2 Dead, Including Suspect, After Stabbing In Downtown L.A.

Two people are dead, including the suspect and another person is in critical condition after stabbing Thursday in downtown Los Angeles, authorities confirmed to KTLA. Officers responded to the area of West 6th and South Spring streets at about 3:45 p.m. Initial reports indicate one victim, a male in his 60s, was found with stab wounds to his stomach outside of a Starbucks. Two people were transported to area hospitals, a LAPD spokesperson told KTLA. Authorities did not say which one of the victims died. Additional officers were called in to apprehend the suspect, an Asian male, who was hiding inside the Hayward Hotel, police said. Authorities said that when the suspect was located, he was harming himself with a sharp object and said they believe that contributed to his death. Police did not say if force was used on the man. Spring Street was closed to traffic in both directions while police investigated.

KTLA 5

Mother Appeals To Gascón To Reinstate Felony Charge In McDonald's Attack On 13-Year-Old Girl

The mother of a 13-year-old girl who was allegedly attacked by a woman inside a McDonald's restaurant in Harbor City in a crime caught on cell phone video asked the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office Thursday to reinstate a felony count that had been reduced to a misdemeanor. In a statement, Angelina Gray said that she was appealing to District Attorney George Gascón, saying she remains "undeterred to get justice" for her daughter, Kassidy Jones. "A misdemeanor charge sends a message that the lives and safety of young Black girls don't really matter to those in power," Gray said. "Kassidy is a 4.0 honor roll student who has suffered tremendous pain and is still undergoing tremendous trauma." Ariana Lauifi, now 32, was initially charged Oct. 2 with a felony count of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death, but the charge was reduced Monday to a misdemeanor at the request of the District Attorney's Office. 

Westside Current

Suspects Sought After Man Wounded In Toluca Lake Shooting

Police are searching for multiple suspects after a person was shot and wounded in Toluca Lake Thursday. The shooting happened around 5:20 p.m. in the 4600 block of Cahuenga Boulevard, north of the 134 Freeway. Los Angeles police say three men are wanted for the shooting. They allegedly fled in a car after gunfire erupted. The male victim was hospitalized in unknown condition. LAPD cordoned off the area for an investigation. April Davis lives across the street and stepped outside to a terrifying scene after the shooting. "I ran out my front door, and I saw the victim lying on the sidewalk," she said. Last week, three people were shot and killed in the area of Moorpark Street and Lankershim Boulevard, just blocks away from Thursday's shooting in Toluca Lake. 

ABC 7

Man Gets Brutally Beaten With Bolt Cutter In Venice

A man was brutally attacked with a bolt cutter in Venice. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, a man got into an argument with two guys walking their bikes near the intersection of Speedway and Market Street on September 28. One of the men started hitting the man with a bolt cutter and the guy who was with the bolt cutter-carrying man started punching the victim. The man ended up getting knocked unconscious after being beaten up by the two guys he argued with. The victim survived the attack but ended up suffering head injuries. Both suspects remain on the run as of October 26. Anyone with information on the suspects is asked to call 310-482-6395.

FOX 11

Los Angeles No. 1 In Organized Retail Theft, Again

For the fifth year in a row, Los Angeles has the dubious distinction of being the number one city in the nation when it comes to organized retail theft. The annual report from the National Retail Federation, which surveyed 177 brands, found that the average “shrink rate” climbed from 1.4% in 2021 to 1.6% in the U.S. last year. “Shrink rate” is the industry term for lost inventory. While that might not seem like a significant percentage change, the trade group says it represents an additional $18.2 billion in losses. The San Francisco Bay Area was second for the third straight year. Sacramento was 7th. “Retail crime, violence and theft continue to impact the retail industry at unprecedented levels,” NRF said in its report. “The effects of these criminal acts are not isolated to large national brands or large metropolitan cities. Daily media reports show that no business is immune, and these issues touch retailers of all segments, sizes and locations across the United States.” Indeed, the issue of “flash mob” style thefts has been part of the daily news cycle in metropolitan Los Angeles for quite some time but is becoming more common.

KTLA 5

La Luz del Mundo Leader Indicted On New Federal Sex Charges

A federal grand jury in Los Angeles has indicted Naasón Joaquín García on two child pornography counts, in yet another legal challenge for the head of the Mexico-based La Luz del Mundo megachurch who is already serving a 17-year state prison sentence for sexually abusing girls from his congregation. García was indicted this week on a single count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The indictment comes in connection with sexual acts allegedly committed by García on a 16-year-old victim whom he “knowingly employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced” and recorded, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office. Five videos were discovered on an iPad seized by authorities during García’s arrest on state charges at LAX in June 2019. If convicted of both federal charges, García could face up to 40 years in prison, the release said. Garcia, who is considered by congregants to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, pleaded guilty last year to committing acts of sexual abuse against girls from his community and was sentenced as part of last-minute plea agreement with Los Angeles County prosecutors.

Los Angeles Times

Students Locked Down As Shots Ring Out After Football Game At South Gate High School

Panicked students and families were rushed into a high school auditorium right after a football game Thursday night as police opened fire on an SUV driver who allegedly tried to run over an officer. The ordeal stemmed from an incident in the front parking lot of Legacy High School in South Gate in which police say an SUV driver tried to run over an officer, causing either a South Gate Police Department officer or a school police officer to subsequently open fire. No one was struck by the gunfire, but the SUV driver hit another car and managed to run away. Two people were in the other car, one of whom had to be taken to a hospital, police said. The events took place around 9:45 p.m., just after a football game at the high school. Panicked students and their families were quickly ushered to the school auditorium and instructed to shelter in place. Maria Angel said her son, Jordan, who is on the football team, called her in a panic. “It was scary because he was panicking and he thought I was in the parking lot waiting for him after the game,” she said. Jordan said people were running through the hallways, getting down and crying. Some other students, like him, were worried as they wondered whether their parents had been outside waiting to pick them up when the shots rang out.

NBC 4

Ohio Deputy Severely Wounded In 2022 Shooting Receives Valor Award

An officer who was shot in the chest while on duty last year received a Valor Award at the Ohio Law Enforcement Conference, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office reported. Sgt. Eric Kocheran was finishing his shift when a man knocked at the window of the Ross County Sheriff’s Office, according to the report. The man told him to go get more officers. When Kocheran asked him why, he claimed that someone threatened to hurt his family if he didn’t come to the station with a gun, seemingly to hurt officers. After Kocheran told him to put the gun down multiple times, his body camera footage shows the man firing at Kocheran. Kocheran returned fire and killed the man. The bullet bruised Kocheran’s heart, punctured his left lung and ended up in his liver. He underwent multiple surgeries and was in a medically induced coma. He is unlikely to ever return to duty, according to the report. Sheriff George W. Lavender Jr., who nominated Kocheran, said the gunman “was intent on killing someone that day.” And even though his sergeant “did everything possible to avoid taking a life,” he said, “in the end, by taking a life, he possibly saved countless others.”

PoliceOne

Video: New Jersey Police Officer, EMTs Rescue Choking Toddler

A police officer and EMTs can be seen in body camera video rescuing a choking toddler, NBC Philadelphia reported. Maureen O'Laughlin was driving with her 20-month-old grandson, Oliver, when she noticed he was struggling to breathe and turning blue. She immediately pulled over and got Oliver out of the backseat while calling for help, according to the report. Cpl. Kevin McGowan of the Harrison Township Police Department was responding to an unrelated call for service but stopped to help when he saw the vehicle pulled to the side of the road with the rear door open. By the time McGowan reached them, Oliver was unconscious, according to the report. McGowan performed several back blows, but Oliver’s airway remained blocked. O'Laughlin's car had been parked in front of the Gloucester County EMS station, according to the report. EMT Jenine Ellena noticed the incident from the parking lot and ran over to assist. With the assistance of her partner, EMT Richard Kennedy, Ellena was able to remove the blockage, allowing Oliver to breathe.

PoliceOne

Over 2 Million Fruit Flies To Be Released In Leimert Park To Fight Infestation

Over 2 million fruit flies will be released in Los Angeles as environmental officials try to fight against an invasive species. The idea of bombarding the Leimert Park neighborhood with pests came after the California Department of Food and Agriculture detected two wild Mediterranean fruit flies in the area. Officials set up a 69-square-mile quarantine area covering parts of Central L.A., Culver City and South L.A. The quarantine affects any growers, wholesalers, and retailers of susceptible fruit in the area, as well as local residents. CDFA urges home gardeners to consume homegrown produce on-site and not move it from their property. The CDFA plans to release approximately 2.25 million sterile male Medflies spread out over a 9 square mile area to eradicate the species. They also plan to spray a natural pesticide on the properties 200 meters away from Medfly detections to remove any mated female pets and reduce the density of the species' population. Environmental teams will also remove any fruit within 100 meters of larval detections as well as areas where multiple adult flies have been spotted. 

CBS 2

Hospitals Seek Help Identifying 3 Patients Found In Southern California

Hospital staff needs the public’s help to identify three male patients found across Southern California. All three men were found near public roads or areas and remain hospitalized at Dignity Health facilities. They were all found without personal items or documentation of their identity. The first patient was discovered on Oct. 10. He was found lying on the sidewalk in front of the Long Beach Library located at 101 Pacific Avenue. Staff described him as a Hispanic man in his mid to late 50s, about 5 feet 7 inches tall and around 137 pounds. He has brown eyes and dark-colored hair with some graying. His left hand has a tattoo featuring a circle with the letter “JJ.” The second “J” is reversed, staff said. The second patient was discovered on Oct. 12. He was found inside a tent on the L.A. riverbed in Long Beach. A good Samaritan brought the man to a Dignity Health hospital where he still remains. He is described as a Hispanic man around 50-55 years old. He stands about 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs around 210 pounds. He has brown eyes and salt-and-pepper brown hair. The third patient was found on Oct. 22 at around 2:10 a.m. He was discovered on a sidewalk off N. Sierra Way and E. 5th Street in San Bernardino. 

KTLA 5

Koreatown Residents Call On City Council To Help Trash-Collecting Neighbor

For seven years, neighbors in Koreatown have endured the towering pillars of trash stacked on top of a trio of vans and the putrid stench, typically accompanied by mangy rats scurrying around the junk. One resident living near the corner of North Barendo and Council Streets likened the experience to living next to a dumpster. The people who live near the makeshift junkyard believe that the garbage belongs to one woman who lives in a neighboring apartment. There's so much trash stacked on top of the vans that the suspensions sag, allowing the frame of the vehicles to scrape the rear tires. Despite this, neighbor Lisa Derrick said she's seen the woman drive the vans. Another neighbor said the woman drove one of her trash-filled vans to work Thursday. "Her vans will break down and she'll get new ones and start building her monoliths of bags in ever-escalating piles," said Derrick. "I'm concerned about the breaks. I'm concerned about her ability to see over the dashboard given the amount of garbage in the vans." The neighbors said they have reached out to the Los Angeles City Council several times in the past three months but have not received substantial responses. 

CBS 2

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 8,900 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.