Law Enforcement News LA County DA George Gascón’s top aide arrested on suspicion of public intoxication Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón’s top aide is facing a misdemeanor public intoxication charge following his arrest earlier this month during a traffic stop by Azusa police. Joseph Iniguez, 36, was taken into custody at 11:35 p.m. on Dec. 11 after officers pulled over a vehicle for an undisclosed traffic violation in the 900 block East Alosta Avenue, Azusa police said Tuesday in a statement. Police did not say whether Iniguez, who was a passenger, got out of the vehicle, but noted he was arrested for allegedly being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Los Angeles Daily News Police Investigating Deadly Shooting In Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw Area The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the fatal shooting of a man in the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw area Tuesday night. The shooting was reported at 5:12 p.m., according to Officer Rosario Cervantes of the LAPD. The 30-year-old victim, whose name was not released, was fatally shot near Hillcrest and Santo Tomas drives, according to Cervantes and Mike Lopez of the LAPD. He was transported to a nearby hospital in unknown condition, according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department, but Lopez confirmed around 8:30 p.m. that the man had died. No further information was available. KTLA 5 DOJ Awards $1.6 Billion To Fight Crime As Democrats Distance Themselves From Defund The Police In the latest sign that Democrats are racing away from the "defund the police" movement, the Department of Justice has announced it will award $1.6 billion in grants to programs aimed at reducing violent crime. The grants are the latest effort by the Biden administration to address rising crime rates. “The Department of Justice is committed to supporting our state and local partners to combat crime across the country,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “This latest round of funding will deliver critical public safety resources, helping public safety professionals, victim service providers, local agencies, and nonprofit organizations confront these serious challenges.” The DOJ's announcement about the program specifically mentions violent crime, human trafficking, and retail thefts among the problems it aims to address. Other goals include reducing recidivism and helping people transition from prisons back into communities. Crime has become a prevalent issue in recent months, and voters are noticing. An ABC News/Ipsos poll published last week found that just 36% of voters approve of President Joe Biden’s handling of crime while 61% disapprove. On gun violence, 66% of voters disapprove of Biden’s performance, with 32% approving. The poll numbers indicate voters are looking to Biden to address issues such as murder rates, which are up more than two-thirds in some major cities. Washington Examiner Security Shortcomings Under Scrutiny In Drakeo The Ruler Killing On Saturday night, just after Al Green had finished serenading tens of thousands of fans at the Once Upon a Time in LA festival with classic love songs including “Let’s Stay Together” and “Love and Happiness,” the rapper Drakeo the Ruler was brazenly ambushed backstage and stabbed in the neck. The incident occurred as Snoop Dogg was gearing up to perform as part of the single-day event, a joint venture he co-promoted with live entertainment giant Live Nation and L.A.-based independent promoter Bobby Dee Presents. The latter is owned by Robert “Bobby Dee” Drieslein, a longtime business partner of Snoop Dogg. The festival, held on the grounds of Banc of California Stadium and Exposition Park and featuring performances by the Game, Cypress Hill, Ice Cube and dozens of other R&B, funk and hip-hop artists from the 1970s onward, was shut down soon after. Drakeo, whose real name is Darrell Caldwell, 28, later died from his injuries. “Detectives are still trying to figure things out,” said Officer Luis Garcia, an LAPD spokesman, on Sunday. California Highway Patrol is the current investigating agency. No arrests have been made. Los Angeles Times VIDEO: LAPD Pursuit In Mid-City Ends With Dramatic Crash; One Injury A police pursuit in Mid-City ended with a collision with a parked car along Pico Boulevard Monday morning. According to LAPD, officers were in pursuit of a vehicle with a driver who was possibly under the influence. After several close calls with pedestrians, the suspect's car, seen in the video as a silver, four-door vehicle, lost control, rear-ending a parked yellow vehicle. The suspect, seen in a red shirt, then ran from the crash scene, but quickly gave up and was apprehended near the corner of 4th Avenue and Pico Boulevard. There was someone inside the yellow vehicle that was hit. LAPD offered aid to that person before LA fire crews arrived on the scene. FOX 11 Man In Critical Condition, Another Injured After Being Struck By SUV In Mid-City Area Two men were injured Tuesday after being struck by an SUV in the Mid-City area of Los Angeles before the vehicle smashed into a retaining wall. The accident was reported at about 2 p.m. in the 6000 block of West Cadillac Avenue, near Ballona Creek, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Fire officials said one of the men suffered “severe lower body trauma” and was taken to a hospital in critical condition. The other man suffered only minor injures and was evaluated at the scene. The woman driving the SUV was taken to a hospital with a minor injury. The cause of the crash was under investigation. CBS 2 Anti-Semitic Poster Found Outside Fairfax District Synagogue An anti-semitic poster has shown up after several others in the Fairfax District. The poster has been taken down but the message of hate lingers. "We're frustrated," said Rabbi Yossi Eilfort, who runs the security that patrols the area and first spotted the poster using the letters "a" and "v" to create the Star of David with the words "anti-vaxxers." "It comes in waves and the wave is definitely higher now than it has been." Meister says the sheriff's department is aware, although none of the posters have shown up there. The poster had a phone number that goes to the Abbey in West Hollywood. The Abbey says they were inundated with calls warning them about the poster. "It's deeply troubling to hear about these posters," said Lauren Meister, the mayor of West Hollywood. "I don't understand it and I don't understand how they could possibly make the comparison to Nazism and what happened in the Holocaust." It comes as just this past weekend some 200 fliers were found in Pasadena and Beverly Hills. They appear to list names across the CDC, Biden administration and pharmaceutical companies attempting to link them all to a Jewish conspiracy. Police in both Pasadena and Beverly Hills have launched hate crime investigations. NBC 4 Woman Alleges Sexual Assault As Virgin At USC Fraternity Party A lawsuit was filed Tuesday by a woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted while intoxicated by a sober Mu Theta chapter fraternity member during a party near USC in 2020, stripping her of her virginity. The plaintiff is identified only as Jane Doe in the Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit brought against Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity, Mu Theta Chapter at USC; Sam National Properties LLC; USC Housing LLC; Sam Property Management LLC; Jero Enterprises Inc. -- which does business as Brad Management -- and Doe's alleged assailant, Peter Hwang. Mu Theta Chapter's principal place of business is in the 900 block of West 28th Street, the suit states. Doe alleges negligence, negligent hiring and supervision, assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She seeks at least $5 million. Representatives for the defendants could not be immediately reached. Doe, who is 5 feet, 3 inches tall and weights 135 pounds, and a girlfriend were both drunk when they arrived at the Mu Theta party on Jan. 25, 2020, the suit states. "At the time that she entered the party, plaintiff was underage and a virgin for religious reasons," the suit states. NBC 4 Man’s Conviction Upheld For Murdering Young Transient In Santa Monica A state appeals court panel Tuesday upheld a man’s conviction for murdering an 18-year-old transient at a park in Santa Monica just over three years ago. The three-justice panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal rejected the defense’s contention that the trial court erred in admitting evidence of a prior assault by Jesse Ramirez-Perez and by failing to instruct jurors on self-defense and the lesser crime of voluntary manslaughter. Ramirez-Perez was convicted in September 2019 of second-degree murder for the Oct. 3, 2018, stabbing of Eric Perrine, who died on his way to the hospital. “That defendant stabbed and killed Perrine was not seriously disputed at trial. Indeed, evidence of these facts was overwhelming,” the appellate court panel found in its 17-page ruling. “Perrine identified defendant as his assailant to police officers. Officers found defendant fleeing the scene and witnessed him throwing the knife into a planter box when they confronted him. After arresting defendant, officers recovered the knife. DNA testing found defendant’s and Perrine’s DNA on the knife’s handle and Perrine’s blood on its blade.” MyNewsLA.com LA County Supervisors Re-Establish $10K Reward In Mitrice Richardson Case The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to re-establish a $10,000 reward in the disappearance and death of Mitrice Richardson. The 24-year-old Cal State Fullerton graduate disappeared shortly after being released around midnight from the Malibu-Lost Hills Sheriff's Station in 2009 and was found dead 11 months later. Richardson's remains were found in Dark Canyon, her belt, bra, and jeans scattered hundreds of feet down the ravine. To this day, her death remains a mystery. The announcement from the board comes one day after an Eyewitness News investigation into Richardson's death. In the course of the investigation, Eyewitness News learned that a $10,000 reward from the county for information in Richardson's case had expired more than a decade ago. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to re-establish that reward. Supervisor Holly Mitchell sponsored the motion. There was already $20,000 in reward money being offered by the cities of Malibu and Calabasas, so the board's action brings the total reward to $30,000. ABC 7 LA County Offers $10,000 Reward In Lancaster Car-To-Car Shooting The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a $10,000 reward Tuesday for information on the gunman responsible for shooting a man who was driving in Lancaster, and then hunting the injured man down at a gas station to shoot him again. Supervisor Kathryn Barger recommended the reward, calling the shooting “ruthless.” At about 3:10 a.m. on Dec. 3, Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were alerted about a car-to-car shooting. The victim, Jason Castillo, drove to a gas station at Challenger Way and Avenue K to call 911. While he was waiting for deputies to arrive, the gunman came back and shot Castillo again as he lay helpless on the ground, according to Barger. Castillo was struck by bullets to his head and body, and Barger said he remains hospitalized in critical condition. “I’m offering this reward as a plea for anyone with information about this ruthless shooting to step forward,” Barger said. “The shocking fact that the gunman circled back to find Mr. Castillo, took aim and fired while he was already injured and helpless is deplorable.” “As leaders of the Lancaster community, we must do all we can to send a clear message to criminals — your actions are unacceptable and justice will be served,” she added. Detectives said the gunman was driving a white, four-door BMW sedan which had visible collision damage to the front driver and passenger sides. CBS 2 String Of Armed Robberies In Southeast L.A. County Could Be Connected: LASD The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a string of armed robberies Monday evening that detectives believe could be connected. The locations hit were all in strip malls, and were mainly vape or smoke shops or small stores that sell liquor and cigarettes in the Southeast region of L.A. County. One person was wounded in one of the robberies. In all of the incidents, three suspects would enter a business, present handguns, take cash or merchandise, then flee on foot, according to the Sheriff’s Department. The first robbery happened around 6:42 p.m. Monday in the 4800 block of Paramount Boulevard in Lakewood, where the robbers flashed a gun inside the Discount Mart Tobacco Vape & More store, before stealing merchandise. About three minutes later, another armed robbery was reported nearby in the 5500 block of South Street in Lakewood. Assailants presented a gun and took money and other items from a business. Around 7 p.m., thieves with at least two guns targeted the 10400 block of Artesia Boulevard in Bellflower. About half an hour later, a robbery was reported at Cora’s Market in the area of Norwalk Boulevard and 161st Street. The assailants were armed with a gun and fired it over the plexi-glass barrier at the cash register. KTLA 5 California Man Who Threatened Politicians, Journalists Sentenced To 3 Years In Prison A California man who threatened members of Congress and journalists regarding the outcome of the 2020 presidential election has been sentenced to three years in prison, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. Robert Lemke previously pleaded guilty to making threatening interstate communications, according to the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York. Lemke, 36, was also sentenced to three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term, prosecutors said. “Rather than attempting to effect change through the lawful forms of expression that all of us Americans still enjoy, Lemke sought to quell freedom of expression, to intimidate and instill fear in others by threats of violence,” U.S. Atty. Damian Williams said. “Today, [he] was rightly sentenced to prison for his conduct.” According to court documents and statements made during public proceedings, he sent threatening electronic and audio messages to about 50 people from November 2020 through early January 2021, prosecutors said. Lemke chose targets, prosecutors said, whose statements reflected the truth: that then-President Trump had lost the 2020 election. According to authorities, he told people to “be ready for war” in a post to Facebook on Nov. 7, 2020, the day that most national media organizations called the race for Joe Biden. Los Angeles Times Missing Utah College Student Found Naked And Alive In Man’s Basement A 39-year-old Utah man is now facing multiple charges after a college student who was missing for five days was found naked and covered in coal inside his home, reports say. Brent Brown, of Loa, has been charged with aggravated kidnapping, rape, object rape and obstruction of justice following the discovery of a Snow College student on Saturday, according to Fox 13. He is now being held without bail. The saga involving the student began on the night of Dec. 13, when she was last seen leaving her dorm building in Ephraim. The next day, her roommates reported her missing when she failed to return, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. The newspaper, citing a probable cause affidavit, reported that the student met Brown in an online "chat group" and arranged to have him pick her up on Dec. 13 – but in the following days the relationship became nonconsensual and violent. Brown allegedly tied the victim up while he was at work, got rid of her phone when he learned police were looking for her, and "threatened her, saying if she left or told anyone about him, he would come after her family and sister," the Salt Lake Tribune reported, citing the affidavit. Court documents later stated that police used cellphone tower information to track down the victim at Brown’s home in Loa, about an hour and a half’s drive from where she had last been seen, the newspaper continued. FOX 11 Citizens Honored For Saving South Carolina Cop’s Life In Attack Caught On Video A group of good Samaritans were honored this week for saving the life of a police officer in August 2020. Without their help, the outcome could have been much worse, according to WYFF. The violent attack happened while Officer Erin Hansen was working an extra shift at Walmart. Hansen was off duty, but says he was still wearing a police uniform. Security video shows a man tackle Hansen to the ground before hitting him repeatedly. According to police, the attack knocked Hansen unconscious and left him with a fractured skull, broken nose and busted eardrum. Video shows several shoppers intervening seconds after the attack begins. "We had citizens who not only said something but did something, they prevented him from further injury and possibly the loss of his life,” said Spartanburg Police Chief Alonzo Thompson. “For that, Officer Hansen and his family and his Spartanburg Police Department family are eternally grateful.” According to Thompson, a total of nine shoppers helped stop the attack. Four of the good Samaritans were honored Monday for going above and beyond. "I said I can't just watch this thing, so I went in again and started slugging him with my fists,” said William Strong, one of the citizens who stepped in. “And then those other citizens joined me.” The suspect, 23-year-old James Cunningham, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and was sentenced this week to decades in prison, according to the report. PoliceOne Nearly $100B In COVID-19 Relief Funds Stolen, Secret Service Says Nearly $100 billion at minimum has been stolen from COVID-19 relief programs set up to help businesses and people who lost their jobs due to the pandemic, the U.S. Secret Service said Tuesday. The estimate is based on Secret Service cases and data from the Labor Department and the Small Business Administration, said Roy Dotson, the agency’s national pandemic fraud recovery coordinator, in an interview. The Secret Service didn’t include COVID-19 fraud cases prosecuted by the Justice Department. While roughly 3% of the $3.4 trillion dispersed, the amount stolen from pandemic benefits programs shows "the sheer size of the pot is enticing to the criminals," Dotson said. Most of that figure comes from unemployment fraud. The Labor Department reported about $87 billion in unemployment benefits could have been paid improperly, with a significant portion attributable to fraud. The Secret Service said it has seized more than $1.2 billion while investigating unemployment insurance and loan fraud and has returned more than $2.3 billion of fraudulently obtained funds by working with financial partners and states to reverse transactions. FOX 11 Public Safety News These L.A. Neighborhoods Are Reporting The Most COVID Cases COVID-19 is once again spreading rapidly through Los Angeles County, with the number of reported cases nearly tripling in just one week. Data from the city of L.A. shows which neighborhoods have seen the biggest spikes lately. Between Dec. 11 and Dec. 17, the following areas reported the most new cases: Melrose: 194 cases; North Hollywood: 189 cases; Sherman Oaks: 186 cases; Hollywood: 166 cases; Venice: 124 cases; Woodland Hills: 104 cases; and Encino: 102 cases. The neighborhoods reporting the most cases last week are also some of the city’s most populous. The Los Angeles Times breaks down the number of new COVID cases per capita, which can give us another idea of where the hotspots are, including smaller communities. While Bel Air, Beverly Crest, Beverly Hills, Crestview and Beverlywood aren’t reporting as many cases in raw numbers, L.A. Times analysis shows them reporting high numbers per capita. KTLA 5 L.A. County Says No Lockdown Needed Now As California Requires Boosters For Health Workers Despite the rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant, Los Angeles County’s top health official said Tuesday that no lockdowns are planned at this time, as vaccines and other safety measures remain strong tools to combat the new threat. The stance in the nation’s most populous county echoes statements from President Biden, national COVID-19 czar Dr. Anthony Fauci and health officials elsewhere in California. Meanwhile, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday announced that California will mandate boosters for all healthcare workers in hopes of improving immunity and protecting hospitals from an expected surge of patients. While L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer acknowledged the growing anxiety over Omicron, she emphasized that the rollout of vaccines puts the region in a better position than it was in during last winter’s COVID-19 surge. “I know that the thing that’s top of mind is, do we see in this near future closing back down our stores, telling people they have to stay home? And my hope is no,” Ferrer told the county Board of Supervisors Tuesday. “But that’s a hope. And it really depends on us being able to use these new tools we have to the best of our ability to actually be able to mitigate against this pretty big threat that we all face with Omicron. Los Angeles Times Local Government News L.A. Metro Bus, Train Rides To Be Free On Christmas Eve And New Year’s Eve Angelenos heading around town to celebrate the holidays will be able to get to their destinations free of charge on public transportation this Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, courtesy of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Metro announced Tuesday that it will be waiving fees for bus and rail service for five hours each on both holidays. Riders will be able to board buses and trains for free during the following times: 9 p.m. Dec. 24 through 2 a.m. Dec. 25 AND 9p.m. Dec. 31 through 2 a.m. Jan. 1. During those periods, fare gates with be unlatched at Metro Rail stations, while fare boxes and validators won’t deduct money from TAP cards, according to a news release from the L.A. transportation agency. Metro will be running normal weekday bus and rail service levels on those days, the release stated. After 8 p.m., trains will run about every 20 minutes until around midnight, when the last trains of the evening are scheduled to depart. Unlike previous years, Metro won’t offer overnight or enhanced rail service on New Year’s Eve. KTLA 5 ‌ ‌ ‌ Visit our website LA Police Protective League | 1308 West Eighth Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!