Man Charged In Killing Of Alabama Officer

Authorities took a man straight from a rehabilitation center into custody Thursday as they arrested him in the shooting death of a Birmingham police officer last month. Jeremy Elwin Owens, 31, rode in a wheelchair as he left the treatment center to face charges in the killing of Birmingham police Sgt. Wytasha Carter. Speaking at a news conference, Police Chief Patrick Smith said Owens was arrested using Carter's handcuffs. "The whole purpose is delivering justice for the Carter family and also Sgt. Carter," Smith said. Carter and another officer, Lucas Allums, were shot while investigating a series of late-night car break-ins on Jan. 13. Owens was being charged with capital murder, attempted murder and receiving stolen property, plus gun and drug offenses, authorities said.
Associated Press

Hunt Under Way For Suspect In Shooting Of Virginia Officer

Authorities say a Virginia police officer has been shot and seriously wounded after making a traffic stop. State police say a Bluefield officer was shot after stopping a 2008 Toyota Yaris for an equipment violation on Route 460 shortly before midnight Saturday. Authorities say a passenger in the vehicle began shooting at the officer. The officer and another Bluefield officer, who had responded to assist with the traffic stop, returned fire. The Toyota's driver surrendered but the passenger got into the driver's seat and drove off. The Toyota was found abandoned a few hours later in Bluefield, West Virginia. The search for the passenger continued Sunday. The wounded officer was being treated for serious injuries that were not considered life threatening at Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
Associated Press

Police Investigating Deadly Triple Shooting In Gated Porter Ranch Community

Three people were found shot and killed Monday afternoon inside a gated community on the border of Porter Ranch and Chatsworth, in what police are investigating as a triple homicide, authorities said. Officers responded to a call at 3:52 p.m. of shots fired in the 20300 block of Via Galileo, where homes are listed for sale for more than $1 million.The 911 call came from someone “associated” with the people inside the house, police said. Three men were found inside the home and pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. “They all had gunshot wounds,” said LAPD Officer Sal Ramirez, who said it was unclear whether the victims were residents of the home.
Los Angeles Times

1 Killed, 1 Wounded In Drive-By Shooting In Pacoima

Police searched Saturday for the shooter responsible for killing one man and wounding a second man in a drive-by shooting in Pacoima. The shooting took place at 8 p.m. Friday outside a restaurant near the intersection of Glenoaks and Van Nuys boulevards, said Los Angeles Police Department Officer Drake Madison. Just before gunfire rang out, the suspect's vehicle pulled alongside the two men and someone inside made a comment, police said. “The comment was `do you bang?,”‘ LAPD Capt. Brian Wendling said. “That's vernacular for are you a gang member?” One person died at the scene and the second person was taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, Madison said.
Los Angeles Daily News

4 People Injured, Suspect Detained Following Report Of Gunfire In Highland Park

Four people were treated for injuries after a report of gunfire in a residential neighborhood in Highland Park on Saturday afternoon, officials said. Officers responded to the 600 block of North Avenue 65 about 3:15 p.m. after receiving a report of "shots fired," Los Angeles Police Department Officer Tony Im said. "We currently have four victims down and the suspect is in custody," he said. "We don't know the extent of injuries on each victim." Police released no further information.
KTLA 5

Hollywood Home Invasion Prompts Large Police Response

Los Angeles police are searching for three armed men connected to a home-invasion robbery in Hollywood. Authorities responded to the call of the home invasion at an apartment complex in the 1600 block of Vine Street shortly after midnight Saturday. Several LAPD officers set up a perimeter to look for the suspects, who were believed to be armed, authorities said. The area of Hollywood and Vine was shut down as the search went on for several hours overnight. The trio was last seen in a newer model white Honda Civic off of Selma Avenue between Argyle Avenue and Vine Street. A detailed description of the suspects was not released. It wasn't immediately known whether anyone was injured in the home invasion.
ABC 7

LAPD Rescues Bulldog Puppy From Cross-Country Dognapping

A rare English bulldog puppy is on its way home thanks to cooperation between police officers in Illinois and the Los Angeles Police Department. The blue merle English bulldog puppy was taken from a pet store in Naperville, Ill. on Dec. 18. It was 10 weeks old at the time. A local family had planned to bring the dog home as a Christmas surprise before it was stolen, according to a statement from the pet store. Local police identified a suspect and followed his social media accounts to learn he lives in Los Angeles, the LAPD said. The Naperville police asked the LAPD for help finding the puppy. The LAPD's first attempt to locate the suspect came up cold, but the department stayed in touch with Naperville officers, who were continuing to track the suspect's accounts. On Sunday, the trail led LAPD officers to another location, where the suspect and dog were spotted. The suspect was taken into custody and the dog was unharmed, the LAPD said. NBC 4

LAPD Sees No Credible Threat To Local Buildings In Connection With Social Media Post

Los Angeles police said they have not determined any credible threat to the city's buildings in connection with a social media post Friday. LAPD did not specify or describe the posting, but multiple outlets referred to a photo depicting an explosion apparently photoshopped over a downtown Los Angeles building. A figure made to look like a member of a terrorist group overlooks the scene. The agency said while it has found no evidence to suggest any real danger, investigators are taking the matter seriously and are working with federal officials to trace the source of the post. "As always we encourage every Angeleno to heighten their awareness and 'if you see something, say something,'" LAPD tweeted. Authorities provided no further details.
KTLA 5

Woman Pleads Not Guilty In Alleged Distracted Driving Case That Left Man Dead

A motorist who allegedly struck and fatally injured a 65-year-old man in the Westlake district while checking her cellphone messages last month pleaded not guilty Friday to vehicular manslaughter. Rosario Maximilia Valdezinda, 38, is charged in the death of Yong Do Kim of Los Angeles, who was struck about 8 p.m. Jan. 23 near the area of Sixth and Grand View streets. Kim was running across Sixth Street in a marked crosswalk when he was hit by Valdezinda's eastbound vehicle, Los Angeles police said. “It was determined that Valdezinda was looking at her messages on her cellphone when the collision occurred,” according to a police statement. “She remained at the scene and attempted to render aid as required by law.” Police subsequently booked Valdezinda on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter.
MyNewsLA.com

LA County Drops Plan For $2B Jail In Favor Of Mental Health Facility

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors this week abandoned years of planning to rebuild Men's Central Jail and voted 3-2 to rebuild it as at least one mental health facility. The author and co-author of the new plan appeared on Eyewitness Newsmakers. Supervisors Janice Hahn and Mark Ridley-Thomas talked about this landmark turning point for county incarceration. Hahn said, "What we're doing is having a paradigm shift in how we treat people who come into the system with mental health challenges." Under the new proposal, prisoners will be moved to the Twin Towers Correctional Facility. The Men's Central Jail will be torn down for the mental health facility, run by the Department of Health Services, with security provided by the Sheriff's Department. Supervisors predict it will be five to eight years before the project is completed.
ABC 7

California's Black Market For Pot Is Stifling Legal Sales. Now The Governor Wants To Step Up Enforcement

Before he was elected governor, Gavin Newsom was instrumental in legalizing marijuana for recreational use in California. Now, as he settles into office, he faces the challenge of fixing a system that has been slow to bloom. Newsom has urged patience with sluggish growth in the number of state-licensed cannabis businesses, saying he expected that such a complex regulatory system would take at least five years to fully develop. But a new report from the state Cannabis Advisory Committee on the first year of legal pot sales in California says there is problem that requires urgent action: “Fragmented and uncoordinated” enforcement has allowed the black market to flourish, threatening licensed business with unfair competition. “Lack of enforcement is creating a thriving environment for the unregulated ‘underground market," said the 22-member panel, which was appointed by former Gov. Jerry Brown.
Los Angeles Times

California Struggles To Seize Guns From People Who Shouldn't Have Them

California has struggled to enforce a unique state law that allows officials to seize guns from people with criminal convictions or mental health problems, leaving firearms in the hands of thousands of people legally barred from owning them. Legislators first took notice of the problem in 2013, after the gun massacre of 20 children and six adults at a Connecticut elementary school, and set aside $24 million to reinvigorate the firearms-seizure program. A representative for then-Attorney General Kamala Harris said eliminating a backlog that had grown to nearly 20,000 people was her “top priority” and estimated it could be done in three years. Six years later, the state has been able to cut the list only in half. As of July, the backlog of people whose guns should be confiscated totaled about 9,000.
San Francisco Chronicle

Public Safety News

LA Firefighters Attack Heavy Flames At Machine Shop In Westlake District

Firefighters were busy Monday putting out flames in an auto parts and machine shop building in the Westlake District, authorities said. The fire was reported at 5:23 a.m. in the single-story commercial building at 2817 W. Temple St., said Taylor Rappaport of the Los Angeles Fire Department. Heavy flames were seen through the roof when firefighters arrived and attacked the fire, Rappaport said. The flames were out at 6 a.m. Fox11 reported the building was an auto parts and machine shop. No injuries were reported.
Los Angeles Daily News

Local Government News

Full Scope Of LA City Hall's Flea And Rodent Problem Is Still Unclear

The full scope of the flea and rodent problem inside City Hall is still unclear amid a downtown outbreak of flea-borne typhus, but experts should have an accurate picture by next week, the Los Angeles City Council was told Friday. Staff from the General Services Department, the Personnel Department and others gave updates to the council on actions taken since last Friday, when the council approved a motion seeking options on combating the problem of rodents and fleas in the building, which may include removing all of the carpets. Department representatives told the council a vendor is still in the process of inspecting every floor of City Hall and City Hall East as it prepares a full report to identify where the flea and rodent problems are.
NBC 4

Pot Entrepreneurs Are Running Out Of Patience And Money While Waiting On L.A. Permits

For Kika Keith, a dream deferred looks like a bare, brightly illuminated room in South Los Angeles. After California legalized recreational cannabis, Los Angeles leaders had vowed that entrepreneurs such as her — with roots in communities hit hardest by the war on drugs — would get an upper hand in L.A.'s potentially lucrative marijuana market. Keith, a single mother of three, snapped up a lease on a Leimert Park storefront and lined up an investor. This empty room was supposed to hold her dream — a shop that would sell beverages, tinctures and salves infused with cannabis, and reinvest a share of the profits in community groups. But more than a year after sales of cannabis became legal in Los Angeles and other California cities and counties that have allowed it, Keith still cannot apply for a local license as a retailer. And L.A. officials cannot tell her exactly when that will change.
Los Angeles Times