Email from Los Angeles Police Protective League Daily News & Updates Law Enforcement News El Sereno man pleads no contest to murder charge in 15-month-old son's death An El Sereno man pleaded no contest Thursday to second-degree murder in connection with his 15-month-old son's death just over 4 1/2 years ago. Jose Juan Herrera, now 38, was immediately sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison, according to Assistant Head Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Hatami. The plea was entered in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom hours after a Jan. 29 trial date was set for Herrera. At a hearing last year in which Herrera was ordered to stand trial, Hatami told a judge that the prosecution believed that Herrera grabbed, strangled and shook his son, Gael, while the two were home alone. An autopsy determined that the toddler died from a traumatic head injury, with Deputy Medical Examiner Lawrence Nguyen concluding that it was a homicide and that injuries to the boy's body indicated "inflicted trauma.” The boy's mother, Noemi Medina, pleaded no contest in November 2023 to a felony child abuse charge and was sentenced to four years in state prison for violating an order barring Herrera from having access to the child, Hatami said. Medina had regained custody of the boy and his two older half-sisters about a month before the toddler's death, but subsequently admitted in an interview with police that she had violated an order to keep Herrera away from the children, Los Angeles Police Department Detective Jesse Oropeza testified at the March 2024 hearing. ABC 7 Child struck and killed by suspected DUI driver in Winnetka A 12-year-old boy died early Monday morning after being struck by a driver suspected of driving under the influence in Los Angeles, according to police. The incident happened around 4:49 a.m. at the intersection of Saticoy Street and Winnetka Avenue in LA's Winnetka neighborhood. According to police, the boy was crossing the street outside a marked crosswalk when the vehicle struck him. The driver remained at the scene following the crash and was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, officials said. Authorities are investigating the circumstances regarding the timing of the accident, questioning why the child was out of the house at that hour. The identities of the driver or the victim were not immediately released. The investigation is ongoing. FOX 11 Police searching for gunman after 25-year-old man killed in Los Angeles Police are searching for a gunman after a 25-year-old man was fatally shot in the Pico-Union neighborhood of Los Angeles overnight. The shooting was reported shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday near West 15th Street and South Kenmore Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Officers arriving at the scene found a 25-year-old man suffering from at least one gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity has not been released. Video showed police tape surrounding a large crime scene as investigators spoke with neighbors and searched for possible witnesses, according to KNN News. No motive has been determined, and no arrests have been made. KTLA 5 Porsche Crashes into LAPD Vehicle in Silver Lake; Officers Injured Two Los Angeles Police Department officers were hospitalized Saturday after a Porsche crashed into their patrol car in Silver Lake. Officers from the department’s Northeast Division were called to Sunset Boulevard and Parkman Avenue at 2:25 a.m. Saturday regarding a crash, an LAPD officer told City News Service. The officers were taken to a hospital for medical evaluation, but their injuries were not thought to be serious. Police told CNS that the driver of the Porsche was not arrested. MyNewsLA Woman Stabbed in West Los Angeles, Suspect Arrested A woman stabbed another woman in the Palms area of Los Angeles Saturday before barricading herself inside a residence for more than three hours, authorities said. The stabbing was reported at 9:02 a.m. Saturday in the 11000 block of Rose Avenue, a few blocks east of the San Diego (405) Freeway, according to Officer Jeff Lee of the Los Angeles Police Department. Lee said a woman stabbed the victim with a knife then fled into a residence in the neighborhood, which is largely occupied by apartments. The suspect remained barricaded inside the residence until about 12:30 p.m. when she was taken into custody without further incident, he said. The victim’s wounds appeared to be non-life-threatening, as there was no record she was taken to a hospital by ambulance, Lee said. MyNewsLA Missing woman with Alzheimer’s, dementia last seen in Northridge A Silver Alert has been issued for a 76-year-old woman who went missing Saturday afternoon in Northridge, police said. According to the Los Angeles Police Department Devonshire Division, Linda Semerciyan was last seen between 2 and 4 p.m. on Dec. 20 in the 11400 block of Porter Ranch Drive. Semerciyan is described as a white woman with gray hair and brown eyes. She stands about 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs approximately 120 pounds. She was last seen wearing a dark-colored T-shirt, navy blue pants and navy blue shoes. Police said Semerciyan suffers from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Anyone who has seen Semerciyan or has information about her whereabouts is urged to contact the LAPD Devonshire Division at 818-832-0633. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). Anonymous tips can be submitted to LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477), online at lacrimestoppers.org, or through the P3 Tips mobile app. KTLA 5 LA County K-9s getting new bulletproof vest that offers better protection The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Friday that it is equipping its K-9s with new protective gear that will be more comfortable while providing better protection and fuller coverage. The current bullet-proof vest for K-9s has been criticized as it tends to constrict the animals from moving comfortably and quickly without providing sufficient protection. Recently, when a Burbank K-9 was shot during a confrontation with a gunman, the dog was wearing a bulletproof vest, but it was not sufficient enough to save his life. But the sheriff’s department said the new protection gear from AARDVARK Tactical will allow K-9s to move more freely, helping them to do their work better. “The problem with previous armor systems is that they are heavy. They get in the way. They inhibit the dog’s ability to move, which actually increases the likelihood that the dog’s going to get injured,” said John Becker, CEO of AARDVARK Tactical, adding his K-9 bullet-proof vest works like a human vest. The new gear is removable, which allows K-9s to take it off if when it’s doing a large search or having to move in a large area. It can be put back on when entering a more dangerous situation, Becker explained. For K-9 handlers like Deputy Stephen Williams, being able to adjust the protective gear is a big advantage, which gives him peace of mind. NBC 4 3 officers wounded, suspect killed after New York domestic dispute call Three police officers were hospitalized with gunshot wounds, the gunman was dead and another man was wounded after a domestic dispute turned into a volatile confrontation across multiple blocks in Rochester, New York, police said. One officer was in critical condition, one in serious condition and the third was recovering from less serious injuries after the gunfire Friday night, Police Chief David Smith said at a news conference. The events began around 10:15 p.m., when a man reported his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend was trying to break into her house and might have a gun, Smith said, adding that the caller also told authorities he had a firearm himself. Police responded, found the ex-boyfriend by the side of the house, and “without warning, they were shot at close range,” Smith said. Two officers were wounded at that point, and in ensuing gunfire — some of it between the suspect and the man who had called 911 — the caller was shot multiple times. He’s hospitalized in serious condition. The suspect fled. When another officer found him a few blocks away, the suspect shot him, then was killed in return fire from that officer and others, Smith said. Nearby resident Kenneth Jackson told News10NBC that he heard gunshots and car engines all at once, followed by police cars streaming down a street. Associated Press Gun jams after man points it at Ohio officer, pulls trigger at point-blank range A Canton man is facing attempted murder charges after he pointed a gun at a police officer and pulled the trigger, police said. At about 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Canton police officers responded to the Walmart on Atlantic Boulevard after employees said they caught Shane Newman, 21, and Katerina Jeffrey, 23, shoplifting, according to officers. The officer led them to a back room, where police and Walmart employees began questioning the two about the theft allegation. The officer briefly patted Newman down but did not find the gun, body camera footage shows. “We watched you walk over and put an item in a bag off the shelf,” a Walmart employee said to Newman. “That’s true,” Newman said. Several seconds later, Newman reached into his jacket, pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the officer. The gun can be heard clicking after Newman pulled the trigger. “No, no, no, no,” yelled Jeffrey, who was seated next to Newman. As police and the Walmart employees tried to wrestle the gun away from Newman, he attempted to rack the gun, body camera footage shows. Officers were able to wrestle the gun from Newman without any shots being fired. PoliceOne Public Safety News Los Angeles firefighters extinguish massive fire at vacant Chatsworth home Firefighters battled a massive fire at a vacant Chatsworth home on Sunday night. It was first reported at around 6:45 p.m. at a two-story house located in the 10700 block of N. Baile Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Crews said that the home was vacant and undergoing renovations when the fire broke out. It took nearly an hour for approximately 80 firefighters to extinguish the flames, according to LAFD. There were no injuries reported in the blaze and no other structures were damaged. The cause of the fire is under investigation. SkyCal flew over the spot of the incident on Sunday night, where crews were seen battling the flames both from the roof and from extended fire ladders. CBS 2 Heavy rain expected to soak Southern California during Christmas holiday A major winter storm with heavy rain is expected to impact the Southern California region during the Christmas holiday. The atmospheric river is forecasted to make landfall on Tuesday night and will strengthen between Wednesday and Thursday. The National Weather Service said winds will also affect the area with gusts between 40 and 60 mph in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. CBS LA has issued a Next Weather Alert starting on Tuesday and remaining through Thursday in preparation for the widespread rain. The alert is meant to warn residents about an upcoming weather event that might impact their daily routine and cause dangerous conditions. The National Weather Service says by 4 a.m. on Wednesday, there is a 70 to 80% chance that rain rates will be an inch per hour. Weather officials recommend that residents who live in or near burn scar areas to prepare for potential flooding and mudslides. They also urge people to sign up for emergency alerts and be ready to evacuate if conditions worsen. By the weekend, rainfall totals could range between 4 to 8 inches across coastal and valley areas and between 8 to 12 inches across the foothills and mountains, the NWS says. CBS 2 About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 8,700 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. Listen To Our Podcast Los Angeles Police Protective League | 1308 W 8th St | Los Angeles, CA 90017 US Unsubscribe | Our Privacy Policy | Constant Contact Data Notice