Riverside Deputy Shot, Killed During Confrontation With Felon In Jurupa Valley
The man accused of shooting a Riverside County sheriff's deputy is dead Friday after a confrontation with law enforcement officers and a lengthy chase that ended in Norco, leading to a freeway closure. Deputy Isaiah Cordero, 32, was fatally shot by a convicted felon during a traffic stop in Jurupa Valley on Thursday shortly before 2 p.m. in the 3900 block of Golden West Avenue, near Rathke Drive, less than a block from Rustic Lane Elementary School, and the gunman was killed by police officers two hours later, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.“He certainly embodied our motto, `Service Above Self,”' Sheriff Chad Bianco said about Cordero during a briefing at sheriff's headquarters in downtown Riverside Thursday night. “He was a jokester around the station, and all of our deputies considered him to be a little brother.”  MyNewsLA

Accused Riverside Co. Deputy Killer Convicted Of 3rd Strike But Judge Let Him Back On Streets, Sheriff Says
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco slammed the justice system in San Bernardino County as he discussed the death of one of his deputies Thursday night. Earlier in the day, a Riverside County deputy, 32-year-old Isaiah Cordero, was shot and killed by 44-year-old William McKay during a traffic stop in Jurupa Valley. After Cordero got shot, McKay allegedly led authorities on a police chase along the 15 Freeway before crashing the car he was in and then getting into a shootout with officers. McKay died at the hospital after he was hit by one of the bullets. According to the grieving sheriff, McKay has an extensive criminal history dating back to late 1990s. Bianco said McKay's criminal history includes kidnappings, robbery, assaults with deadly weapons – including the stabbing of a California Highway Patrol K-9. "McKay has an extensive violent past and was convicted of his third strike in November of 2021. That case involved kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon," Bianco added. Bianco said Cordero's death could have been prevented by the legal system. The sheriff accused a San Bernardino County judge of lowering McKay's bail and then letting him back on the streets instead of sentencing 25 years to life behind bars. "We would not be here today if the judge had done her job," Bianco said of the judge. FOX 11

An L.A. School Trainer Was Investigated For Sex Abuse. Accusers Want To Know How He Kept Working
When she entered the athletic training room six weeks into the school year, a Birmingham Community Charter High School cheerleader assumed the treatment for her sprained ankle would be the same as always. But instead of the usual icing, stretching and taping, the 17-year-old said a trainer whom students called “RT” began massaging her leg with oils. He started at her calf, then moved up to her thigh, she said. The girl, whom The Times is not identifying because she has alleged a sex crime, said she was lying on a table in a busy training room with other students at the Lake Balboa school. She was wearing a hoodie and shorts with a towel draped over her midsection. “He went through my thigh and underneath the towel. He went under my underwear, moved it and began touching me inappropriately,” she told The Times. When she told him she needed to leave, he asked, “Was everything OK?” Hours later, she broke down at home and told her parents. They immediately went to the Los Angeles Police Department's Van Nuys station to report the incident. On Sept. 21, Richard Alexander Turner, 64, was arrested on suspicion of forcible penetration. Los Angeles Times

LAPD Seeking Echo Park Felony Hit-and-Run Suspect
Los Angeles authorities sought the public's help with identifying a felony hit-and-run suspect involved in a crash in the Echo Park neighborhood. The suspect is accused of driving a stolen 2006 Saturn Ion when the vehicle crashed into a 1998 Toyota truck near the intersection of Glendale Boulevard and Scott Avenue around 7:10 a.m. on Nov. 9. Following the crash, the suspect did not stop to help. Instead, he got out of the stolen vehicle and walked away from the scene, LAPD investigators said. The two people inside the Toyota suffered minor injuries. A photo was released of the suspect, and he is described as a Hispanic man in his 30s who is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs around 215 pounds. Anyone with information is asked to contact LAPD Detective Juan Campus at 213-833-3713. Those who wish to remain anonymous can submit tips online. FOX 11

LAPD And LA Kings Teach Homeless Kids How To Skate
The Los Angeles Police Department Hockey Team joined forces with the LA Kings to bond with children from the Union Rescue Mission. On Thursday, Dec. 29, both hockey teams taught around 20 children how to skate at LA Live. Members say times away from the harsh conditions of homelessness means the world to these kids. "It is an opportunity to bring the kids out on the ice and bond with them and teach them. It is also an opportunity to raise awareness that there are children in the missions need our support," Deputy Chief Marc Reina, Los Angeles Police Department. The kids bravely held on to the hockey players as well as mascot, Bailey, as they skated around. Afterwards, the LA Kings handed out gifts to the children. CBS 2

2 Shot, Wounded At Motel In View Park-Windsor Hills
Two people were shot and wounded at a motel in the View Park-Windsor Hills neighborhood of South Los Angeles Wednesday morning. The shooting was reported at 8:19 a.m., when the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to the 5000 block of South La Brea Avenue. Based on the location of the call and information posted to the Citizen app, it appears the shooting occurred at the Summit Motel. Firefighters requested a pair of ambulances for the victims, whom Sgt. Picarella of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said are a woman and a man. Both victims have been taken to a local hospital in unknown condition. The shooter remains outstanding, and a motive for the attack is unknown. KTLA 5

Man With Bipolar Disorder Last Seen In West Hills Reported Missing
Sheriff's detectives appealed to the public Wednesday for help locating a missing 34-year-old man diagnosed with bipolar disorder and depression last seen near West Hills Hospital and Medical Center. Angel Manjarrez was last seen Dec. 12, according to the Sheriff's Information Bureau. Manjarrez requires medication and his family is concerned for his well-being, the Sheriff's Information Bureau reported. Manjarrez is described as Hispanic, 5 feet, 6 inches tall, 140 pounds, with black curly hair and brown eyes. Manjarrez has tattoos, including a skull and candle on his left arm and a stitched heart on his chest, and a scar on his right wrist. Manjarrez was wearing a tan jacket and black pants when he was last seen. Anyone with information on Manjarrez or his whereabouts was asked to call the Sheriff's Missing Persons Unit at 323-890-5500 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477. MyNewsLA

Beverly Hills' New Pilot Program Uses Drones To Help Police
Police in Beverly Hills are using drones to help officers. Earlier in the week, Beverly Hills Mayor Lilli Bosse took to social media to announce the pilot program involving the  Hawkeye  drone to help assist the city's police department. "As part of BHPD's Real Time Watch Center & its high resolution camera, Hawkeye helps our officers stay on top of any situation and keeps our community safe," Bosse said on her social media post. In a video shared by BHPD, the department's lieutenant Robert Maycott marveled over the drone's ability to help the officers respond to crimes like robberies and tracking suspect vehicles. "When we get a radio call, we could actually launche Hawkeye, which is our call sign for our drone, see what the area is, where the radio call is, and prepare the officers and let them know what we see first. It's called DFR: drone as a first responder," Maycott said in a video shared by BHPD. FOX 11

Suspect In Stockton Serial Killings Is Charged In 4 More Fatal Shootings
The man accused in a series of killings in Northern California that spanned more than a year was charged with four additional murders and an attempted murder this week by the San Joaquin County district attorney. Wesley Brownlee, 43, had been charged in October with the murders of Jonathan Hernandez Rodriguez on Aug. 30, Juan Cruz on Sept. 21, and Lawrence Lopez Sr. on Sept. 27. All of the killings occurred in Stockton. On Tuesday, the district attorney's office announced that Brownlee has also been charged with the murders of Juan Alexander Vasquez and Mervin Harmon in Alameda County in April 2021 and the Stockton murders of Paul Alexander Yaw on July 8 and Salvador Debudey Jr. on Aug. 11. He was also charged with the attempted murder of Natasha LaTour in Stockton in April 2021. LaTour, who was homeless at the time of the incident, was shot multiple times but survived. Los Angeles Times

5 Arrested In Deadly Shooting At Minnesota's Mall Of America
Five people were arrested in the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old man at the Mall of America that sent the sprawling commercial center into lockdown on one of the final days of the holiday shopping season, police said Saturday. At an evening news conference, Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges announced the arrests in connection with the Friday night shooting in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington and said all would face murder charges, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. Hodges said the arrested suspects were two men, 18, and three 17-year-old male juveniles, according to the Star Tribune, and they were taken into custody in the morning at a home in nearby St. Louis Park by SWAT team officers from three jurisdictions. The chief added that one of the 18-year-olds is believed to be the shooter, though another suspect may also have fired a weapon. A sixth suspect was still being sought. “In Bloomington, if you come here and murder people at our mall, you get one of these at at Christmas,” the newspaper quoted Hodges as saying while holding up an orange prison suit. Associated Press

1 In Grave Condition After Arlington Heights Fire
A house fire in Arlington Heights has left one person fighting for their life on Wednesday. The blaze in the 1800 block of Arlington Avenue was extinguished in 18 minutes by 24 firefighters, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in an alert. Initially, no injuries were reported, but after a “thorough search of the crawlspace and both floors” of the two-story Craftsman-style home, one person was discovered. They were extricated and transported to a local hospital in grave condition, fire officials said. No fu rther details were available.
KTLA 5

LAFD Fire Captain And Cancer Survivor Is Inspiring Others Not To Give Up Hope
An LA city fire captain will be sitting on the "City of Hope" float at the Rose Parade on Monday. He hopes his story of survival can be a beacon for others. Matthew Gatewood recalls the moment he was diagnosed. Now 16 years later, Gatewood still feels the fear of that horrible day. The doctor's diagnosis was "multiple myeloma," which is cancer of his blood's plasma. The prognosis he was given was as many as five years and as few as two. "It felt like it was over," Gatewood said. "Like every step I took was one step closer to the end." The strapping LA Fire captain and lifelong fitness and health fanatic is only 39-year-old. At the time, all he could think about was his young children. A recommendation at work led him to hematology expert Dr. Amrita Krishnan. "I'm very hopeful for him," Krishnan said. She's one of the doctors at City of Hope in Pasadena which is a world-renowned for cancer treatment and research. NBC 4

COVID Cases, Hospitalizations Rise In LA County As Ferrer Urges Precautions
Coronavirus metrics in Los Angeles County rose across the board, with the Department of Public Health reporting 3,968 new cases, along with a total of 1,269 confirmed virus-related hospitalizations and 25 more COVID-related deaths in its latest data. Thursday's daily case number represented a jump of 1,830 from Wednesday, while hospitalizations increased by 74 day over day. The 25 virus-related deaths reported Thursday were four more than Wednesday's total, the agency said. “I am hopeful that we can get through this winter without the devastation witnessed during our previous two winter surges, while recognizing that there are still significant risks, especially with the potential of a new COVID strain,” county health director Barbara Ferrer said during a briefing Thursday in which she also urged continued vigilance against the spread of the virus — particularly during holiday gatherings. MyNewsLA