Off-Duty LAPD Officer, Passenger Killed In Northridge Crash; DUI Suspect In Critical Condition

An off-duty Los Angeles Police Department officer and his front-seat passenger were killed in a car crash early Saturday after a drunk driving suspect sped through a red light in Northridge and slammed into their vehicle, authorities said. Officer Darrell Cunningham Shamily, a four-year veteran of the department in his early 30s, and the unidentified passenger were killed in the crash that occurred about 1:15 a.m. near Roscoe Boulevard and Lindley Avenue, police said during a news conference Saturday. An off-duty San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy, who was riding in the backseat of Cunningham Shamily’s car, was also injured and transported to a hospital. “These were all individuals who were known to each other as lifelong friends,” said LAPD Chief Michel Moore, who called the incident an act of “senseless violence” by the driver of the other vehicle. He said the department would do everything possible to support Cunningham Shamily’s “fiancée, two young boys, mom & two brothers.” Brian David Oliveri, 20, the driver of the other vehicle, was injured in the crash and was transported to a hospital, police said. Based on preliminary evidence, it is suspected that he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision, police said.

Los Angeles Times

2 Killed When Minivan Crashes Into Metro Bus At End Of Pursuit In Downtown LA

Two people have died in a traffic collision in downtown Los Angeles involving a minivan and a Metro bus following the termination of a pursuit. The crash unfolded in the 100 block of E. 17th Street just after 5:11 a.m. Sunday. According to the LAPD, a pursuit was initiated after officers observed an individual in a minivan toss a gun from the window. Soon after, the minivan collided with the bus. There were four people inside the minivan. Of those, one person died at the scene and a second person died at the hospital. Two other people were transported to the hospital for treatment. The transit bus operator who was the only person onboard the bus at the time declined treatment or ambulance transportation. No further details were immediately available. 

CBS 2

New Video Shows Woman Running Over Son's Foster Mom During Child Custody Dispute In San Pedro

Body camera video shows what happened before a Los Angeles police officers opened fire on a woman who they say intentionally struck her child's foster mother with a car during a child custody dispute in San Pedro. The incident happened on Oct. 1 at a Target parking lot near Capitol Drive and Gaffey Street. Police say 39-year-old Miesha Scott was there to meet the child's foster parents for a peaceful transfer of custody. However, things took a dramatic turn, forcing the foster father to call 911. "I have a mom who's taking a child that I have custody of and I need help because she's getting ready to get into a car and drive off," he said during the call. "She's starting up the vehicle right now. She has [the child] in the car with no car seat. Please." "She's the mother of the child?" the dispatcher asks. "Yes." Moments later, responding officers were able to intervene in the custody dispute and talk to Scott. "Because I'm upset that's why," she told officers. "So you keep telling me to calm down ... that's why I said, 'Can you call somebody that can negotiate all of our situation so we all be fair, so no one cause no more commotion." "I'm trying to do that," an officers responds.

ABC 7

Authorities Seek Woman Reportedly Accused Of Stealing Actress Lily Collins’ Wedding Ring

Authorities are looking for a woman who allegedly stole jewelry and credit cards from lockers at a West Hollywood hotel spa and yoga studio, including the wedding ring of actress Lily Collins, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and media reports. Suspect Andreea Catalina Rosca, 34, travels the country committing similar crimes, the sheriff’s department said in a bulletin posted on social media. Investigators believe she is associated with Romanian organized theft groups, the release said. Collins, who was among the theft victims, had her wedding band, engagement ring and some electronics stolen from lockers at the hotel in May, according to TMZ. She is best known for her role in the Netflix series, “Emily in Paris.” The hotel, which was robbed on two separate occasions, was not identified by the sheriff’s department or TMZ. Rosca has a fake Washington state identification card with the name Nicole Morri on it, according to the sheriff’s department. A warrant has been issued for her arrest. Anyone with information was asked to call Det. Brandon Zeff of the West Hollywood Sheriff Station at (310) 358-4033.

Los Angeles Times

Suspect Arrested In Cold Case Drive-By Killings Of Compton 2-Year-Old Girl And Young Father

A suspect is behind bars Friday for his in connection with the 2001 drive-by Compton killings of a 24-year-old man and his 2-year-old daughter, who investigators said were innocent victims of a gang war. Jahon Smith, 47, was arrested Monday in connection with the Aug. 8, 2001, killings of Stephen Murphy and his daughter Kali, who were shot in 13100 block of Willowbrook Ave. Murphy was shot on the front porch of his grandmother's house as he tried to carry his daughter to safety when he heard the gunfire erupt, officials said. According to District Attorney George Gascón, Smith was charged Wednesday with two counts of murder and four counts of attempted murder. The charges include a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders and an allegation of personal use of a handgun. His arraignment at the Compton courthouse was postponed until Nov. 29, according to court records. Gascón said Smith faces a possible sentence of life in prison without parole.

FOX 11

San Diego PD To Clear Rape Kit Backlog By 2024

The San Diego Police Department says it is close to clearing its backlog of sexual assault evidence kits, a task in the works since 2020. The department expects to test about 140 kits from before 2016 — which would clear the backlog — by the end of the year. The department had about 1,800 untested kits before it sent them to a private lab in 2020. The tested kits include about 1,200 kits from before 2016 and 450 kits collected from 2016 to 2019. The latter required testing under state law: In 2019, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 22, which mandates testing of kits collected on or after Jan. 1, 2016. SB 22 requires law enforcement agencies to submit rape kits for testing within 20 days, and crime labs to test the evidence within 120 days. For years San Diego police, like other agencies, said there was no value in testing all kits — they did test kits in cases in which the suspect was a stranger — and resisted testing old kits. Then came a statewide push to clear shelves of untested kits across the state. Proponents said testing could link suspects to multiple cases.

San Diego Union Tribune

Bay Area Man Arrested On Suspicion Of Decapitating Relative And Taking Her Head

A 23-year-old Santa Rosa man was arrested Friday in San Francisco on suspicion that he decapitated a female relative the day before and took her head when he fled the scene, police said. On Thursday afternoon, officers responded to a home in northwest Santa Rosa after receiving reports of a possible homicide, according to the Santa Rosa Police Department. Officers found the body of a woman who had been decapitated and her head was missing. The head of the victim, who has not been named, was later recovered in an open area in Santa Rosa, said Lt. Christopher Mahurin of the Santa Rosa Police Department. Luis Gustavo Aroyo-Lopez, a relative of the victim, was identified as a suspect in the killing through police interviews, Mahurin said. Police did not specify how Aroyo-Lopez was related to the victim. Aroyo-Lopez was arrested without incident Friday morning at the Transit Bay Terminal in San Francisco after a San Francisco Police Department officer recognized him, Mahurin said.

Los Angeles Times

Iowa Officer Hit By Drunk Driver In 2011 Dies From Related Injuries

A Des Moines Police Department Officer has died from injuries sustained in the line of duty in 2011, KCCI reported. Officer Phoukham Tran was directing traffic at the Iowa State Fair Aug. 19, 2011, when he was hit by a drunk driver. He had served the department for 30 years at the time of the incident. Tran was never able to return to duty following the incident. The department announced his death at the age of 65 on Nov. 2. "SPO Tran was a highly-respected police officer and member of the Des Moines Department family, and will forever be remembered for his selfless service to the community," Sgt. Paul Parizek said in a news release. 

PoliceOne

Firefighters Battle Fire At Downtown LA Commercial Building

Firefighters responded to a fire at a single-story commercial building near other businesses Saturday afternoon in downtown Los Angeles. The fire was in the 200 block of East 12th Street at a 5,000 square-foot commercial building. Details about how the fire started were not immediately available. There were not immediate reports of injuries.

NBC 4

L.A. Hospital Searching For Patient’s Family

A local hospital is searching for the family of a patient who was found injured in downtown Los Angeles. On Oct. 30, Benjamin Carter, 59, was found on Wilshire Boulevard around 7:45 p.m. He was transported to a Dignity Health hospital where he currently remains, officials said. Carter is described as a Black man with brown eyes and black hair with some gray. He stands between 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall and weighs around 190 pounds. He may possibly be of Ethiopian descent, according to hospital staff. He may also have connections to the states of New York and Illinois. Although Carter has been identified, he is “still in need of help locating family or loved ones,” officials said. His current condition or the nature of his injuries were not released. Anyone who recognizes the man or has information is asked to call 213-507-5495 or 213-742-5511.

KTLA 5

LA City Council Committee OKs Plan To Develop Special Street Vending Zones

A City Council committee approved a motion Friday calling for the development of a special vending zone, effectively allowing street vendors to sell their goods in areas of Hollywood, which they are currently barred from doing under city law. The Civil Rights, Equity, Immigration, Aging and Disability Committee voted unanimously in favor of the motion, including a small change. Councilmembers are calling for a report documenting the process to engage stakeholders and efforts to develop this street vending pilot program. Council members Hugo Soto-Martnez, Paul Krekorian, Curren Price and Nithya Raman co-presented the motion on Oct. 20. Soto-Martnez and Raman's districts, 13 and 4, respectively, include portions of Hollywood. According to the motion, councilmembers would request the city attorney to prepare and present an ordinance updating the city's existing street vending law. The goal of the motion is intended to use lessons learned from this street vending pilot program to develop a citywide framework for allowing street vending in a more equitable way across the city.

ABC 7

City Council To Develop Climate Action Plan

The City Council Friday approved a motion calling on several departments to develop a climate action and adaptation plan to codify green efforts and guide the city forward. The council members voted 14-0, with Councilwoman Nithya Raman absent during the vote, to support an amended motion introduced by Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky. Her motion substituted a similar motion introduced by Council President Paul Krekorian on Oct. 20. According to Yaroslavsky, her substitute motion has “support from all relevant parties” and is meant to make clear that “we’re moving forward with developing a climate action plan for consideration in the upcoming fiscal year’s budget.” Leo Daube, spokesman for Yaroslavsky’s office, told City News Service that the main reason the motion was brought forward is because many of the city’s green policies are not codified into law. LA’s Green New Deal, for example, — launched by former Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2019, which outlines goals for the city’s sustainable future and addresses climate emergency — set targets and policy recommendations, but are not legally binding.

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.