floor, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson posted on X. A SWAT team responded to the scene and at one point a robotic dog was sent into the building. “SWAT officers responded and formed a plan to resolve the situation and subsequently requested the suspect to come out of the apartment at which time the suspect was seen with a firearm in a second-story window, and an Officer Involved Shooting occurred,” the spokesperson said. Video showed the unidentified man, who was struck by the gunfire, exiting the apartment with his left hand wrapped in a towel or some other type of material.

KTLA 5

Surveillance video captures masked men attacking a Studio City bakery owner

Surveillance video caught the moment that a group of masked men, who appeared to be armed, broke into a Studio City bakery early Wednesday. Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department responded to the 3300 block of Cahuenga Boulevard at around 4 a.m. Police responded to reports of three men wearing ski masks and black jackets. Surveillance video shows the moment the group, who appeared to be armed, enters the bakery. The owner is seen confronting the thieves in the kitchen and an altercation began. The victim was seen falling to the ground outside of the business. The masked thieves got away with the man’s cell phone, police said.

NBC 4

Southern California woman charged after police seize over $350,000 worth of stolen merchandise

A Southern California woman was arrested and charged after police seized over $350,000 worth of stolen merchandise in a massive retail theft bust. Police were investigating a retail theft case when a search warrant was served at a store on 6th and Alvarado Streets, across from MacArthur Park in L.A.’s Westlake neighborhood, on March 5. The shop allegedly belonged to Blanca Escobar, 65, of Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Inside the store, police discovered a large stockroom lined with shelves that were filled with stolen merchandise. Photos of the bust showed a massive collection of beauty and healthcare products, skincare items, sneakers, clothing, tumblers, accessories and more. The merchandise had been stolen from retailers including Ross, TJ Maxx, Macy’s, Target, CVS, Walgreens and Kroger. Authorities said the estimated retail value of the stolen goods was over $350,000.

KTLA 5

Alleged price gougers being sued for $62M by Los Angeles

A group of property owners are facing a $62 million lawsuit for alleged price gouging in the aftermath of January's wildfires and violating short-term rental laws, Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto announced Thursday. The City Attorney's Office filed a civil enforcement action against several individuals and their related companies that allegedly operated a sprawling illegal multimillion-dollar rental property scheme. Feldstein Soto is seeking a permanent injunction barring the defendants from engaging in short-term rental activity in the city, restitution to tenants impacted and tens of million of dollars in civil penalties. "The scale of the alleged activity -- the illegal short-term rentals and the wildfire-related price gouging -- is outrageous,''  Feldstein Soto said in a statement. "The defendants not only exacerbated a severe housing shortage but took advantage of Angelenos at their most vulnerable time.'' The complaint names Akiva Nourollah, Micah Hiller, Haim Amran Zrihen, and Rachel Florence Saadat as defendants, as well their companies Hiller Hospitality LLC, Hiller Hospitality Group LLC, 1070 Bedford LLC, and Red Rock 70 LLC and Coastal CHarm LLC, which are based in Nevada and registered with the California Secretary of State to do business in California.

NBC 4

California SWAT officer fatally shot during warrant service for transnational drug trafficking investigation

Marysville police officer Osmar Rodarte was fatally shot at an Olivehurst residence during a multi-agency service of 20 search warrants in a transnational drug trafficking investigation on Wednesday, officials said. The man accused of shooting Rodarte is also dead. During the warrant service across Yuba, Sutter, Tehama and Butte counties, the Yuba Regional SWAT Team was met with gunfire from an individual inside a house on Kestrel Court in southwest Olivehurst. Rodarte, a SWAT team officer was shot by the suspect inside the house and was taken to Adventist Health/Rideout Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries, Yuba County Sheriff Wendell Anderson said. Officials said the officer is believed to have been wearing a bulletproof vest. The Yuba County Sheriff’s Office said the shooting occurred about 7:50 a.m. Wednesday. Officials were still processing the scene behind yellow police tape at mid-day. At 1 p.m. Wednesday, a motorized procession of law enforcement officers from the region escorted the Rodarte’s body from Adventist Health/Rideout Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, to a mortuary on D Street . Among those on the procession route were business owners, their customers, members of city staff from nearby city hall, and representatives from Sutter County.

Appeal-Democrat

Video: Illinois officers plead with 15-year-old to ‘put the gun down’ before fatal OIS

Illinois State Police released bodycam and dashcam footage showing the moments officers shot a 15-year-old suspect wielding what appears to be a handgun, WMBD reported. The footage, released March 25, shows Bloomington Police Department officers pleading with the teen to drop the firearm. An officer arriving at the scene is heard saying, “Put the gun down, don’t be stupid,” a command repeated multiple times as the situation escalated. Video shows the suspect fleeing, then turning to face officers while appearing to reach into his waistband. He can be seen moving between two cars and eventually crouching behind one, holding the object. As officers surrounded him, they continued urging him to surrender. In the exchange, the suspect is heard saying, “I am not going back to (expletive) jail,” while officers attempt to de-escalate, telling him they can work through the situation and he wouldn’t get into trouble. As tension grew, the suspect yelled and refused to comply. When warned again that he would be shot if he didn’t drop the weapon, he responded, “Oh, for real?”

PoliceOne

Injured patient’s identity a mystery after 1 week in Los Angeles hospital

Health officials asked the public for help Thursday in identifying a man who’s been hospitalized for a week after being found with a facial injury in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. The patient was brought to Los Angeles General Medical Center on March 19 but staff members have been unable to locate any friends or family that can identify him. The man believed to be in his early to late 60s was found in the 2300 block of Pasadena Avenue with apparent facial trauma. He was described as possibly Hispanic with a small cross tattoo on his left forearm and a small star tattoo on his left bicep. The patient is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs about 120 pounds with salt and pepper-colored curly hair and dark brown eyes. Anyone with information was asked to contact Clinical Social Worker Jonathan Evanculla at 323-409-3859 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Calls can also be directed to the L.A. General Medical Center Department of Social Work at 323-409-5253.

KTLA 5

LAFD Rescue Person With Critical Injuries in Chatsworth Fire

Firefighters discovered a person with critical injuries while knocking down a contents fire Thursday at a single-story home in Chatsworth. Firefighters dispatched at 11:14 a.m. Thursday to 10425 N. Hillview Ave., east of Topanga Canyon Boulevard, had the fire out in under 15 minutes of their arrival, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The age and gender of the person was not immediately known. No other injuries were reported and arson investigators were dispatched to the location.

MyNewsLA

Man injured in oven explosion in Reseda

A 45-year-old man was injured Wednesday when an oven exploded in a commercial building in Reseda, authorities said. Firefighters were sent to the 7100 block of North Canby Avenue, near Reseda Boulevard and Sherman Way, at about 8:45 a.m. Wednesday and found the victim in "fair condition," according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The department said a 20-foot-by-25-foot area of the building was affected. The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety was requested to assess the structural integrity of the building, and hazmat crews were en route for precautionary air monitoring. The situation was "static," with no escalation anticipated beyond the mechanical failure of the equipment, authorities said.

FOX 11

LA Olympic Committee OKs Changes Under Updated Venue Proposal

A report recommending changes to venues that will host the 2028 Olympics and Paralympic Games, a move officials said will increase sales and lower potential risk for the city, is headed to the City Council Thursday for review and approval. On Wednesday, the seven-member Ad Hoc Committee on the 2028 Olympics and Paralympic Games approved amendments to the venue plan and called for an economic analysis of the proposed changes. Council members also requested LA28, the private organization responsible for the games, to conduct an independent economic study, which will examine proposed venue changes, added sports and lessons learned from the 2024 Paris Games. The report will be submitted to the City Council no later than June 30. In 2017, the City Council approved the current venue plan for the 2028 Games when it made its bid to host the event in 2024. The revised venue plan was released during the summer. Any changes to the plan require consent by the city.

Westside Current

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.