LA Metro To Bring Back 260 Officers Everyday To Boost Public Safety

Following a surge in crimes within the Los Angeles Metro system in the past five months, the Metro Board passed Thursday safety motions that aim to keep transit riders safe. The board voted unanimously to approve a motion introduced by Mayor Karen Bass and Board of Directors chair, and a second motion introduced by LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, a member of the board. Under Bass' measure, more public safety personnel, including law enforcement officers, transit security guards and ambassadors, will be on buses and trains. “In March, there were nearly a million weekday riders, but the recent crime threatens to derail this progress if we cannot ensure the safety of those who want and need to use the bus and rail system,'' Bass said. “We have to act to protect that progress by keeping riders safe.'' Metro staff will also take steps to establish a “unified command'' of the various law enforcement agencies who police the system -- including Metro security, the Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and Long Beach Police Department. Horvath said during the hearing that the Metro is partnering with law enforcement agencies to provide a total of 260 officers to patrol the transit system everyday. Another motion passed by the Board Thursday, proposed by Horvath, will bring representatives from the LAPD and LA County Sheriff’s Department as well as Long Beach Police to the next Board meeting in June to discuss safety strategies in an effort to clarify how their partnership worked to provide security on Metro buses and trains.

NBC 4

Shooting In San Pedro Leaves 2 Men Dead

Police are investigating a shooting that left two men dead in San Pedro. Officers arrived to the scene at Santa Cruz and Meyler streets around 3:30 p.m. Thursday where they found two gunshot victims - a 19-year-old man and another man believed to be 45. One of the men died at the scene and the other was pronounced dead at the hospital, police say. What led to the shooting remains under investigation. Police don't have any suspects in custody, and they're still trying to determine exactly what happened. There were initial reports of a suspect or suspects leaving the area in a blue car, but detectives haven't confirmed that information. A neighborhood resident, who didn't want to be identified, said there have been several recent shootings. He believes the violence is a result of a dispute between two groups. 

ABC 7

Hit-and-Run Driver Sought After Striking 84-Year-Old Woman In Hollywood

Police in Hollywood are seeking the public’s help in identifying the hit-and-run driver who struck an 84-year-old woman and took off over the weekend. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers with the West Traffic Division are investigating a hit-and-run that took place at about 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The crash occurred near the intersection of Cole Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, where a driver plowed right into the woman who was walking. The video then shows the driver pull forward and run over the woman again before taking off. LAPD described that vehicle as a black 2004 to 2010 four-door Pontiac with rear tinted windows. It did not have a front license plate. “I saw the tire marks on the back of her sweater,” said Andy Samayoa, who witnessed the incident. “It was awful, it was scary.” Law enforcement said the woman was taken to a nearby hospital and remains in serious condition. A reward of up to $25,000 is available to anyone who can provide information that will lead to an arrest in the case. The investigation is ongoing.

NBC 4

North Hollywood Man Faces 20 Years In Federal Prison For String Of 7-Eleven Robberies

A North Hollywood man could spend his next 20 years in prison if he's convicted of robbing 11 stores across Southern California. Between Jan. 29 and Feb. 14, suspect Antonio Bland robbed nine 7-Elevens, one smoke shop and one doughnut shop, according to the US Department of Justice. Most were scattered around Los Angeles County; however, one robbery happened in Orange County. Federal prosecutors charged Bland with one count of attempted interference with commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act. A federal court jailed him without bond. Investigators said most of the robberies happened late at night and typically involved an accomplice and getaway driver. Bland's alleged spree ended in the early morning hours of Feb. 14 when he and two other people allegedly tried to rob a doughnut store in Downey, according to the DOJ. They tried to force the clerk to give them the money in the register, but he ran to the kitchen to grab a gun. With all three of the armed robbers feet away from him, the clerk retrieved his firearm and fired at least one shot. The suspects ran out of the store after and jumped into their getaway car. 

CBS 2

LAPD Locates Stolen Vehicle In Culver City, One In Custody

A person was in custody after they were found operating a stolen vehicle today in Culver City that was associated with a recent robbery, the Los Angeles Police Department said. Just after 11 a.m. Thursday, police located a stolen vehicle in the 8800 block of National Boulevard, according to the LAPD. Police said they detained the driver and took them into custody. The stolen vehicle, a 2021 gray Toyota Camry, was recently involved in a robbery, according to the department. It was unclear where the robbery took place, but the vehicle's license plate matched the description of the automobile that was involved in the theft, police said.

Westside Current

Southern California Authorities Seize $90,000 Worth Of Narcotics, Including 9,000 Fentanyl-Laced Pills

Authorities in Riverside County say they seized about $90,000 worth of illegal narcotics on Wednesday while serving a search warrant. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said its Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station Special Enforcement Team received information about the sale of illegal drugs in the Lake Elsinore and Wildomar areas in February. Investigations led authorities to the 33000 block of Pamela Road in Lakeland Village, an unincorporated area of Lake Elsinore. On Wednesday, deputies served a search warrant at the location, which was in a home across the street from Lakeland Village School. Deputies seized about $90,000 worth of narcotics during the search, including more than 9,000 pills thought to be laced with fentanyl. Authorities also recovered more than 5 ounces of fentanyl, packaging supplies and controlled substance paraphernalia. According to the sheriff’s office, just one of those pills, and one grain of pure fentanyl, is enough to cause an overdose and potentially death. Deputies arrested 46-year-old Gregory Lee Evans and 44-year-old Shannon Van Leeuwen, both of Lake Elsinore, on suspicion of numerous drug charges. They were booked into Cois Byrd Detention Center.

KTLA 5

UCLA Police Arrest 18-Year-Old Accused Of Attacking Pro-Palestinian Encampment

A teenager who allegedly attacked a barricaded pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles while waving a wooden pole was arrested Thursday. UCLA police arrested 18-year-old Edan On after video allegedly showed him joining a group of pro-Israeli counterprotesters who attacked demonstrators on April 30. On, who is not affiliated with UCLA, was detained in Beverly Hills and booked on suspicion of felony assault with a deadly weapon, the Los Angeles Times reported. He is being held on $30,000 bail in what appears to be the first arrest of a counterprotester in connection with the night of violence that continued for hours, the Times reported. The attack on the encampment, which involved pro-Israeli counterprotesters lobbing fireworks and attempting to dismantle the barricades, occurred just hours after UCLA Chancellor Gene Block labeled the encampment as “unauthorized.” Despite the widespread violence, no arrests were reported.

KTLA 5

CHP Holiday Maximum Enforcement Period Begins Friday

As Memorial Day weekend approaches, the California Highway Patrol will implement a statewide traffic enforcement effort to help everyone reach their destination safely. The CHP will implement a statewide maximum enforcement period beginning at 6:01 p.m. on Friday and continuing through 11:59 p.m. on Monday. Last year over the holiday weekend, 46 people were killed in crashes throughout California, CHP officials said. "Loss of life on our roads is preventable when drivers make safe and responsible choices behind the wheel," said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. "Always remember to drive sober, avoid distraction, adhere to the speed limit and ensure adults are buckled up and children are properly secured in an appropriate car seat." Throughout the holiday weekend, motorists should expect to see a heightened presence of CHP officers on patrol to enhance public safety by deterring reckless driving and taking necessary enforcement action when needed. Last year, the CHP recorded more than 1,100 arrests for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the 78-hour Memorial Day enforcement period, which is an average of an arrest every four minutes, officials said. The CHP urges all drivers to avoid impaired driving. Motorists were urged to arrange for a sober driver, use ride-sharing services, taxis or public transportation if they have been drinking.

Westside Current

Body Found In L.A. Flood Control Channel

A human body was recovered from a dry wash in the Shadow Hills area of Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley Thursday morning, officials said. According to the L.A. Fire Department, a hiker discovered the body in a remote section of the Tujunga Wash flood control channel and reported it around 8:30 a.m. There was no immediate word on the circumstances of the death, including whether foul play was suspected. No identifying information for the victim, including gender and age, has been released.

KTLA 5

Man Survives After SUV Explodes When He Tried Lighting Up A Cigarette Inside

A man tried lighting up a cigarette in his SUV with propane canisters inside, leading to a sudden explosion with the vehicle flying into pieces in Van Nuys Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Firefighters and police rushed to a supermarket parking lot in the 7200 block of Van Nuys Boulevard after receiving a call about an SUV that exploded around 10:30 p.m., police said. When first responders arrived, the man inside the vehicle told them he had been trying to light a cigarette when the explosion happened. He suffered minor injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital, according to LAPD. Investigators with the agency determined it was a propane explosion. Pieces of the parked vehicle flew in every direction, one of which lodged into a nearby tree. The explosion left the Toyota SUV mostly in just mangled pieces. The sound of the explosion could be heard at least a few blocks away, according to man who lives around the corner from the parking lot, who said it was "like an earthquake rattling the windows."

CBS 2

4-Vehicle Crash In Mission Hills Leads To At Least 9 Injuries, Firefighters Say

Multiple people were injured in a rollover crash involving four vehicles in Mission Hills Thursday afternoon. The collision happened in the area of Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Hubbard Street just before 3 p.m. Four vehicles were involved, including one that appeared to be partially demolished and flipped over on its roof. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics were treating eight patients at the scene. Six of them were brought to local hospitals to be treated and two declined transport. Two of them were described as adults in serious condition. There were four children, ages 6-12, treated for minor injuries. Fire officials say some of the children were improperly restrained in the vehicles, with two children sharing one seat belt and at least one younger child not in a car seat. Nobody was ejected or trapped in any of the vehicles. At least one person was seen being wheeled from the scene on a stretcher.

ABC 7

Century-Old South LA Church Burns In Overnight Fire

Firefighters knocked down a fire early Friday at the site of the historic Crouch Memorial Church of God and Christ in South Los Angeles. The fire was reported at about 2:30 a.m. at the century-old church in the 1000 block of East 27th St. near Central Avenue. The vacant structure was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. A partial collapse was reported, but no one was injured. Details about how the fire started were not immediately available. A fire that started from a wall heater in a prayer room damaged the attic and roof of the church in October 2013. The owners of the church planned to restore the church structure. The church was designed by John C. Austin, the prolific architect behind Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium, Griffith Park Observatory, Los Angeles City Hall, Los Angeles High School and other schools, Web House, Hollywood Masonic Temple, several Methodist churches and other structures. The church building was completed in December 1905.

NBC 4

L.A. City Council Approves Mayor Karen Bass’ Budget, Cutting 1,700 Vacant Positions

The Los Angeles City Council signed off on Mayor Karen Bass’ $12.8-billion budget on Thursday, cutting 1,700 vacant positions and engaging in a back-and-forth over police spending. On a 12-3 vote, the council approved a spending plan that eliminates the positions at agencies responsible for animal shelters, public works, transportation programs, cultural activities, maintenance of city buildings and many other services. The cuts are not expected to result in layoffs. The reductions were needed, in large part, to cover a series of pay increases for much of the city workforce — both police officers and civilian employees, including gardeners, clerks, mechanics, custodians, librarians and many others, according to the city’s budget analysts. Those raises were negotiated by Bass and the council over the past year with the unions that represent those employees. “There’s no sugarcoating the reality that we face next year,” said Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, who heads the council’s five-member budget committee. “Services will remain stagnant at best, because we will be operating under a bare-bones budget.” Councilmembers Nithya Raman, Hugo Soto-Martínez and Eunisses Hernandez — who occupy the leftmost end of the council — all voted no, voicing dismay over the spending reductions.

Los Angeles Times

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.