Good Morning. Join Mission Division officers for a memorial bike ride honoring the 1-year anniversary of LAPD Officer Valentin Martinez's passing. There is a 20 mile and 40 mile route. The event will take place Saturday July 24th, 2021. The proceeds raised for this event will benefit Mission's youth groups and more importantly, an education fund for Officer Valentin Martinez's 5 month old twin boys. Click here for more information.
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Man Killed In South Los Angeles Drive-By Shooting
A 60-year-old man was killed in a drive-by shooting in the Vermont-Slauson area of Los Angeles, authorities said Monday. The shooting was reported about 11 p.m. Sunday at 68th and Hoover streets, said Officer A. Delatorre of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Operations Center. The man was standing on the street when a vehicle approached and a suspect fired multiple shots at him before the vehicle fled the scene, Delatorre said. Paramedics took the wounded man to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the officer said.
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Search Continues For Shane Rayment, Wanted In Connection With Fatal North Hollywood Shooting, Kidnapping
Authorities Monday continued their search for a man accused of killing another man at a North Hollywood apartment Sunday afternoon before kidnapping his own ex-girlfriend. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, 37-year-old Shame Rayment allegedly got into an argument with his ex-girlfriend, 31-year-old Jenny Downes, at an apartment complex in the 11300 block of Hatteras Street in North Hollywood. When Rayment first allegedly attempted to abduct Downes, 42-year-old Roberto Fletes-Conejo, a family friend of the woman, showed up and attempted to intervene. That’s when police said Rayment shot him. Rayment then allegedly forced Downes into a dark blue Dodge four-door pick-up truck with damage to the rear driver’s side and sped away from the scene. Fletes-Conejo was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.
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One Of Two Murderers In Reseda Stabbing Set To Be Resentenced As A Juvenile
The family of an 18-year-old man who was stabbed to death while playing handball at Reseda’s Cleveland High School in 2013 tried unsuccessfully Monday to bar one of his killers from being resentenced as a juvenile. Anthony Carpio, of Panorama City, and his brother, Michael Steve Carpio of Pacoima — both gang members — were convicted on Oct. 31, 2015, of second-degree murder in the death of Kevin Orellana. Anthony, who was 16 years old when he pulled a knife and stabbed Orellana multiple times, was sentenced to 16 years to life in prison. His older brother Michael, who was an adult at the time of the April 24, 2013, killing and was apparently unarmed during the attack, was sentenced to 15 years to life behind bars.
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Buscaino Launches Run For Mayor With Focus On Homelessness. Woman With A Knife Interrupts
One of the first in-person events in the 2022 Los Angeles mayoral election centered on the issue likely to animate the entire race: homelessness. It ended with a homeless woman being arrested Monday after she pulled out a knife a few feet from City Councilman Joe Buscaino. Buscaino had trekked from his harbor area district to the Venice boardwalk, where he spoke starting at 7:15 a.m. about how tents on sidewalks, in parks and beaches were inhumane and should be banned more forcefully. He spoke for 10 minutes as supporters — fed up with the state of homelessness in Venice — held signs and cheered him on. After speaking, Buscaino began shaking hands with the roughly 75 to 100 constituents who had come out to listen when Venice resident Nico Ruderman caught sight of a homeless woman standing behind Buscaino holding a knife. “She said, ‘I’m gonna start killing people,’ and I jumped forward and grabbed Joe,” Ruderman said. He was wearing a “Recall Bonin” sticker, in reference to the campaign to remove the current councilmember for the district, Mike Bonin. That’s when two private security officers pulled their guns and grabbed Buscaino and hustled him to a black SUV nearby. Police officers quickly detained the woman as the crowd looked on, filming with their cellphones. A roughly 6-inch blade dropped to the sand as the woman yelled that she had the knife for protection and to cut fruit.
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Sheriff Alex Villanueva Sending Deputies To Venice Beach Encampments
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said he would be sending deputies out to Venice Beach Tuesday morning. Even though the beach lies within the Los Angeles Police Department’s jurisdiction, Villanueva said the homelessness crisis was forcing his hand and he was going to get involved. “Our homeless outreach service team, they’re going to be there tomorrow morning bright and early,” he said Monday. “They’re going to start interfacing with the homeless, start doing their assessments and figuring out where everybody is in their transition from being homeless to being housed.” Villaneuva said he was not trying to start a turf battle, but instead was trying to help. “I’m not going to blame LAPD whatsoever,” he said. “I think they can definitely do the job. They’re more than capable, have good leadership. However, if they’re hamstrung by politicians that don’t want them to do their job, well then they’re left in a very, very bad situation.”
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Pedestrian Struck And Killed By Light-Colored Van In Gardena
A pedestrian in Gardena was struck and killed by a light-colored van and the motorist driving that vehicle fled the scene, authorities said Sunday. The crash occurred about 9:50 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of Western Avenue and 132nd Street, said Gardena police Lt. Chris Cuff. Arriving paramedics pronounced the pedestrian dead at the scene, Cuff said. Gardena police traffic investigators urged anyone with any information regarding the crash to call them at 310-217-6189.
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Scott Berkett, Beverly Hills Man Accused Of Trying To Hire Hitman, Ordered Held Without Bail Pending Trial
A 24-year-old Beverly Hills man accused of making $13,000 in bitcoin payments to hire a supposed hitman to kill a woman he dated briefly was ordered held without bail Monday pending trial. Scott Berkett, was charged with murder-for-hire for allegedly sending the cryptocurrency to arrange the killing and then wiring another $1,000 in cash to a supposed hitman, who was actually an undercover agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. During the detention hearing, conducted via Zoom, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Chooljian granted the prosecution’s request to keep Berkett behind bars on the grounds that he could pose a threat to the safety of the community and might attempt to flee the district. According to an affidavit, Berkett met the woman online last year. She then flew to Los Angeles to meet Berkett in person in late October. The woman, who described his behavior as “sexually aggressive,” tried on several occasions to end the relationship following the trip, according to the affidavit.
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Gun Recovered, New Details Emerge In Apparent Road Rage Killing Of 6-Year-Old Aiden Leos
California Highway Patrol officials said Monday that they believe they have recovered the gun used to kill 6-year-old Aiden Leos on the 55 Freeway last month, as well as the vehicle from which a passenger fired the deadly shot. Surveillance, investigation and tips all played a part in identifying the suspects in the killing of Aiden, officials said. After the May 21 shooting on the 55 Freeway left the Orange County community saddened and in shock, investigators with the California Highway Patrol circulated an image of a white vehicle said to belong to the suspects. In the weeks that followed, officials received hundreds of calls and emails, they said. A reward for an arrest and conviction — funded by family members, donations, county officials and local businesses — climbed to $500,000. The effort led to two suspects, 24-year-old Marcus Anthony Eriz and 23-year-old Wynne Lee, who were taken into custody at their home in Costa Mesa on Sunday. On Monday, CHP officials said they received a tip and worked to enhance an image of the license plate on the vehicle, which led them to identify the couple. They then began to investigate the couple’s backgrounds and determined that they commuted along the 91 corridor to two workplaces in the Inland Empire.
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CHP: Higher Than Usual Freeway Shootings In Southern California
Three freeway shootings were reported Saturday, two along the 605 and one on the 405. A man suffered a single gunshot wound and was transported to an area hospital from a shooting that occurred on the San Gabriel River (605) Freeway in Irwindale, authorities said Sunday. The shooting was reported at 11:23 p.m. Saturday and occurred on the southbound freeway, north of Arrow Highway, the California Highway Patrol reported. Paramedics transported the victim, a man in his 30s from Azusa, to Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center with a single gunshot wound. The CHP's Baldwin Park office urged anyone with any information regarding the shooting to call them at 626-338-1164. Meanwhile, authorities were trying to determine whether this shooting was related to another one that also occurred on the San Gabriel River (605) and also in Irwindale. The second incident was reported at 5:13 p.m. Saturday on the southbound 605 at Lower Azusa Road, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Elizabeth Kravig. CHP reminds everyone to be vigilant, stay calm and don’t engage in any road rage. Anyone with information was asked to contact the CHP at 1-800-TELL-CHP.
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Border Patrol Agents Seize Heroin, Fentanyl Hidden Inside Car Battery
A woman was arrested by Border Patrol agents near Temecula in Riverside County after heroin and fentanyl totaling more than $100,000 were discovered inside her vehicle's battery, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency. The driver, simply described by authorities as an adult woman and U.S. citizen, was pulled over on Interstate 15 near Temecula, and after speaking with agents, the agents conducted a K-9 sniff of the woman's car, which resulted in the dog alerting to the vehicle's engine compartment, the U.S. Border Patrol said. Agents noticed signs of tampering on the car's battery and shortly after, the driver admitted that the battery contained illegal narcotics, according to authorities. The woman was taken into custody and her vehicle taken to a nearby Border Patrol station. Four packages were found inside the car battery, said U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which contained 9.26 pounds of heroin and 1.23 pounds of fentanyl with an estimated street value of $105,000. The drugs and driver were turned over to DEA Los Angeles for further investigation, while the vehicle was seized by the U.S. Border Patrol.
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California Gun Laws Headed For Legal Showdown
California governors, legislators and voters have been imposing additional restrictions on guns and ammunition, one atop another, for more than a half-century on the theory that they save lives. California now has the nation’s most restrictive gun laws but gun owners contend that they violate the U.S. Constitution’s “right to bear arms,” and the issue could land in the Supreme Court after three decisions by one federal judge supporting that contention. San Diego Judge Roger Benitez issued his latest decision last week, declaring that the state’s 32-year-old ban on “assault weapons” violates the Constitution’s Second Amendment. “This case is not about extraordinary weapons lying at the outer limits of Second Amendment protection,” Benitez wrote. “The banned ‘assault weapons’ are not bazookas, howitzers, or machine guns. Those arms are dangerous and solely useful for military purposes,” his ruling said. “Instead, the firearms deemed ‘assault weapons’ are fairly ordinary, popular, modern.” Previously, Benitez had ruled against a state ban on firearm magazines containing more than 10 cartridges and a requirement that ammunition purchasers must undergo background checks.
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Colorado Officer Shot And Wounded During Traffic Stop; Suspect On The Run
Colorado Springs police say an officer was shot in the arm after contacting two motorcycle riders in a parking lot Friday night. After the officer contacted the two around 8 p.m. at 3010 N. Nevada Ave., one of the motorcycle riders fired at the officer, hitting him at least once, and then fled, the Colorado Springs Police Department said in a statement. The second motorcycle rider stayed. The officer wasn't able to return fire and was taken to the hospital. Police said the officer was stable, but his exact condition wasn't available. Police said the suspect is Joseph Aaron Sedillo, 25, of Colorado Springs. He is wanted on the charge of attempted first-degree murder. Anyone with information or who is a witness is asked to call the Colorado Springs Police Department at 719- 444-7000.
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Watch: Quick-Thinking Rookie Cop Saves Choking Infant
A rookie police officer is being hailed a hero after saving a choking infant. FOX16.com reported that Pottsville Police Officer Cody Hubbard, 23, responded to a call for a 3-week-old baby boy who was choking on anti-gas drops. "We were trying to give Grady his medicine … and he was taking them just fine," the baby's father, Joe Chronister, told FOX News. "Right towards the end, he started choking." The family called 911 after Grady started to "turn purple." The rescue was caught on Hubbard's bodycam. "It was life-changing," Hubbard, who has experienced the same problem with his daughter, said. "Anytime I deal with something that involves a child, I think about how the parents would want me to treat the child as if it was mine," he explained. After the call, Hubbard said he went into his patrol car and started crying. "I started just kind of bawling because, you know, it felt good to see how that turned out," he recalled. "Mentally, I just broke down. I was crying, but it was happy tears." The baby is doing well, according to his parents.
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Over 100 Firefighters Battle Flames At 3-Story Commercial Building In Downtown LA
A large fire ripped through a three-story commercial building in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday morning, sending thick plumes of smoke into the air. Firefighters responded about 1:50 a.m. to the 200 block of S Los Angeles Street, near 3rd Street, and found flames shooting from the building, according to Nicholas Prange of the Los Angeles Fire Department. Video from the scene showed flames coming out of one side of the building and what sounded like several small, firecracker-like explosions and thick, black smoke pouring out of another side of the structure. An official cause of the fire has not been determined, but LAFD Captain Erik Scott said cartridges being sold for commercial use by a smoke shop on the first floor of the building could be the cause of those small explosions. "We're determining exactly what those cartridges are, what was inside and what (was) the quantity, but that will take time," he said. A total of 150 firefighters worked to extinguish the flames, though no injuries were reported.
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LAFD Rescues Tree Trimmer Trapped By Palm Fronds In Sherman Oaks
Los Angeles firefighters rescued a tree trimmer Saturday who was trapped by palm fronds while working on a tree in Sherman Oaks. The man, who was wearing tree-trimming gear, including heavy-duty boots — with a chain-saw tethered to his body — was conscious and alert when he was freed from the palm fronds Saturday morning on the 4400 block of Matilija Avenue, just north of Moorpark Street. Firefighters cut away the palm fronds and brought the man down from the 45-foot-tall tree using a rope system, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey. The man was conscious and alert, Humphrey said. He was hospitalized with an undetermined injury.
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LA County To Close Large Vaccination Sites, Transition To Community Sites
As the demand of the COVID-19 vaccine continues to decrease, Los Angeles County will close its four large-scale vaccination sites. Those sites will be transitioned into smaller community sites. On June 7, the county will close the California State University, Northridge (CSUN) vaccination site and transition to providing vaccines to residents at the Balboa Sports Complex. Those that have received their first dose at CSUN will now have appointments for their second dose at Balboa Sports Complex. After Sunday, June 13, the county will transition the other three large capacity vaccination sites located at The Forum, Pomona Fairplex, and L.A County Office of Education to nearby community sites. Beginning Tuesday, June 15, residents can go to the following community vaccination sites: Ted Watkins Memorial Park, Commerce Senior Citizens Center, and Norwalk Arts & Sports Complex.
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L.A. County Details Workplace Virus Precautions Ahead Of June 15 Reopening
As Los Angeles County prepares for a wide reopening in alignment with state standard’s on June 15, health officials on Monday gave more insight into which COVID-19 safety measures people can expect at workplaces. The Cal/OSHA standards board last week recommended relaxing physical distancing and masking requirements for fully vaccinated workers, and other adjustments to align with the state’s reopening path. If approved within the next 10 days, Dr. Muntu Davis, the Los Angeles County health officer, said they are expected to go into effect no later than June 15. Davis said the recommendations may still be revised in the coming weeks, and expects there to be an adjustment period. “I think this adjustment from June 15 will take some folks some time to feel comfortable as we continue to see what happens with cases,” Davis said. L.A. County is continuing its downward trend in cases, hospitalizations and deaths, with Davis saying case numbers and other metrics are “low and stable.”
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