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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
May 9, 2022 |
Law Enforcement News
Mother, teen son arrested in murder of 3 children in West Hills
A second arrest has been made in the murder of three children in West Hills , according to law enforcement sources. The mother was identified by authorities Monday as 38-year-old Angela Dawn Flores. She was booked on suspicion of murder and her bail has been set at $6 million. Law enforcement sources told FOX 11's Gigi Graciette that her teen son has also been arrested in the investigation. His name has not been released because he is a minor. Fox 11 |
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Man Sentenced To Two Life Prison Terms For Killing 5 In LA County, Aunt And Uncle In Texas
A man pleaded guilty Friday to a crime spree in Los Angeles and Santa Monica that left five men dead and seven others injured, along with the killings of his aunt and uncle in Texas. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mark Hanasono immediately sentenced Ramon Alberto Escobar, now 50, to two life prison terms without the possibility of parole plus 124 years to life in prison for the crimes in Los Angeles County. During a subsequent video conference in the downtown Los Angeles courtroom, Escobar pleaded guilty to the August 2018 killings of his aunt, Dina Escobar, and his uncle, Rogelio Escobar, in Texas, in a plea deal that spared him a potential death sentence in that state. He was also sentenced to life in those two slayings, and will serve his time in a California prison. The murder charges in Los Angeles County involved: a Sept. 10, 2018, attack in Santa Monica on Juan Antonio Ramirez, 51, who died of his injuries in January 2021; the Sept. 16, 2018, killings of Branden Ridout, 24, and Kelvin Williams, 59, in downtown Los Angeles; the Sept. 20, 2018, killing of Steven Cruze, 39, of San Gabriel, under the Santa Monica Pier; and the Sept. 24, 2018, slaying of Jorge Martinez, 63, in Santa Monica. Escobar -- who had indicated as early as November 2018 that he wanted to settle his case without going to trial -- admitted the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murdering Cruze during the course of a robbery, along with pleading guilty to attempted murder involving seven other victims. FOX 11 |
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3 Overdose At Pacoima Home, Police Say
The Los Angeles Police Department responded to a report of three people who were actively overdosing at a home in Pacoima Sunday morning. It happened around 8:55 a.m. on the 12900 block of Sunburst Street. Officers arrived on scene and found three people who all appeared to be overdosing on an undetermined substance. The Los Angeles Fire Department also responded to scene. First responders were able to treat the three unidentified people at the scene and they were not taken to the hospital. No other injuries were reported. The incident is under investigation and the Police Department said it was unable to confirm the substance that led to the overdoses. KTLA 5 |
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39 Arrested After At Least 10 Sideshows Flood San Fernando Valley Streets Overnight
It was a busy night for law enforcement overnight in the San Fernando Valley as they were called to at least ten sideshows in the area, officials said. The Los Angeles Police Department wants to make it clear that those caught at the illegal events, including spectators, could face a misdemeanor charge and a fine of up to $1,000. One of the street takeovers occurred at the intersection of Roscoe Boulevard and Coldwater Canyon Avenue in Sun Valley where 15 people were detained, and some were cited for being within 200 feet of the sideshow. LAPD officials said at least 60 drivers were racing and drifting at the Sun Valley intersection before scattering when officers first responded to the scene around 9:30 p.m. Thursday. At least eight cars were stranded at the scene. Some drivers ditched their vehicles, ran away from officers, or hopped into other vehicles. LAPD's street racing task force said it was prepared for the increased activity. "Cinco de Mayo brings out a lot of street racers. They like to go out and create havoc on the streets and the intersections thinking it's all fun. They like to make videos of it, but the problem is, people are getting injured and killed by these guys swinging and doing the donuts," said LAPD Sgt. Jodie McGee. FOX 11 |
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Graduation Ceremony Held For 54 New LAPD Officers
The Los Angeles Police Department held a graduation ceremony for 54 new officers. The ceremony, led by LAPD Chief Michel Moore, was held at the police academy at located at1880 North Academy Drive in Elysian Park. The graduating class included 46 men and eight women. Each new officer had to complete 912 hours of training during the course of 24 weeks, the LAPD said. CBS 2 |
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Authorities Investigate Westside Burglary Spree
Police are investigating a string of burglaries that took place in Los Angeles Westside overnight and early Sunday morning. Around 9 p.m. Saturday, Los Angeles police responded to a home on the 12900 block of Chalon Road in Mandeville Canyon for a report of a burglary in progress. The burglar had already fled the area when police arrived on scene at the home in the affluent neighborhood. Police say the burglar fled the scene on foot down a fire access road with an undisclosed amount of jewelry from the home. Then about two hours later, police received another call for a burglary at a home in Beverly Crest. Officers responded to the 200 block of Delfern Drive to a house that is said to have previously been the home of a prominent YouTube personality. The house was vacant and the previous tenant had recently moved out, police and neighbors confirmed. Authorities were continuing to investigate both burglaries and break-ins Sunday morning when they received a call for another burglary at a gated community in Brentwood. Around 6:50 a.m., officers headed to a home on the 11000 block of West Olympic Boulevard after receiving reports that a burglar was currently inside the home. KTLA 5 |
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Woman Shot, Killed At South L.A. Homeless Encampment
A woman was found dead early Saturday morning at a South Los Angeles homeless encampment, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Deputies responded to the 2100 block of Firestone Boulevard in the Florence-Firestone area around 2:30 a.m. On scene, they found a woman unconscious on the ground suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The unidentified woman, believed to be in her 20s or 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene by Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics. The shooting is under investigation by the Sheriff's Department. It's unclear at this time if the shooting was gang-related. Anyone with information about the deadly shooting is urged to contact the LASD Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. You can also submit an anonymous tip online at lacrimestoppers.org . KTLA 5 |
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$19,000 Worth Of Watches Stolen During West Hollywood Robbery, Authorities Say
About $19,000 worth of watches was stolen during an overnight robbery in West Hollywood, authorities said. It happened at around 1 a.m. near Sunset Boulevard and Larrabee Street. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, deputies spoke with a man and a woman who said they had been robbed by "several Black males" seen driving a black Rolls-Royce vehicle. The woman told deputies the suspects approached them while they were in their car after an altercation in a nearby parking lot. Investigators said the suspects stole one watch from the woman and another from the man. The watches were described by the woman as a Michael Kors watch valued at $1,000 and a Rolex worth $18,000, according to the sheriff's department. The suspects reportedly got in a dark-colored Rolls-Royce and were last seen going southbound toward Larrabee Street. They were described as a group of about four to six Black males wearing dark clothing. ABC 7 |
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LASD Gathers 365 Guns At Buyback Event
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department hosted a gun buyback event Saturday in Lynwood, recovering 365 weapons. Members of the community were encouraged to turn in a firearm, functional or not, in exchange for gift cards, with no questions asked. Gift cards were valued at $50 for non-functioning guns, $150 for functioning pistols, shotguns and rifles, $200 for functioning ghost guns and $300 for functioning assault-style rifles. The buyback event took place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the LA Metro Park and Ride at 11508 Long Beach Blvd. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva and 4th District Supervisor Janice Hahn were on hand to distribute the gift cards for local businesses and Amazon.com . Villanueva said the event was held in an effort to “end violence one step at a time.” “This was a success,” Hahn said in a statement after the event. “There are 365 fewer guns that can be used in a violent crime or a tragic accident in our communities. I am grateful to everyone who came out today and turned in a weapon. It was the right thing to do and your families and your community are safer because of it.” KTLA 5 |
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Beverly Hills Man To Plead Guilty To ‘Hit Man' Plot Against Woman He Briefly Dated
A Beverly Hills man accused of trying to hire a hit man to kill a woman he briefly dated has agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge, court papers show. Scott Berkett, 25, is expected to formally enter his plea on May 23 to a single count of using interstate facilities to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years. However, prosecutors agreed to seek a penalty of no more than five years, according to the plea agreement, filed Tuesday in L.A. federal court. Berkett met the woman online, and she flew to Los Angeles to meet him in late October 2020. Identified in court papers by the initials R.E., the woman described Berkett as “sexually aggressive” and she tried repeatedly to break off the relationship following the trip, an affidavit filed in the case says. Months later, a relative of the woman who learned Berkett was still contacting her reached out to the defendant's father via text. Berkett responded by saying “consider this matter closed,” according to the criminal complaint. Los Angeles Daily News |
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Culver City Man Arrested For Assaulting 72-Year-Old Woman In Unprovoked Incident
A Culver City man was arrested Saturday in what appeared to be an unprovoked assault on a 72-year-old woman. The woman was reportedly walking towards her home near Jefferson Boulevard and Raintree Circle at around 9:45 a.m. when the suspect ran towards her and punched her in the face, causing her to fall backwards and hit her head on the pavement. First responders with Culver City Fire Department rushed to the scene, where they were able to treat the woman before she was taken to a nearby hospital. She was said to have a concussion amongst other minor injuries. The suspect was located by Culver City Police Department officers, who was positively identified by witnesses of the incident. He has been booked on aggravated assault. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, the suspect's identity has been withheld. Anyone with any information or questions regarding this assault was asked to call the CCPD's Public Information Officer Sgt. Eddie Baskaron at (310) 253-6316 or the watch commander at (310) 253-6202. CBS 2 |
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San Diego Nets First Conviction Under New Ghost Guns Ordinance
San Diego recently netted its first conviction under the city's ordinance barring anyone from having ghost guns, the City Attorney's Office said Friday. A 23-year-old man pleaded guilty last month to three misdemeanor charges linked to a December incident in which he tossed the gun as he ran from police, the office said in a news release. His arrest happened two months after an ordinance banning possession of the non-serialized guns went into effect. Ghosts guns are do-it-yourself firearms assembled by hand from parts that often come in prepackaged kits. Because the parts — like an unfinished gun frame — are not classified as guns, they have no serial numbers. Anyone can legally buy the parts. San Diego police say officers are coming across them more often. The department confiscated 77 ghost guns in 2019. Last year, they seized 545 ghost guns — a sevenfold increase. Last year, the city passed the Eliminate Non-serialized Untraceable Firearm, or E.N.U.F., ordinance, making it illegal to buy and sell gun parts in the city that lack serial numbers and thus cannot be traced by law enforcement. The City Attorney's Office put the new ordinance to use after the 23-year-old man was arrested in December. “The City's novel ghost gun ordinance is an effective tool for removing untraceable firearms from the hands of criminals,” City Attorney Mara Elliott said. San Diego Union Tribune |
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Officials Investigate A String Of Homicides In California State Prisons
Officials are investigating the death of an inmate, 22-year-old Camilo Banoslopez, the fourth homicide at a California prison in the last eight days. Officials said Banoslopez was attacked shortly after 11:40 a.m. Friday at California State Prison in Sacramento by inmates Albert Calvillo, 30, Irvin Rodriguez, 36, Osbaldo Velasquez, 38, and Jose Avila, 39. Banoslopez was taken to an on-site healthcare facility to receive treatment for his injuries, but died shortly after, about 12:38 p.m. Officers found two inmate-made weapons at the scene. Banoslopez was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2015 for second-degree robbery and inflicting great bodily injury, with an enhancement for committing a street-gang act in the commission of a violent felony, officials said in a statement. He was admitted to the prison in 2017, when he was 18 years old. Calvillo was sentenced to more than 31 years in prison in 2010 for voluntary manslaughter, among other felony convictions. Rodriguez was sentenced to 27 years in 2013 for second-degree robbery, among other felony convictions. Velasquez was sentenced to life in prison in 2007 for carjacking using a firearm. Avila was sentenced to life in prison in 2017 for first-degree murder and other felonies. Los Angeles Times |
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Public Safety News
Driver Dies After Car Slams Into Parked Tractor Trailer In North Hollywood
A woman in her late 20s died after the vehicle she was driving struck a parked tractor-trailer in North Hollywood early Sunday, May 8. The woman was driving northbound on Laurel Canyon Boulevard at Sherman Way when she struck the tractor-trailer just before 2 a.m., the Los Angeles Police Department said. Paramedics rushed her to a hospital, Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Nicholas Prange said. She died as a result of her injuries. Further information was not immediately released. Los Angeles Daily News |
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LA County Health Officials Report Slight Drop In COVID Hospitalizations
With coronavirus transmission once again on the upswing, Los Angeles County health officials were urging people to exercise caution during Sunday's Mother's Day activities. "Given that the virus is spreading at a high rate, Public Health asks all those gathering to celebrate and honor their moms and grandmoms this weekend to keep each other safe by testing before gathering, staying outside as much as possible, and wearing masks when indoors," Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. The number of daily cases of the virus has been increasing in recent weeks, driven by the B.A.2 subvariant and various offshoots. On Friday, the Los Angeles Department of Public Health reported 3,270 new infections, lifting its overall total throughout the pandemic to 2,888,408. Six more virus-related fatalities were also reported, raising the death toll to 31,991. The average daily rate of people testing positive for the virus was 2.3% on Friday, roughly the same as Thursday. The department does not report COVID data on weekends. FOX 11 |
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Local Government News
LA City Council Allocates $10 Million To Forgive Trash Pickup Debt Accrued Due To Pandemic
The Los Angeles City Council allocated $10 million to forgive trash pick-up debt that low-income Los Angeles residents accrued in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. About 23,000 Bureau of Sanitation accounts qualify for the funding, which totals $7.95 million in debt for trash pickup services, according to a report by the Chief Legislative Analyst. The city's allocation Friday includes $8 million to forgive that debt and $2 million for debt relief in the next fiscal year. “Although we are in a much better place now as a city, families are still hurting from the pandemic,” said Council President Nury Martinez. “These funds are coming to Angelenos at a crucial time when so many communities are focused on finding financial stability. Whether it's paying for trash to be picked up or helping our neighbors keep the lights on, this city is committed to seeing Angelenos through to the other side of this pandemic”. Customers that qualify for the relief will have it automatically applied to their bills through the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power by late June or early July, Martinez' office said. No action is required from qualified customers. “We understand that many customers were hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic and these funds will go a long way toward providing much needed relief to thousands of customers,'' said LADWP General Manager and Chief Engineer Martin Adams. NBC 4 |
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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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