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Los Angeles
Police Protective League
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the union that represents the
rank and file LAPD officers
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Daily Local & Regional NewsWatch
Daily News Digest
from LA Police Protective League
January 19, 2022 |
Law Enforcement News
Woman Charged In LAPD Officer's Murder Ordered Held Without Bail
The woman charged alongside three men with the murder of LAPD officer Fernando Arroyos was ordered Tuesday to be held in jail with no bail. Haylee Marie Grisham appeared by telephone at a short hearing in front of a U.S. District Court magistrate judge on allegations she violated federal racketeering law by participating in the robbery and murder of Arroyos January 10. Grisham, 18, did not enter a plea to the charges. Her newly appointed defense attorney, Shaun Khojayan, told the judge he was working with Grisham's family to come up with property to use to secure a bail release and would make a request in the coming weeks to have the matter of bail reconsidered. Magistrate Judge Paul L. Abrams said there was no combination of release conditions that would ensure her appearance at future hearings, citing Grisham's limited local ties, and said given the nature of the allegations in the case, there were no conditions that could overcome the presumption that her release could endanger the community. NBC 4 |
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Suspect ID'd As Shawn Laval Smith In Murder Of Brianna Kupfer, Hancock Park Furniture Store Employee Found Stabbed
Authorities have identified a man wanted in the last week's murder of an employee at a furniture store in Hancock Park. Tuesday night, police identified the suspect as Shawn Laval Smith. He is still at large and is considered armed and dangerous. Anyone who sees him should not approach him and call 911 immediately. Police say 24-year-old Brianna Kupfer was the only employee at the Croft House on La Brea Avenue when someone came into the store last Thursday afternoon and fatally stabbed her. Kupfer's body was not found until a customer arrived later at the store. “I don't see us healing anytime soon,” said Todd Kupfer, the victim's father. “I would love to tell you that there's going to be a point we're going to be better, but I feel like it's going to be a big missing piece.” Thanks to private donations, a $50,000 reward offered by the city for information leading to Smith's arrest has risen to $250,000. “We will find this vicious criminal, we will arrest him and we will get him prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” L.A. City Councilman Paul Koretz said Tuesday after he introduced a motion at the city council meeting to create a $50,000 reward from the city. CBS 2 |
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Man Charged With Murder Of Nurse Waiting For Bus At L.A.'s Union Station
A man was charged Tuesday with the murder of a 70-year-old nurse who was attacked while waiting for a bus at downtown Los Angeles' Union Station last week, prosecutors said. Kerry Bell, 48, was taken into custody shortly after Sandra Shells was punched in an unprovoked attack Thursday morning, causing her to fall and strike her head at East Cesar Chavez Avenue and North Vignes Street, police said. She died of her injuries days after the attack. At 5:15 a.m., Shells was waiting for a bus to L.A. County-USC Medical Center, where she worked for 38 years. Investigators said Bell, who is homeless, was apprehended 90 minutes later while sleeping near the scene of the attack. In September 2020, Bell was arrested in L.A. on suspicion of battery upon a transportation official. He was charged with the misdemeanor last year. LAPD detectives said Bell had numerous arrests in other states. Police Chief Michel Moore called Shells' death “a tragic and senseless murder.” “We can and must do better,” Moore said Tuesday. “This victim lived her life for others. We are falling short.” Los Angeles Times |
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Father Of Slain UCLA Grad Student Blames Politicians For Crime Spike
The shattered father of a UCLA graduate student stabbed to death last week in a random daylight attack in Los Angeles blamed politicians for letting criminals run rampant. "Crime is truly spiking, and we have a lot of criminals on the streets that shouldn't be out," grieving father Todd Kupfer, 60, told Fox News. His 24-year-old daughter, Brianna Kupfer, was murdered Thursday by a person who walked into Croft House, an upscale furniture store where she worked, and plunged a knife in her. "We have a lot of politicians that somehow forgot about people and think the key to getting elected is to support the lowest rung of our society and to give them rights and somehow that's the answer to getting votes," Kupfer said. The murder rate in Los Angeles has soared in recent years and violent crime has rocked even the city's wealthiest enclaves. Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, a Democrat, won over voters last year with promises of sweeping criminal justice reforms that critics say put the interests of criminals before the safety of the community. "We can't afford to have the good constantly knocked down by the bad," Todd Kupfer said. "We need to champion [my daughter] as a beacon of what's wrong and make sure that people recognize that – because it could be their children next, and it's just an impossible price to pay," he said. FOX 11 |
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Woman Killed In Harbor Gateway Shooting, Suspect Sought
A woman was shot and killed in Los Angeles near Gardena on Tuesday, Jan. 18, and police were searching for the shooter. The shooting happened in the Harbor Gateway North community, at South Ainsworth Street near West 155th Street at about 11:20 a.m., police said. The victim and a witness were in a vehicle heading north when they were approached by a man who exited another vehicle, according to Officer Mike Lopez of the Los Angeles Police Department. The man fired into the car, striking the woman and causing her and the witness to flee in their vehicle. It was not immediately known if the woman who was killed or the witness was behind the wheel. The two victims stopped their car in the area of West Redondo Beach Boulevard and South Vermont Avenue, just west of the Harbor (110) Freeway, where the witness flagged down a police officer, Lopez said. Paramedics were called to the scene and found that one person in the car had died her wounds. Los Angeles Daily News |
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Family, LAPD Appeal To Teen's Killer To Turn Themselves In
Raw emotions were on full display as the family of Tioni Theus gathered for a vigil outside the Los Angeles Police Department's 77th Street Station in the Florence area of South Los Angeles on Tuesday. On Jan. 8, the body of Theus, 16, was found near the Manchester off-ramp of the 110 Freeway, and the killer has not yet been caught. Theus died from a gunshot wound to the neck, according to the L.A. County coroner. “We're not talking about an adult. We're talking about a 16-year-old child. She was thrown on the side of the freeway like trash and she's a child,” said Lekesia Barrett, Theus' cousin. The California Highway Patrol is leading the investigation, but LAPD Chief Michel Moore was on hand to lend his support to the family and bring awareness to the case. “We will work alongside the CHP in an effort to solve this terrible homicide, this needless violence and loss of this life,” Moore said. KTLA 5 |
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Ex-Con Sentenced To Life In Prison Without Parole For Deadly Crime Spree
With a judge calling him "evil personified," an ex-con was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for taking part in a violent crime spree that included a motorist being fatally shot in Panorama City and a wrong-way freeway crash in which a woman and her three children were injured in Sun Valley. Superior Court Judge Eleanor J. Hunter also tacked on an additional 242 years to life in state prison for Artyom Gasparyan, 38, who was convicted last August of more than 30 counts, including a first-degree murder charge stemming from the Dec. 30, 2015, killing of Adan Corea, a 32-year-old father of two who lost control of his vehicle after being shot. Jurors also found true the special circumstance allegation of an intentional shooting from a vehicle, along with an allegation that an accomplice of Gasparyan was armed in the Corea shooting. Gasparyan was also convicted of crimes carried out between Aug. 5, 2015, and Jan. 4, 2016, including attempted murder, robbery, carjacking, shooting at an unoccupied vehicle, fleeing a pursuing peace officer's motor vehicle while driving recklessly, hit-and-run driving, assault with a firearm on a peace officer and possession of a firearm by a felon. NBC 4 |
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Battle Over Homelessness Heating Up Yet Again In Venice
There was yet another setback Tuesday night in solving the homelessness crisis plaguing Venice. Months after the Encampment to Home program cleared Westminster Park of more than 200 people living in a homeless encampment there, locals are worried about what they've heard is a plan to start offering homeless services at the park. Brian Averill is vice-chair of the Venice Oceanfront Walk Committee. He told CBSLA what he's heard about the so-called “decompression center.” “It's for folks who are decompressing from either mental breakdowns or heavy drug and alcohol use, which is great. That's necessary, but the problem is that's next to a school,” Averill said. Opponents said a lawsuit setting in 2016 should back them up. It squashed plans to use the park for homeless property storage, citing the elementary school next door. Venice resident Heidi Robert, who as a part of that lawsuit with Venice Kids Count, said this plan is even more unacceptable. “They've broken every single promise they made to the community about safety and security. So, it's hard for us to trust anything that they bring into our community, especially when our kids lives are stake,” Roberts said. CBS 2 |
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Smash-and-Grab Burglary At Lululemon Store In Studio City
A smash-and-grab burglary at a Lululemon store in Studio City led the California Highway Patrol into a pursuit out of Southern California on the 5 Freeway. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, two men and two women took approximately $70,000 worth of merchandise from the store in the 12100 block of Ventura Boulevard. They took off from the store around 11:20 a.m., observed by undercover units, according to the CHP. The LAPD tracked the vehicle, and the CHP picked up the pursuit on the northbound 5 Freeway, near Six Flags Magic Mountain. The chase continued north toward Bakersfield, and the last known location of the car was on the 5 Freeway near Smokey Bear Road. NBC 4 |
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Police Seek Suspects Who Robbed Man At Gunpoint In Beverly Hills
Police were searching for two suspects who robbed a man at gunpoint in Beverly Hills Tuesday. Beverly Hills Police Department officers responded to the 400 block of South Roxbury Drive, near Roxbury Park, at about 12:15 p.m. after receiving a call from a man who said he was approached by two armed suspects who robbed him of his cell phone and his high-end wristwatch, according to police. The suspects entered a white sedan and fled the scene following the robbery. No suspect description was immediately available. The man suffered a minor injury during the robbery, but was treated at the scene, according to the BHPD. MyNewsLA.com |
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Police Seek Public Assistance Locating 22-Year-Old Matthew Darwin, Last Seen Sunday In Santa Clarita
Authorities on Tuesday sought the public's help to find a 22-year-old man who was last seen in Santa Clarita. Matthew Lewis Darwin was last seen about 2 p.m. Sunday at his residence in the 26400 block of Woodstone Place, near the Santa Clara River, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Darwin is white, 6 feet, 1 inch tall and weighs 210 pounds, with short brown hair, brown eyes and a goatee. He was last seen wearing a white shirt, black pants and rainbow shoes. Darwin was last seen driving a silver 2005 Saturn Vue with the California license plate 5MBU547. Anyone with information on his whereabouts was asked to call the Sheriff's Missing Persons Unit at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be called in to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submitted online at lacrimestoppers.org . CBS 2 |
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Robberies At Several LA County Convenience Stores Believed To Be Connected, Authorities Say
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is investigating at least three armed robberies at convenience stores in L.A. County that occurred overnight. The first robbery happened on Jan. 17 at about 9:11 p.m. on the 5800 block of Bellflower Boulevard in Lakewood. Deputies responded to the convenience store after a silent alarm was tripped, and learned that one of two men, between 20-25 years old, took out a gun and demanded money before leaving with two cash registers, investigators said. Shortly after 11:30 p.m., an attempted robbery occurred at a convenience store located in the 8500 block of Alondra Boulevard in Paramount, officials said. Two of the three male suspects in this case had a similar description as the two men in the Lakewood robbery, said authorities. One of the men pointed a silver gun at the cashier while demanding money as the other two suspects stood by the front door of the business, according to investigators. No money was taken after the attempted robbery was interrupted as customers walked into the store. Officials say the three men ran eastbound on Alondra Boulevard. About 15 minutes later, a robbery occurred at a convenience store in the 17200 block of Downey Avenue in Bellflower. Three suspected robbers walked away with an undisclosed amount of money, got into an order white Mercedes-Benz, and drove away, taking the westbound 91 Freeway on-ramp, authorities said. ABC 7 |
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LA City Attorney Announces Plan To Fight Increasing Gun Violence
Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer on Tuesday, Jan. 18, announced an eight-point plan to address increasing gun violence in Los Angeles. Feuer — who is running for mayor this year — submitted a plan calling for an inter-jurisdictional response to gun violence to Mayor Eric Garcetti, the City Council, the Board of Police Commissioners, Police Chief Michel Moore, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon. Los Angeles Daily News |
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Teenager In Critical Condition After Shooting In Pasadena
A teenager is fighting for his life at the hospital after being shot in Pasadena, according to police. The shooting happened Tuesday at 3 p.m. on Los Robles Avenue and Eldora Road. According to the Pasadena Police Department, the teen was shot while inside a vehicle. Following the shooting, the driver of the vehicle drove north on Los Robles Avenue for a half mile until the driver spotted a fire engine. The driver then flagged down a firefighter for help. "The driver of our victim told them one of my passengers has been shot, needs some help. The firefighters went over, began providing medical treatment to the victim and ultimately transported that victim to Huntington Memorial Hospital," said Lt. Keith Gomez. Gomez confirmed the victim was shot in the vehicle. "He was shot in the vehicle. Where he was found by the firefighters was in the position that he occupied when he was shot. He sustained a gunshot wound and was transported in critical condition," said Lt. Keith Gomez. The teen victim is not yet being identified, and his exact age is not being released. However, police said he is a Pasadena resident. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing to determine a possible motive, how the shooting happened and if it was targeted or random. FOX 11 |
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Teenagers Used Fake Medical Case To Get Nearly $600 In ‘Donations,' Authorities Say
A group of teenagers and young adults solicited nearly $600 in donations in Perris with a false story about a juvenile suffering from a medical condition, authorities said. The adults, 18-year-olds Davide Nistor and Ana Maria Dumitru of Anaheim, were arrested on suspicion of soliciting and theft by false pretenses. A 16-year-old and a 14-year-old were taken into custody and released to child protective services. They carried signs asking for donations for someone with a tumor, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said in a release. The signs featured photos of the purported patient. The department had received complaints about the group soliciting money on multiple days, standing in a street's center median and close to vehicles. Deputies found the group Friday at the intersection of Perris Boulevard and Nuevo Road and determined that the story had been made up and that the photos used on the signs had been taken from the internet. Authorities seized the signs and $589. Los Angeles Times |
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Badge From Slain Minnesota Police Officer Discovered 130 Years Later
Nearly 130 years ago, Hastings police officer Albert Jacobson was shot to death while pursuing a burglary suspect who had been spotted in a railroad yard. As time passed, Hastings police didn't have much about the killing, other than old newspaper articles of the July 10, 1894, shooting. Around 2013, the police department made several public appeals in city newsletters asking for relatives of Jacobson to contact them in the hope they would have photos or other mementos of the fallen officer, who was 33 years old. The pleas wouldn't pan out until 2017, when Jacobson's great-granddaughter Gloria Hagestuen called Police Chief Bryan Schafer and said her cousin had recently given her a brittle photo of the officer. On the anniversary of his death that year, she met up with Schafer and handed him the only known photo of Jacobson. But Hagestuen, believing there could be more relics to discover, kept pursuing. It paid off this past August, when that same cousin, Michelle Groeneveld, called to say she had discovered something else in an attic hope chest: Jacobson's police badge. Earlier this month, Hagestuen returned the badge back to the department. Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn. |
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Public Safety News
Mayor Garcetti Names 1st Female LAFD Fire Chief
Mayor Eric Garcetti on Tuesday nominated Deputy Chief Kristin Crowley to lead the Los Angeles Fire Department. With Chief Ralph Terrazas retiring after nearly 40 years of service, Crowley would become the first woman to lead the agency if she is confirmed by the City Council. Crowley, who is currently Acting Administrative Operations Chief Deputy and Fire Marshal, is a 22-year veteran of LAFD. “Throughout her distinguished career, Kristin Crowley has proven her brilliance, determination and bravery on the job again and again,” Garcetti said. “She's also shown this city her heart, with her tireless commitment to helping students access life-changing educational opportunities. There is no one better equipped to lead the LAFD at this moment than Kristin. She's ready to make history, and I'm proud to nominate her as the Department's next Chief.” Crowley has previously made history as LAFD's first female Fire Marshal and only the second woman to earn the rank of Chief Deputy. KTLA 5 |
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LA County COVID Hospitalizations Continue To Rise Steadily
The number of COVID-19 patients in Los Angeles County hospitals continued to increase Monday as the highly transmissible Omicron variant takes it toll. According to state figures, there were 4,564 COVID-positive patients in county hospitals as of Monday, up slightly from 4,507 on Sunday. It marks a staggering six-fold increase in hospitalizations from just a month ago, when there were just 772 COVID-positive patients in L.A. County hospitals. The number of those patients in intensive care Tuesday was 621. Health officials have been raising concerns about the current surge in cases impacting a hospital system already strained by staffing shortages — which have been further exacerbated by COVID infections among health care professionals, preventing them from coming to work. They continue to urge people to avoid going to an emergency room unless absolutely necessary, and called on them to not visit a hospital ER to get tested for COVID. CBS 2 |
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California Surpasses 7 Million Coronavirus Cases, Adding 1 Million In One Week
California has recorded more than 7 million coronavirus cases after its fastest accumulation of reported infections in the history of the pandemic. The unprecedented count, recorded in California's databases late Monday, comes one week after the state tallied its 6 millionth coronavirus case. Even during last winter's disastrous wave, new infections increased more slowly. It took a little over three weeks for California to get from 2 million cumulative coronavirus case to 3 million. The stunning speed of new infections is a testament to the Omicron variant's transmissability; Omicron is believed to be two to four times more contagious than the Delta variant, which in turn was more infectious than earlier strains that pummeled California last winter. “Let's not fool ourselves by not recognizing the danger presented by the Omicron variant, which is capable of spreading with lightning speed and causing serious illness among our most vulnerable residents,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. California's daily COVID-19 death rate has also risen dramatically. Los Angeles Times |
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Omicron Hasn't Peaked In U.S., Surgeon General Says, Warning That ‘Next Few Weeks Will Be Tough'
The United States has not yet reached a national peak of the omicron variant, the nation's top doctor said, urging caution even as the explosion of cases has started to plateau in some areas. “We shouldn't expect a national peak in the next coming days — the next few weeks will be tough,” U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy said Sunday on CNN. Case counts fueled by the highly contagious variant have started to level off in some parts of the country hit early by the latest wave. In the District of Columbia and Maryland, experts said the omicron-fueled surge was showing signs of peaking in recent days, after a winter wave began to slow in other Northeast cities, including New York and Boston. While that's good news, Murthy said, “the challenge is that the entire country is not moving at the same pace. The omicron wave started later in other parts of the country.” The national peak of this variant, whenever it is reached, is less important than the point when the decline starts to mean relief for health systems and the return of normal activity, said Gabe Kelen, chair of the department of emergency medicine at Johns Hopkins University. Washington Post |
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About the LAPPL - Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents the more than 9,900 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education. The LAPPL can be found on the Web at:
www.LAPD.com |
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