Woman hospitalized after possible road rage shooting in Florence

A woman was hospitalized in a possible road rage shooting Tuesday in Florence. The shooting was reported at about 9 a.m. near Florence Avenue and Avalon Boulevard in the South Los Angeles community. The woman with a gunshot wound was hospitalized, but details about her condition were not immediately available. Authorities said the shooting might have stemmed from a road rage confrontation. A detailed description of the shooter's car was not immediately available. No arrests were reported. Anyone with any information regarding the shooting was urged to call the LAPD's Southeast station at 213-972-7828, or during non-business hours or on weekends at 877-527-3247. People wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or click here.

NBC 4

LA County Armenian crime syndicate members arrested in power struggle over territory, DOJ says

Federal agents arrested 13 alleged members of rival Armenian crime syndicates locked in an apparent power struggle in Los Angeles County, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Among the more than a dozen people charged by federal prosecutors were the alleged leaders of the two factions: Ara Artuni, 41 and Robert Amiryan, 46. The years-long battle for territory allegedly resulted in multiple murder attempts and a kidnapping, according to the DOJ. After several raids in LA County and South Florida, police arrested three other men allegedly involved in the scheme: Vahan Harutyunyan, 50, of Hollywood, Florida; Levon Arakelyan, 45, of Las Vegas; and Ivan Bojorquez, 33. Officers seized three armed cars, 14 guns and $100,000 in cash. If convicted of all charges, the men will face maximum sentences ranging from 10 years to life in prison. "Today's arrests reflect that my office and our law enforcement partners are committed to keeping America safe by dismantling transnational criminal organizations," said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. "Let today's enforcement action be a warning to criminals: Our communities are not your playground to engage in violence and thuggery."  

CBS 2

Four Alleged Robbers At-Large in DTLA

Four robbery suspects are on the loose Wednesday after they robbed a victim in downtown Los Angeles. The robbery occurred at 12:10 a.m. Wednesday at Seventh and Bixel streets, Los Angeles Police Department Officer Charles Miller told City News Service. LAPD officers were called to the scene, where they learned the suspects — two armed with handguns — approached the victim and demanded money, police said. The suspects then drove away in a gray, newer model Honda Civic.

MyNewsLA

3 men break into Anthony Anderson's home in the Encino area, authorities say

The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating a break-in at the Encino area home of actor Anthony Anderson. Three men broke into the home Sunday night, but it's unclear if anything was stolen. Anderson told Eyewitness News it was his primary home that was broken into. He said he was at his foundation's fundraiser in Palm Springs raising money for students at Howard University, his alma mater, when he learned about the break-in. Police said no arrests have been made. 

ABC 7

CHP’s new low-profile patrol vehicles harder for L.A. drivers to spot in traffic

The California Highway Patrol is putting officers in a new generation of low-profile, specially marked patrol vehicles meant to “blend into traffic just enough to observe the most reckless and dangerous behaviors without immediate detection,” officials announced. In a news release, CHP said California sees nearly 400,000 crashes a year, almost 1,000 reports of reckless driving a day and that in 2024, officers issued 18,000 citations to motorists driving at speeds of 100 miles per hour or higher. “These new tools will help our officers hold the most egregious violators accountable,” the release stated. Some 400 new Dodge Durangos are being added to the fleet, but only 100 of the vehicles will get the special markings meant to blend into traffic. The other 300 will have CHP’s traditional look. The specially marked patrol vehicles will not have the agency’s typical black and white markings but will sport a variety of standard Dodge manufacturer colorings, though CHP’s logo will be emblazoned on the sides of the cars.  

KTLA 5

Cop killer executed 24 years after Indiana officer’s death

An Indiana man convicted in the fatal shooting of a police officer in 2000 was executed Tuesday by lethal injection in the state’s second execution in 15 years. Benjamin Ritchie, 45, had been on Indiana’s death row since 2002, when he was convicted of killing Beech Grove Police Officer Bill Toney during a pursuit on foot. Ritchie was executed at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, according to Indiana Department of Correction officials. IDOC said in a statement that the process started shortly after midnight and Ritchie was pronounced dead at 12:46 a.m. Ritchie’s last meal was from the Olive Garden and he expressed love, support and peace for his friends and family, according to the statement. Under state law, he was allowed five witnesses at his execution, which included his attorney Steve Schutte, who told reporters he had a limited view of the process. “I couldn’t see his face. He was lying flat by that time,” Schutte said. “He sat up, twitched, laid back down.” The process was carried out hours after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take the case, exhausting all of Ritchie’s legal options to fight the death sentence. Dozens of people, both anti-death penalty advocates and supporters of Toney, stood outside the prison until early Tuesday.

Associated Press

Kansas reverses decision to parole man who killed trooper in 1978

A man convicted of killing a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper in 1978 will remain behind bars after the Kansas Prisoner Review Board rescinded its earlier decision to grant him parole. Jimmie K. Nelms and another man, both from Tulsa, Oklahoma, were sentenced to serve two life sentences for the aggravated kidnapping and murder of Trooper Conroy O’Brien following a traffic stop on the Kansas Turnpike about 55 miles (89 kilometers) northeast of Wichita. Nelms’ codefendant, Walter Myrick, died in prison in 2009. In Kansas, killing a law enforcement officer now can be punished by death, with the only other possible sentence in a capital case being life in prison without parole. But in 1978, Kansas had no death penalty, and Nelms was eligible for parole after 30 years in 2008. He sought parole in 2011 and 2021. The review board initially approved Nelms’ release several weeks after a March 6 hearing. However, on May 19, the Kansas Department of Corrections said the board held a new hearing on May 16 and decided to reverse its previous decision, according to the Wichita Eagle. “The board, in a new hearing on May 16 with Nelms, rescinded its previous decision to grant parole and decided to deny him release at this time,” the department said in a news release Monday.

PoliceOne

Los Angeles County cooling centers, splash pads open as temperatures soar

A heat advisory is in effect for several regions across Los Angeles County this week, with temperatures expected to climb into the 90s and beyond. During the latest Southern California heatwave, free, air-conditioned cooling centers are activated throughout the county to provide relief. Children can also cool off by visiting one of the county’s 23 Splash Pads located at neighborhood parks from the South Bay to the San Fernando Valley. Splash Pads are now open daily through September 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. A heat advisory was issued for multiple areas through Thursday, May 22. These areas include: West and East San Fernando Valley; San Gabriel Valley; Calabasas/Agoura Hills; Santa Clarita Valley; Los Angeles Inland Coast; West and East Santa Monica Mountains; and Santa Susana Mountains.

FOX 11

LA Co. deputies pushed to brink amid mandatory double, triple shifts; 13 suicides reported since 2023

It’s a heartbreaking trend unfolding inside the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department: multiple suicides over the past two years, including the most recent tragedy that occurred just this past weekend. Now, both retired and active members of the force are speaking out, calling on the department to confront what they say is a growing mental health crisis before more lives are lost. "It is so distressing and so horrific, it's hard to even get your arms around. When there's one… then you’ve got two, five, ten, twelve, thirteen. Never seen anything like that before," said retired LASD Capt. Mike Bornman. Since 2023, at least 13 current and recently retired LASD employees have died by suicide. He says the department has been too quiet about the crisis. "The department tries to tamp it down, or pretend it’s just an anomaly. Well, 13 is not an anomaly. It’s serious—and yet it’s still treated like a taboo subject," Bornman said. Bornman calls it an epidemic, blaming a toxic combination of poor leadership, a lack of support, and severe understaffing. He says deputies are being pushed to the brink, forced to work mandatory double or even triple shifts. "This soul-sucking overtime… it’s been going on for a couple of years. How do you keep doing that?" Bornman asked.

FOX 11

Councilmember Yaroslavsky Postpones Resolution to Expand Anti-Camping Law

Los Angeles Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky Tuesday postponed a resolution intended to expand the city’s anti-camping law to more areas in her district. The resolution will now come before the City Council on May 27. Under the city’s anti-camping law, also known as Municipal Code section 41.18, council members can designate via resolution specified areas to prohibit sitting, lying, sleeping, storing, using or maintaining personal property in public right-of-ways. According to a representative from Yaroslavsky’s office, officials needed more time to add to the letter, detailing public safety reasoning for the designations. Yaroslavsky, who represents the Fifth Council District, encompassing West Los Angeles neighborhoods, introduced such a resolution on May 13, seconded by Councilman Bob Blumenfield. According to the resolution, the councilwoman would expand the anti-camping law to 12 areas, including two freeway entryways at Robertson Boulevard and Interstate 10, as well as Pico Boulevard and the San Diego (405) Freeway. Additionally, it would cover Pan Pacific Park, located at 7600 Beverly Blvd.

MyNewsLA

LA City Council Calls for Review of River Maintenance Contracts

The City Council Tuesday called for a review of all contracts associated with maintaining the Los Angeles River as elected officials look to consolidate such work. In a unanimous vote, the council approved a motion that aims to consolidate maintenance responsibilities to one entity, the LA River Rangers program. Council members instructed relative departments to list all current river maintenance contracts, fees, term lengths and staff costs. The report will also provide information for other maintenance needs related to the LA RiverWay, LA River Greenway, river parks and other city-maintained areas along the Los Angeles River. The report is expected to be done within 60 days. Council members Nithya Raman, Eunisses Hernandez, Imelda Padilla and Hugo Soto-Martinez introduced the motion for the report on Feb. 5. The motion aims to address “fragmentation,” which in some cases has led to inconsistent service levels, uneven cost distribution, and dissatisfaction among residents who care about the L.A. River, officials said.

MyNewsLA

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.