Law Enforcement

Teen killed crossing street after L.A. schools closed over threat was 'awesome student'
A 17-year-old student was struck and killed by a city service truck Tuesday morning as he was crossing a Highland Park street not far from his charter high school. The accident occurred after the Los Angeles Unified School District closed all campuses due to a threat sent to several school board members.
Los Angeles Times

LAUSD threat could cost Southern California economy millions
The terrorist threat that prompted Tuesday's shutdown of the Los Angeles Unified School District was later deemed a hoax but it will still have a deep economic impact, according to one Southland expert. Ron Avi Astor, a USC expert in terrorism and school violence, said the ripple effect extends well beyond the more than 640,000 students who were affected.
Los Angeles Daily News

Metro commuters evacuated after smoke fills tunnels in downtown L.A. station
Commuters were evacuated from a major Metro rail hub in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday morning and trains turned back from the station after smoke from an unknown source began to fill the subway tunnels, officials said. Passengers waiting for trains at the 7th Street/Metro Center station reported seeing smoke coming from the eastbound and westbound subway tunnels as a Red Line train arrived about 10:07 a.m.
Los Angeles Times

Arrests After Train Assault Caught on Camera Goes Viral
A 15-year-old boy was arrested Monday on suspicion of threatening a witness while his 17-year-old sister and an 18-year-old woman allegedly attacked and robbed a female victim aboard a Metro Blue Line train in the Rancho Dominguez area, authorities said.
NBC 4

LAPD officer found not guilty of assaulting man with baton
Los Angeles police officer was found not guilty Monday of charges that he used excessive force when he repeatedly struck a man with a baton while detaining him near Staples Center in 2012. After deliberating for about two hours, a downtown Los Angeles jury acquitted Jonathan Lai of one felony count of assault by a police officer and another felony count of assault with a deadly weapon, according to his defense attorney, Ira Salzman.
LA Times

L.A. County sheriff, inspector general agree on sharing of confidential information
After nearly two years of wrangling, the Inspector General hired to oversee the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Tuesday he has reached an agreement with Sheriff Jim McDonnell on sharing confidential information. Inspector General Max Huntsman has said from the start that he was hobbled in doing his job by lack of access to confidential personnel data. “My staff will have full access without interfering with (the sheriff's) investigative authority,” Huntsman told the Board of Supervisors, referring to a Memorandum of Agreement close to being signed by both sides.
Los Angeles Daily News

Jury says it is deadlocked in Officer Porter case, will continue deliberations Wednesday
Judge Barry G. Williams on Tuesday ordered a deadlocked jury back to work, asking them to try harder to reach a consensus on Officer William G. Porter's guilt or innocence in the death of Freddie Gray. The 12-member panel is charged with reaching a verdict on four charges against Porter: involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office. If they cannot, Williams will be forced to declare a mistrial on the undecided counts, leaving it to prosecutors to decide whether to retry the case.
Baltimore Sun

City Government

Board Members Vote For Rate Hike For LADWP Customers
The board that oversees the Department of Water and Power voted Tuesday to raise customer rates to help pay for upgrades on the city's aging pipe system. Under the proposed rate hike plan, a single family household could see bills go up by $3 per month, each year, for the next five years, according to the LADWP.
CBS 2