Law Enforcement

Gunman dies in standoff with LAPD in South Los Angeles
A standoff between police and a suspected gunman who shot and wounded two officers at a home in Willowbrook ended Wednesday morning with his death. Police said the subject in the standoff sustained injuries, but it was unclear whether he had been shot. "There was evidence of blood," LAPD Lt. Andy Neiman said. At about 6:40 a.m., what appeared to be tear gas was inserted into the house. An armored vehicle was in the front yard of the property as the standoff entered its 12th hour.
NBC4

LAPD releases video of suspect in Wilshire Division ambush
The LAPD released a video Wednesday that it says shows the suspect believed to be responsible for ambushing two detectives outside the Wilshire Division. The officers suffered minor injuries, but the early morning shooting Tuesday set off a massive search that kept a segment of Mid-City on lockdown for hours. At a news conference Wednesday, Police Chief Charlie Beck revealed the photo of a black male, thought to be 30 to 35 years old, who appeared to be walking with an object in his hand.
Los Angeles Times

Cause for great concern: L.A. is safer but our officers are not
L.A. crime rates may be going down but as the events of Tuesday revealed all too painfully, violent crimes against police officers are going up. Four officers were shot at in two separate attacks on Los Angeles law enforcement, leading to a massive manhunt in one case and a SWAT response to a barricaded suspect in the other. Of the four, three were struck, including an officer who was shot in the face. The terrible day began around 4:45 a.m. when two LAPD Wilshire detectives were ambushed as they entered the parking lot of the Wilshire Area.
LAPPL Blog

After-hours park program aimed at helping reduce gang violence begins in LA
Wednesday kicked off the latest season of Summer Night Lights, an anti-gang initiative meant to curb violence by keeping L.A. parks open after-hours. Now in its sixth season, the program takes place at 32 public parks throughout the city, which are chosen based on their proximity to areas with high rates of gang-related crime. In South L.A., there are multiple parks participating, including South Park and Ross Snyder Recreation Center.
Southern California Public Radio

Police search for missing 45-year-old man with mental condition
Los Angeles police are searching for a 45-year-old man who went missing earlier this month. Francis Akinro was last seen around 4 p.m. June 1 in the 300 block of N. Stanley Street. His family is extremely concerned about his welfare because he has a mental condition. Akinro was described as black, 6 feet 2 inches tall, 300 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a green T-shirt, blue shorts and black sandals.
CBS LA

Search for child missing from Venice
Police are searching for a missing 10-year-old boy near Vista DelMar and Culver Boulevard in Venice, says Officer Jorge Torres with the Los Angeles Police Department's Pacific Community Police Station. The child was last seen around 9:20 p.m. Monday, Torres says. The boy is Latino and was wearing a white shirt and khaki shorts when last seen, Torres says.
City News Service

No charges in USC party arrest case after LA council members asked for report
The City Attorney's Office announced Wednesday that charges will not be filed against six USC students arrested at an off-campus party in May. Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich said in a written statement: "After a complete review of this matter, the City Attorney's Office has declined to file charges against the six individuals involved in this incident due to lack of sufficient evidence and no reasonable likelihood of conviction."
Southern California Public Radio

Metro unveils crime-reporting app for bus, train commuters
Los Angeles County transit officials announced a new app Wednesday that allows train and bus commuters to report crimes throughout the system. With the free L.A. Metro Transit Watch app, riders can directly call the transit unit of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which is responsible for patrolling bus and rail lines. Riders can also fill out an online report and send it to authorities. County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, who is chairman of the Metro board, said the new app is the latest tool in the agency's "comprehensive effort to enhance safety for our riders."
Los Angeles Times

Pensions

Texas hedge fund billionaire seeks California pension reform
Texas hedge fund billionaire John Arnold is taking his campaign to reform America's public pension systems to California, pension reform groups and a spokesman for his foundation told Reuters. Arnold, the founder of Houston-based hedge fund Centaurus Advisors and a former trader at Enron, the defunct energy company, is looking to fund groups supporting ballot initiatives that would scale back what critics regard as overly lavish public employee pension deals.
Reuters

City Government

L.A. elected officials quietly take oaths
With the formal mayoral inauguration for Eric Garcetti and 12 other city officials set for Sunday, none are leaving to chance the question of whether they are in office before the July 1 deadline. Garcetti plans to take the ministerial oath of office upon his return from a vacation in Belize but in advance of his public block-party swearing in, joining others also taking their vows early. The mayor-elect will officially take his oath at the event - scheduled for 6 p.m. Sunday at City Hall's Spring Street steps - during an hourlong program featuring Moby performing with a choir and three or four other musical acts.
Los Angeles Daily News