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, 8-Year-Old Girl Injured By Gunfire Near South Los Angeles Motel
A 22-year-old man was killed and an 8-year-old girl was injured in a shooting near a motel in South Los Angeles Tuesday evening, police say. The shooting was reported just after 8 p.m. in the vicinity of the Starlight Motel on San Pedro Street. Police say a man, who was initially believed to be in his 30s, was shot multiple times and seriously wounded. Officials said he later died at the hospital. The girl was shot in the arm and was transported to a local hospital. LAPD Chief Michel Moore said she was caught in the crossfire while she was riding her bicycle. A description of the suspect or suspects and possible motive was not immediately released.
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Man Killed In Westlake District Shooting, Gunman At Large
A man was shot and killed in the Westlake District early Wednesday morning. The shooting occurred at 1:18 a.m. at 3rd Street and Westlake Avenue. The man died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds, Los Angeles police told CBSLA. The exact circumstances of the killing were unclear. No arrests have been made and there was no word on a motive. It’s unclear if the shooting was gang related.
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Man Stabbed To Death On Los Angeles-Gardena Border
A man was stabbed to death during a dispute on the Los Angeles-Gardena border Tuesday. The stabbing was reported at about 6:45 p.m. in the 13200 block of South Vermont Avenue, near El Segundo Boulevard and the Harbor (110) Freeway, said LAPD Officer Mike Lopez. A witness reported that they heard the man arguing with the suspected stabber before hearing a scream, which led them to call police, Lopez said. Officers arrived at the scene and found the victim suffering from multiple stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The man’s name was not released. The suspect, described as a man in his 30s, fled the scene before police arrived.
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Bonin Served Recall Papers Tuesday: Here’s What Happens Next
The clock to recall Councilmember Mike Bonin has started. A group looking to recall the councilmember officially launched a bid to remove Bonin ahead of the regular election cycle this morning. Recall Bonin 2021, the group looking to unseat the councilmember, mailed the Bonin an intent to recall letter by certified mail Monday. The group said they tried to serve Bonin the letter on Friday, but felt he was hiding and they could not reach him. On Tuesday morning, a process server was able to locate Bonin and give him the papers in person. The recall committee said that Bonin has failed to keep promises to the district. It also said he continually ignores his constituents failing to answer phone calls or emails while CD11 is going through a humanitarian, public and safety crisis. "Since he was first elected to represent the citizens and residents of Los Angeles City Council District 11 in 2013, Councilman Mike Bonin's history of broken promises, terrible and counter-productive public policy proposals, and unwillingness to listen or take action to represent the interests of the people and communities of the westside of Los Angeles have had devastating consequences." "The humanitarian crisis of the homeless population is growing exponentially. Tax payer money is squandered. Fires. Struggling local businesses. Crime is rampant and rising. Neighborhoods and schools are unsafe. We feel afraid to visit public beaches and community parks." "After seven years of this self-serving incumbent career politician, we have had enough, and we can't wait any longer."
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LAPD Announces Diversion Program In Attempt To Reduce Recidivism
The Los Angeles Police Department on Tuesday June 15 announced the launch of an adult diversion program that will place individuals arrested for certain crimes in support programs in lieu of other legal consequences. The LAPD, in cooperation with Los Angeles County’s Alternatives to Incarceration Office, established the ATI Pre-File Diversion Program on Monday, according to a police statement. The program will direct people arrested for “select misdemeanors and non-violent felonies” to community support programs instead of facing harsher penalties, such as criminal charges, prosecution and jail time. Arrestees will be screened by law enforcement for eligibility for the program based on the offense they were arrested for and past criminal history, using criteria developed by prosecuting agencies, according to a statement from the City Attorney’s Office. Arrestees will then be referred to service providers who will assess their needs, create a treatment plan, provide links to service, ensure each individual is able to access the services and, if necessary, connect arrestees to resources such as shelter and transport. “In many cases treatment and services can be much more effective than brief time in jail,” City Attorney Mike Feuer said.
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Homeless Encampment Fires Account For 80% Of Blazes Plaguing DTLA In Recent Weeks: ‘It’s So Sad’
Residents and business owners are growing frustrated and worried about the rash of homeless encampment fires that have been breaking out across the Southland. The Los Angeles Fire Department told CBS Los Angeles that every day crews are responding to dozens of fires they say are caused by people experiencing homelessness. It’s an alarming scene taking place on seemingly every city streets as tents, trees, and trash are going up in flames. Both property and livelihoods are being impacted by the destruction caused by the fires. Yohan Han, who owns the sporting goods store Glory Trading, found his downtown property on fire last week, costing him more than $100,000 in merchandise. The fire was caused by an unhoused person living outside his store. “It’s so sad,” he told CBSLA. “I can’t even explain my words, but I want everybody to see what’s happening in this city. This is the reality of what’s going on.” A couple miles away south of downtown sit the charred remains of an RV fire. Security footage from Acme Display caught the scene which began when a homeless person had a small fire grow into a much larger one that damaged the building as embers were sent flying onto the roof.
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12 Chiropractors Charged In Alleged Insurance Fraud Scheme
A chiropractor who was among 15 people charged in 2019 in connection with an alleged $6 million insurance fraud and illegal kickback scheme is now facing new charges along with a dozen other chiropractors, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday. The latest case stemming from an alleged $2.5 million scheme charges the accused ringleader, Yury Chernega, with four counts each of insurance fraud and participating in patient referral rebates when licensed in the healing arts or as a chiropractor, along with one count of money laundering. The case stems from a 2019 case in which Chernega, 49, of Studio City, and 14 other chiropractors were charged. He is awaiting a hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to require him to stand trial in the 2019 case. Between 2014 and 2019, Chernega allegedly offered to refer new patients who had been involved in automobile collisions to other chiropractors in return for an illegal referral fee, according to the District Attorney’s Office. The defendants are also accused of filing false claims for medical services that were not provided.
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3 Inland Empire Women Plead Guilty To Using Inmates’ Information To Get COVID Jobless Aid
Three Inland Empire women have admitted to fraud charges alleging they submitted dozens of claims for pandemic-related unemployment benefits using other people’s identities, including state prison inmates’, prosecutors said Monday. Each of the women received more than $350,000 in benefits and faces up to 30 years in federal prison as a result of their guilty plea, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Riverside said in a news release. The three defendants — Paris Denise Thomas, a 33-year-old San Bernardino woman; Sequoia Edwards, 35, of Moreno Valley; and 42-year-old Mireya Ramos of Colton — were convicted on one count each of wire fraud, officials said. The women applied for expanded unemployment benefits under the CARES Act, which extended eligibility to people who didn’t previously qualify such as business owners and self-employed workers. However, the pandemic relief law didn’t extend benefits to prison inmates.
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Riverside Police Issue Safety Alert Warning About Wanted Sexual Predators
Riverside Police are warning the public about several wanted sexual predators who have outstanding warrants for violating the terms of their sex registration. Police said that five sex offenders are on active parole and several of them have cut off their mandatory GPS ankle monitors. Those offenders are Thomas Kaymark, 61, Lashane Rosas, 22, Dannyboy Davies, 21, Jose Alvarez, 34, and Clemente Gamboa, 60. Kaymark is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 200 pounds. Kaymark is currently homeless and known to frequent the University neighborhood in Riverside, according to police. Rosas is 6-foot-1 and weighs around 180 pounds. According to police, Rosas is currently homeless and known to frequent along the Magnolia Avenue corridor in Riverside. Davies stands 6-feet tall and weighs 189 pounds. Davis is currently homeless and known to frequent off University and the Downtown Riverside area, police said. Anyone who sees one of the wanted sex offenders was asked to contact police at 951-354-2007. If you know their whereabouts, you're asked to contact Detective Jarid Zuetel at 951-353-7133.
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Gun Sales Have Skyrocketed In California
Californians are on a gun-buying spree. In 2020, 1.26 million guns were purchased in the state, a 56% increase from the previous year, and the most since at least 2000. Sales data through May of 2021 show gun purchases in California remain well above pre-pandemic levels. Research suggests this increased circulation of firearms could foreshadow more gun violence. The most significant spikes in gun sales happened at the beginning of the pandemic, in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, and around the U.S. presidential election in November, according to sales estimate data from journalism non-profit The Trace. These estimates are based on FBI data on the number of criminal background checks conducted after gun purchases. The data is likely an undercount since it does not capture purchases not made at a store, which are estimated to account for 13% of all sales. The last time California saw gun sales on a scale similar to 2020 was in 2016, another election year, when Californians also bought over 1.2 million guns. In 2019, Californians bought about 810,000 guns. Many Californians may have been first-time gun buyers last year.
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‘Two Top-Notch Officers’: San Diego Police, Family Honor Detectives Killed In Crash
Detectives Ryan Park and Jamie Huntley-Park were inseparable, from the start of their relationship as police recruits until the tragic end when they were killed in a wrong-way freeway crash. On Tuesday, they were buried together in the same casket. “If they weren’t together, they were talking about each other,” San Diego police Chief David Nisleit recalled earlier in the day during a memorial service for the couple. More than 300 people gathered at Maranatha Chapel in 4S Ranch near Rancho Bernardo for the late-morning service. For nearly two hours, uniformed officers, family members and friends listened as speakers recalled the lives of Park, 32, and Huntley-Park, 33, who were husband and wife. San Diego police Chaplain Chuck Price, who gave the opening prayer, told mourners he hoped they would celebrate and honor the couple, calling them “incredible human beings who now rest in a single casket.” Nisleit remembered the couple as “exceptional” police officers and human beings. “They loved this profession,” the chief said. “They loved helping people.”
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11-Year-Old On Mission To Hug Cops In All 50 States
There were more hugs than usual Friday morning at the Wyoming State Capitol. But these weren't just any old hugs; they were hand-delivered by 11-year-old and Louisiana native Rosalyn Baldwin, who is traveling across the county to show her support for local law enforcement agencies. Her goal is simple — to spread love through hugs with law enforcement in all 50 states — but it clearly meant a lot to the Laramie County Sheriff's Office, the Cheyenne Police Department, the Pine Bluffs Police Department, Wyoming Highway Patrol and the Wyoming State Parks law enforcement officers Friday morning. "This is truly the spirit of America," Laramie County Sheriff's Office Deputy Jeff Barnes said.
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LAFD Firefighters Rescue Kittens Living Inside Burned Home
Los Angeles fire investigators got a furry surprise when they returned to a previously burned home near MacArthur Park that been boarded up and discovered a litter of kittens. An LAFD crew from Arson Counter Terrorism returned to the home to investigate how the fire started and give the department's Accelerant Detection Canine Blue team more practice. That's when they found the kittens living in a small space under the floorboards, LAFD said. The kittens appear to be happy and healthy. The LAFD crew got the litter out from beneath the home and gave them some pet food. LAFD said they were concerned that the mother "was unable to return to her litter due to the house being boarded up after the fire," so once they rescued them, they delivered the kittens to LA Animal Services. It was not immediately known if or when the kittens would be put up for adoption.
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L.A. Faring Better Against COVID Than Other Major U.S. Cities As Rules Relax With Statewide Reopening
As Angelenos start removing their masks and mingling more with the reopening of the state’s economy Tuesday, public health officials say Los Angeles County is currently faring better in the battle against COVID-19 than any other major metropolitan areas in the nation. L.A. County is seeing an average of 1.5 cases per 100,000 people diagnosed each day. That compares to 2.8 cases in the same population in the New York City metro area, 2.9 cases in Chicago, 3.5 cases in Atlanta, 5.3 cases in Houston and 9.1 cases in Miami, the L.A. County Department of Health said in a news release. The county — by far the most populous in the U.S. — also has a lower testing positivity rate at 0.4%, compare with 0.8% in New York, 1.3% in Chicago, 1.7% in Atlanta, 3.3% in Houston and 3.7% in Miami, officials said. The news comes after California lifted most of its pandemic restrictions at midnight. That includes the rollback of masking requirements for vaccinated people as well as distancing and capacity limits at public venues including restaurants, bars, gyms, amusement parks and stadiums.
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U.S. West Swelters In Record-Breaking Heat, Intensifying Risk Of Wildfires
Dangerous, record-busting heat spread across the U.S. Southwest on Tuesday and into parts of Utah, Montana and Wyoming as a dome of high pressure hovered over a large swath of the region, pushing temperatures into the triple digits this week and intensifying the risk for wildfires amid a long-running drought. Some of the highest temperatures were seen in bone-dry Arizona, where the National Weather Service forecast a record high of 117 degrees (47 degrees Celsius) in Phoenix. The previous high for the date was 115 degrees (46 Celsius), set in 1974. “It is kind of early to see temperatures this high, that’s for sure,” said Marvin Percha, senior forecaster at the weather service’s Phoenix office. Percha said the high pressure dome combined with the land’s lack of moisture caused by extreme drought has combined to create blistering heat expected throughout the entire week. “What is unusual is the strength and the duration” of the high pressure system, he said. The temperatures in Phoenix also could break records the rest of the week, with highs expected to reach 116 Wednesday and 118 Thursday and Friday.
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LA City Council Returns To In-Person Meetings For First Time Since March 2020
The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday resumed in-person meetings for the first time since March 2020, but members of the public are still only able to participate virtually. According to Council President Nury Martinez’s office, council members were allowed inside chambers with one staff member, and all attendees must be vaccinated. “It’s so great to have you all back in council chambers after 14 very long and difficult months,” Martinez said as the meeting began Tuesday morning. “In a little over a year, we’ve already lost 24,000 Angelenos to COVID-19. Some of these are our neighbors, our friends and family members, so it goes without saying that this year has been extremely, extremely difficult.” Martinez thanked council members’ staff for working throughout the pandemic. “… Whether you were passing out food, or helping small businesses, or distributing essential supplies in your district, you showed up every single day,” she said. During the pandemic, council members held meetings via teleconference and the return to City Hall was set for the same day that California officials scrapped the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
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