Off-Duty LAPD Officer Injured, Another Driver Shot And Killed In Ontario

An investigation is underway in Ontario after an off-duty Los Angeles Police Department officer was injured and another driver shot and killed Thursday night. According to the Ontario Police Department, officers responded to a shooting around 8:30 p.m. on Euclid Avenue and 6th Street, just off the 10 Freeway. Investigators say preliminary information indicates an altercation occurred between two men, one being an off-duty LAPD officer. It’s unclear who fired first, according to authorities. “We do have a lot of people that called and we’re currently interviewing them. I can’t confirm exactly how this began or the motive for the shooting,” said police corporal Eliseo Guerrero from the Ontario Police Department. The off-duty officer is reportedly doing OK. The officer's injuries were not revealed. The other person was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

NBC 4

New Details Emerge In Killing Of ‘General Hospital’ Actor Johnny Wactor

New details are emerging about the shooting death of “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor early Saturday at the hands of catalytic converter thieves in downtown Los Angeles. No arrests have been made in the killing, which has sparked shock and outrage. Wactor, 37, played Brando Corbin on “General Hospital” from 2020 to 2022. He also had roles on shows, including “Westworld,” “Criminal Minds” and “Station 19.” Here a breakdown of what we know: Wactor was killed around 3:25 a.m. while leaving a rooftop bar where he worked with a colleague. He encountered three people near Pico Boulevard and Hope Street trying to steal his car’s catalytic converter, authorities said. One of the thieves shot Wactor before fleeing. His co-worker, Anita Joy, posted details about those final moments on Instagram. “We cautiously approached the men, questioning what they were doing, at first thinking the car was being towed. We were no threat and Johnny kept his cool as he always did, simply stating that it was his car and for them to leave. Hands open to his sides in peace. “Johnny was between me and the man who shot him — as I heard the shot ring into the night, he forcefully tumbled back into my arms and as I grabbed for him, I shouted, ‘Hunny, you ok?!’ “And he only responded, ‘Nope! Shot!’ We toppled onto the street, where I pushed my legs under him and tried to hold his body up while screaming for help and screaming at him to stay with me.”

Los Angeles Times

2 Men Break Into And Rob A Westchester Home; Flee Before Police Arrive

At least two burglars were seen running out of a Westchester house today after breaking into the residence, the Los Angeles Police Department said. At 12:39 p.m. Thursday, police were informed by a 911 caller that two black men in hooded sweatshirts broke into a house in the 6400 block of W 77th Street. The two men were last seen getting into a black Jeep, which was being driven by a third suspect, who was not identified, the department said. Police did not respond to the call until just after 2:45 p.m., due to other calls taking priority over this one, according to the LAPD. It was not yet clear what the robbers took. However, Westchester continues to be hit hard with burglaries. 

Westside Current

Glassell Park Strip Mall Burglarized For Second Time This Month

For the second time in less than a month, stores at a Glassell Park strip mall were broken into. Now, business owners say they can't afford the damage to their stores anymore. It happened around 2 a.m. Thursday morning, at the strip mall at the intersection of Verduga Road and York Boulevard. Security video showed a group of thieves calmly getting out of a station wagon, before using a glass breaker to get into Polka Polish Cuisine. "It's very frustrating," said owner Michael Budny. "It was always safe, and no problems. Now all of a sudden, this month [it's] the second time." That's right. Thursday morning's break-in is the second time the strip mall has been targeted in May. The first was back on May 13. In that incident, security footage showed just two suspects. This time, more, around six, breaking into three businesses in the strip mall. Security video showed that something seemed to spook the thieves, but not before leaving a trail of damage, with little to show for it. The Ukiyo Academy Jiu-Jitsu studio was another one of the burglarized businesses, but Rafael Manese from the academy said "there's nothing to take. It's really [just] the damage to the windows."

FOX 11

E-Bike Thief In Southern California Using Counterfeit Cash Made For Movies

A Huntington Beach man, along with several other victims selling electric bikes on Facebook Marketplace and other online platforms, were taken for thousands of dollars by a conniving thief using counterfeit cash made for the movies. Earlier this month in Huntington Beach, a man identified only as Daniel, was contacted by a person interested in the Talaria Sting MX4 e-bike he’d put up for sale. “It was a Saturday, like a weekend a half ago,” he explained. “The guy hit me up, he seemed interested. We exchanged messages back and forth a little bit. He called me on the phone and he seemed like a serious buyer.” Daniel eventually invited the potential buyer to check out the e-bike at his Huntington Beach garage. “We talked for a while and he just seemed super nice, seemed super trustworthy,” he said. “Clearly, he had been coached very well.” Daniel’s price tag for the lightly used Talaria e-bike was $4,200. “He’s acting like he doesn’t know how to use it and, ‘Oh, how do you do this and how do you do that?’ and I’m just kind of walking him through it. He was like, ‘Can I take it for a test drive?’ and I’m like, ‘Sure.’” 

KTLA 5

Video: Suspect Slams California Officer In Head With Skateboard Before OIS

 In a video released by the Carlsbad Police Department on Thursday, an officer is shown being struck by a skateboard in a surprise attack two months ago that prompted him to shoot at his assailant. The incident happened about 11:15 p.m. on March 29. Officer Michael McKinney was driving a patrol car on Carlsbad Village Drive, headed under Interstate 5, when a rock struck the vehicle, destroying its spotlight and damaging the windshield, police said. McKinney called for a supervisor and pulled into a nearby shopping center. As the officer and his sergeant inspected the damage, a man ran up behind McKinney and hit him with the skateboard, police said. Body-worn camera video of the incident captured the assailant, whose face and hands were covered, smashing the underside of the board across McKinney’s head. Its clear in the footage that the officer thought he’d been shot. As he sought cover, the officer fired three shots at his attacker who was running across the parking lot. No one was struck. As the sergeant chased after the assailant, a large rock fell from the man’s pocket, video of the incident shows. Police said the rock resembled one investigators found under the freeway where McKinney’s patrol car was struck and damaged. Additional officers responded, and the suspect, identified as 32-year-old Kyle McCord, was arrested about three blocks away.

San Diego Union Tribune

Minneapolis Officer Dies In Ambush Shooting That Led To Deaths Of 2 Others, Including Suspected Gunman

A Minneapolis police officer responding to a shooting call was ambushed and killed Thursday when he stopped to provide aid to a man who appeared to be a victim. That man instead wound up shooting the officer, authorities said. The death of officer Jamal Mitchell happened during a chaotic situation involving two crime scenes two blocks apart that left three people dead, two others hospitalized in critical condition and another officer and a firefighter with less serious injuries. “I’ve seen the video, and he was ambushed,” Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said at an evening news conference. “I’m using the term for a reason.” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said authorities are still investigating and asked people to “be patient with us as we do not know all the fact yet. We want to make sure that the investigation is completed and that we’re doing it the right way.” Law enforcement provided a brief narrative of what transpired, starting when officers responded to a call of a double shooting at an apartment complex in the south Minneapolis neighborhood of Whittier. As Mitchell was about two blocks from the complex, he noticed individuals who were injured. He got out of his car to provide aid to one man, who wound up shooting the officer.

Associated Press

Connecticut State Trooper Killed After Being Hit By Car During Traffic Stop On Highway

A Connecticut State Police trooper was struck and killed while conducting a traffic stop on Interstate 84 on Thursday afternoon, the agency said. Trooper First Class Aaron Pelletier, of Troop H in Hartford, was struck by a pickup truck while speaking with the driver of a vehicle he pulled over. “Today, a dedicated state trooper was taken from us,” State Police Col. Daniel Loughman said Thursday night. “In this job, we talk about the many sacrifices that troopers make. The family milestones we miss. The hours we work and the hazards of the job. I can tell you that yes, there’s much that we give up in this career, but we never want a trooper to make the ultimate sacrifice,” Loughman said. State police said Pelletier was outside his cruiser on the eastbound side of the highway just before exit 31 around 2:35 p.m. when he was struck by the pickup. The operator of the pickup kept driving and only stopped when the vehicle became disabled near exit 39A in Farmington, state police said. That person has been taken into custody, but was not identified Thursday night. Just prior to the accident, Pelletier was driving on the highway, working overtime on a High Visibility Motor Vehicle Enforcement Grant as part an initiative to reduce fatal accidents on the state’s roads, state police said. He saw a driver in the right lane who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and activated his lights and sirens to pull them over.

PoliceOne

LA General Medical Center Seeks Help Identifying Patient, Family

Officials at Los Angeles General Medical Center sought public help Thursday to find the family of a man hospitalized at the facility since Monday. The 50-year-old patient is 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs around 130 pounds. He has a shaved head with light gray eyes and was found at 1100 W. Fifth Street in Los Angeles, according to the hospital. Anyone with information was urged to contact clinical social workers Brian Dillon at 323-409-3134 or Cristol Perez at 323-409-4317.

MyNewsLA

Five Days Remain For Landlords To Apply For LA County Rent Relief Program

With a Tuesday deadline approaching, Los Angeles County officials Thursday are urging qualified landlords to apply and submit an application for the opportunity to receive rent relief. Last week, the L.A. County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs launched its second round of rent relief to aid landlords impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualified landlords can receive up to $30,000 per rental unit for past-due rent and eligible expenses from April 1, 2022, to the present. Technical assistance is available in multiple languages by calling 877- 849-0770 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.. Additionally, applicants can register for hosted informational webinars at lacountyrentrelief.com. The last day to apply will be Tuesday at 4:59 p.m. Launched by the county Board of Supervisors and administered by The Center by Lendistry, the program will distribute over $68 million in financial support to qualified landlords adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants must be located in the county, excluding the city of Los Angeles.

Westside Current

LA City Council To Allow Flying Pride Flag At City Hall For Month Of June

The Los Angeles City Council Friday will consider approving a new policy that would allow for the Progress Pride Flag to be raised in the Civic Center and other facilities to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. On Tuesday, council members instructed the city attorney’s office to prepare an ordinance to update the current flag regulations. Council members hope to change the policy to ensure the Progress Pride Flag — a version of the Pride Flag that some LGBTQ+ advocates say is more inclusive — gets flown in time for Pride Month. The month-long celebration commemorates lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride, which began after the Stonewall riots, a series of gay liberation protests in 1969 in New York City. Council members Tim McOsker, Monica Rodriguez, Traci Park, Hugo Soto-Martinez and Bob Blumenfield introduced a motion last year seeking to raise the Progress Pride Flag at City Hall, City Hall East, City Hall South and other city facilities where the American, Californian and city flags are displayed during the month of June.

MyNewsLA

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.