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Democratic lawmaker with ties to ‘defund the police’ movement calls for crackdown on crime following assault

Democratic Congresswoman Angie Craig, who has been tied the “defund the police” movement, has made repeated calls for a stronger law enforcement policy after allegedly being assaulted in the elevator of her Washington, D.C. residence. "I got attacked by someone who the District of Columbia has not prosecuted fully over the course of almost a decade, over the course of 12 assaults before mine that morning," Craig said. “We have to think about how in the world we can make sure that we’re not just letting criminals out." 

Fox News

Murder Suspect Arrested After Hours-Long Standoff With Police At Motel In Venice

Police on Tuesday arrested a murder suspect following an hours-long standoff at a motel in Venice. The standoff is said to have started at around 1:15 p.m. at the Lincoln Inn Motel located near Lincoln Boulevard and Cour D'Alene Avenue, according to Los Angeles Police Department. A SWAT team was called to the scene to assist with the incident. There was no information immediately available on the suspect or the alleged murder of which they are suspected. At around 5:10 p.m., police reported that they had taken the suspect into custody without incident. Shortly after, other guests of the motel who had been forced to evacuate were allowed to reenter the building. Several roads in the area were impacted by the barricade, including all roads between Venice Boulevard and Garfield Avenue, which has created considerable gridlock in the area. 

CBS 2

Five Suspects Arrested In Connection With Burglary At Marijuana Dispensary In Fairfax

Five people were arrested Tuesday morning in connection with a burglary at a marijuana dispensary in the Fairfax District, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Officers responded to a call at about 12:18 a.m. in the 7500 block of Melrose Avenue, according to an LAPD news release. When they arrived at the back of the marijuana dispensary, they saw four to five males trying to climb the rear gate. The back door of the dispensary had been pried out. Some of the suspects climbed onto the roof of the building once they saw the police officers while two others ran back inside the building. Officers called for backup and the LAPD’s air unit contained the area, according to police. Five males, including a minor, were arrested and will be booked on burglary charges. At least one suspect fled in a white Dodge Charger and was still at large Tuesday morning.

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Police Warning Kia Drivers Of A Surge In Thefts

The Los Angeles Police Department is urging Kia drivers to take extra precautions as thefts increase. “Investigators have learned that the push button ignition can be bypassed by utilizing a third-party electronic device,” LAPD’s Rampart Area office posted on social media Tuesday. Hyundai and Kia are rolling out software updates to slow a surge in thefts related to a TikTok challenge that authorities believe has led to at least 14 reported crashes and eight fatalities. The challenge shows TikTok viewers how to hot-wire Kia and Hyundai cars with a USB cord and a screwdriver. The updates are free for millions of vehicles that are missing a key anti-theft device, an issue that was exploited on social media and led to the rampant theft of cars. The software being released updates the theft alarm software logic to extend the length of the alarm sound from 30 seconds to one minute and requires the key to be in the ignition switch to turn the vehicle on.

KTLA 5

Stolen Vehicle Suspect In Custody After 2-Hour Pursuit And 5 PIT-Maneuvers In South L.A.

A stolen vehicle suspect is in custody after a two-hour long pursuit through South Los Angeles neighborhoods that included five PIT-maneuvers by officers with the California Highway Patrol. The pursuit, which was initiated by deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, started just before 9 p.m. in the area of Rosecrans and Atlantic avenues before transitioning onto the northbound 710 Freeway, where CHP took the lead. In the area of downtown L.A., the pursuit wound its way into a cul-de-sac where the driver, who appeared to have nowhere to go, backed into a CHP cruiser and then drove through two chain-link gates. The suspect then led authorities in a chase across several other freeways, finally exiting the 105 Freeway at Rosecrans Avenue. Aerial footage from Sky5 showed the suspect driving on the wrong side of the road, blowing through red lights, nearly hitting other cars at intersections and driving at speeds of up to 87 miles an hour on surface streets.  

KTLA 5

Anthony Avalos Death Trial: Therapist Said She Had Grave Concerns About Boy's Family

A therapist who was sent to do an assessment at the Lancaster home of Anthony Avalos less than four years before his death testified Tuesday that she had grave concerns about the way his mother behaved toward her children. Wendy Wright said she called a child abuse hotline in October 2014 to report her concerns about Heather Maxine Barron because she felt a social worker was not taking her seriously and was going to close the case against the woman, whom the prosecution witness described as "very detached" and "very cold." Barron, 33, and her boyfriend, Kareem Ernesto Leiva, 37, are charged with one count each of murder and torture involving the June 2018 death of Barron's 10-year-old son, Anthony Avalos, along with two counts of child abuse involving the boy's half-siblings, identified in court as "Destiny O." and "Rafael O." The murder charge includes the special circumstance allegation of murder involving the infliction of torture. Over Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Hatami's objection, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office dropped its bid for the death penalty against the two after the election of District Attorney George Gascón, who issued a directive that "a sentence of death is never an appropriate resolution in any case."

FOX 11

Man, 75, Arrested in 2005 Killing of California Woman

A 75-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the cold-case killing of a woman whose body was found in a rural Northern California river nearly 18 years ago, authorities said. Patricia Joseph was reported missing July 15, 2005. Her body was discovered three days later in the Klamath River about 25 miles north of her home in Fort Jones. An autopsy showed that the 56-year-old had died from blunt force trauma and asphyxia. Detectives reopened the case in 2021, using new technology to analyze evidence, leading to the Feb. 6 arrest in Yreka of Philip William Frase on suspicion of murder, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Monday. On a Facebook page dedicated to Joseph’s memory, her family said that “the time for justice is long overdue.” “We miss you like crazy mom,” the family said in a post Tuesday. The evidence in the case wasn’t specified, but the analysis “produced compelling results connecting Frase to the killing of Patricia,” the sheriff’s statement said. Officials didn’t give a possible motive for the killing or say whether Frase and Joseph knew each other. Frase was held in lieu of $2-million bail.

Los Angeles Times

Video: Illinois PD's Bodycam Footage Shows Man Charging At Cops With 2 Knives

Aurora police have released footage from officers’ body cameras of the officer-involved shooting earlier this month involving a resident accused of charging at police armed with knives. The video, released Monday, shows Kristopher Cross, 21, repeatedly threatening officers through a glass storm door at his home on the 900 block of Colorado Avenue in Aurora and later while standing in the garage at the house. At one point he told officers “I guarantee I will stab one of (you) by the end of the day,” the video shows. Cross is accused of charging at police armed with knives, with an officer then shooting him. Cross was taken to a hospital in critical condition after the officer-involved shooting. The video can be seen on the department’s Facebook page “Aurora Illinois Police Department” and came with a message from AuroraPolice Chief Keith Cross, who is not related to Kristopher Cross, police said. “I, along with our team at the Aurora Police Department, fully recognize this is a challenging situation for our community,” he said. “We hope this video will give everyone a more comprehensive understanding of what happened.”

Chicago Tribune

Watch: Florida Deputies Rescue Missing 4-Year-Old Boy In Woods, Reunite Him With Father

A father and his 4-year-old son are reunited after he went missing for four hours last week thanks to the efforts of Brevard County Sheriff’s deputies. Frankie Orwig, 4, had gone missing at the family’s home while his father, Frank, was taking an early morning nap, ClickOrlando.com reported. The family’s home, according to nearby neighbors, is surrounded by woods, ponds and railroad tracks. “I was terrified. He wasn’t nowhere to be found,” Orwig said. Frankie was eventually found in the woods on their property, but he wasn’t alone. His dog, Rufus, stayed by his side the entire time. “That dog is loyal to that kid. I ran up to him. I wouldn’t even let him go. I was crying so bad,” Orwig said. The father-son reunion was caught on video during the sheriff’s office search and rescue efforts. “Our helicopter pilot and tactical flight officer spotted the child in a heavily wooded area and was able to direct our search and rescue teams on the ground to his location,” Sheriff Wayne Ivey said.

PoliceOne

This Is When Cycling In L.A. Becomes Deadly

Lack of dedicated bike lanes, speeding cars and multi-lane roads can be a deadly mix for cyclists, according to a new report by a bicycle advocacy group in Los Angeles County. BikeLA, formerly the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, analyzed the 26 bicycle fatalities in 2022 and discovered four contributing factors in the deadly crashes: speed exceeding 35 mph, a lack of dedicated infrastructure for cyclists, multiple travel lanes on roadways, and poor street lighting. “Our infrastructure is failing bicyclists across the city and, in fact, across the region of L.A. County,” said Eli Akira Kaufman, executive director of BikeLA. The majority — 85% — of L.A.'s bicycle fatalities happened on roads that didn’t have dedicated bike lanes. In addition, 77% of deadly collisions involving cyclists took place on multi-lane roads, often with three or more lanes in each direction. These major multi-lane roads signify to drivers that the road is designed for them rather than for all users, the report stated.

Los Angeles Times

Female Hiker And Dog Rescued In Sylmar By Firefighters

A female hiker was rescued with her pet dog by Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters Tuesday, according to LAFD Spokesperson Margaret Stewart. The 57-year-old woman was rescued with non-life-threatening injuries around 4:51 p.m. at 13000 W. Sayre St. in Sylmar. LAFD Air Ops conducted a hoisting operation for the patient. One of the rescuers walked the dog part way down to firefighters making their way to the location on foot, firefighters added. The original 9-1-1 call was received around 4:18 p.m.

CBS 2

Mountain Biker Airlifted To Hospital From Brentwood

An injured mountain biker in Brentwood was airlifted to the hospital Tuesday, officials with the Los Angeles Fire Department announced. Crews responded to the area of 2720 Mandeville Canyon Road at around 12:44 p.m., LAFD said in a news release. At the scene, they found a 19-year-old mountain biker who had sustained a serious injury to his leg after a fall. LAFD crews conducted a hoist operation and transported the man to a local hospital in unknown condition.  

KTLA 5

Candidates For Los Angeles City Council District 6 Face Off In Debate Hosted By Homeless Nonprofit

Six of the seven candidates running to replace Nury Martinez on the Los Angeles City Council squared off in a debate hosted by the homeless nonprofit organization Hope the Mission in North Hills. "We are so thankful to be able to host this so we can be able to give that opportunity, so the community at large can learn about the candidates," said Hope the Mission CEO Ken Craft. The candidates are running for the District 6 seat. Nury Martinez resigned the seat in October amid controversy over a leaked audio recording of her making racist comments. "Everyone up here is running to replace a member of the city council and bring with them new ideas and new leadership," said candidate Marisa Alcaraz. The debate was centered around the homeless crisis. Candidates were asked about different issues and discussed how they would take action if they were elected. "Something is broken within the system. And I'm going to bring my approach of being outcomes-driven to really make sure we start to see a change within this crisis," said candidate Imelda Padilla.

ABC 7

LA City Council Members Propose Program Giving Tenants Facing Eviction A Right To Counsel

A group of city council members proposed a program establishing a right to counsel for tenants in Los Angeles Tuesday, as part of a continued effort to expand renter protections. Six council members filed a motion seeking recommendations by the Los Angeles Housing Department on establishing a Right to Counsel ordinance and program. “We are trying to build a city where if you end up in a situation where … if you're in danger of losing your housing, that someone will be there to support you,'' Councilwoman Nithya Raman said at a rally at City Hall on Tuesday. Raman appeared alongside council members Bob Blumenfield, Heather Hutt and Hugo Soto-Martinez, with members of tenant groups behind them. Council members Katy Yaroslavsky and Eunisses Hernandez also joined in presenting the motion. Council members said the program would seek to use funds from Measure ULA, which allocates 10% of revenue generated from the tax to fund a counsel program for lower-income tenants threatened with eviction.

NBC 4

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