Suspect In Ambush Shootings Of New York City Police Officers Indicted On 52 Counts

A man suspected of ambushing New York City police officers during a shooting rampage last month was arraigned Wednesday on a 52-count indictment that includes multiple charges of attempted murder. The suspect, 45-year-old Robert Williams, was arraigned in Bronx Supreme Court on 11 counts of first-degree attempted murder, 12 counts of second-degree attempted murder, 11 counts of aggravated assault upon a police officer, 12-counts of first-degree attempted assault, two counts of second-degree assault and four counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. "Fortunately, this mission to massacre police officers failed," Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said at a news conference following William's arraignment, calling the targeting of police officers "an abomination." As a courtroom full of police watched, Williams pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was ordered held in jail without bail.

Hero Down: Dennison Village Police K9 Officer Andrew Keller Dies Unexpectedly

Dennison Village Police Department (DPD) K9 Officer Andrew Keller died unexpectedly on Monday morning. “It is with very heavy hearts that we report to you that K9 Officer Andrew Keller of the Dennison Village Police Department (Ohio) passed away unexpectedly this morning,” Ohio Going Blue said in a Facebook post. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to his K9, Bronco, and his family, both blood and blue,” the post read. “R.I.P. K9 Officer Keller, we thank you for your service and promise to never forget you. Please keep a vigilant watch over your brothers and sisters in blue from the streets of Heaven.”

Suspect Steals Metro SUV, Leads LAPD On Pursuit And Standoff

 A pursuit suspect was taken into custody in North Hollywood Wednesday night following a brief standoff with Los Angeles police. L.A. Metro officials confirm that the suspect stole a white Ford Explorer in Norwalk belonging to a Metro supervisor who was helping a bus that had broken down. The supervisor was not injured. After driving on the 101 Freeway for some time, the suspect exited into North Hollywood where they came to a stop inside a parking lot at the corner of Vanowen Street and Coldwater Canyon Avenue turning the situation into a standoff with LAPD. Police successfully deployed a spike strip causing damage to the vehicle's tires when the suspect suddenly drove off after police fired, what appeared to be less-lethal weapons, at the SUV shattering a window. The suspect eventually gave up a short distance later and was taken into custody.

Reward Of $10,000 Renewed In Fatal Harbor City Shooting Of Bicyclist

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Wednesday renewed a $10,000 reward in the fatal shooting of a young father on his bike in Harbor City in 2017. Supervisor Janice Hahn recommended a reward for information on whoever gunned down 20-year-old Anthony Iniquez, the father of two toddler sons, around 12:45 a.m. June 17, 2017. The reward, set to expire March 15, will now be available for at least 90 days. Iniquez was riding his bike home from a friend’s house near 252nd Street and Normandie Avenue when someone opened fire and shot him in the head. He died three days later. Investigators are not certain whether the suspect was in a car or on foot. Police told the Los Angeles Times Iniquez was not a gang member, but the area where he was riding is home to several gangs, and he may have been a random victim. Hahn asked anyone with additional information to call Los Angeles Police Detective Scott Coffee, 310-726-7887.

Winnetka Man Who Pummeled Bar Patron Over Russian MAGA Hat In Hermosa Beach Pleads No Contest To Assault

A 32-year-old Winnetka man who was accused of pummeling a man at a Hermosa Beach restaurant and bar restroom over a red hat that read “Make America Great Again” in Russian pleaded no contest to an assault charge Wednesday, March 4, authorities said. David Delgado faces four years in state prison after pleading to assault by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury. He is scheduled to be sentenced May 28 in Torrance Superior Court, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said. Delgado and the victim were in the restroom of Tower 12, 53 Pier Ave., on Sept. 2 when Delgado asked about the meaning of the victim’s hat, which had Russian text on it, police said. When informed what the hat meant, Delgado allegedly became angry and punched the victim repeatedly in the face, knocking him down, police said. Delgado then stole the man’s hat before running out of the bar.

Inglewood Man Sentenced To 56 Years In Prison For Killing Wife As She Held Their Infant Son

An Inglewood man was sentenced Wednesday to 56 years to life in state prison for fatally shooting his wife in front of their four young children, while she held their infant son, officials said. Andy Steve Valadez, 38, was sentenced after being found guilty of shooting his wife of 11 years in the head in 2015, in front of their four children, who ranged from 10-months-old to 8-years-old, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said Wednesday. Valadez was convicted in January of one count each of second-degree murder, criminal threats and child abuse, officials said. The jury also found true allegations that Valadez personally used a firearm in the commission of the three counts, according to the DA’s office. Valadez shot his wife, Sandra Valadez, 32, twice in the head on Nov. 11, 2015, while she held their 10-month-old son, with their three other children in the room, according to evidence presented at the trial. Responding officers found the infant covered in blood after the mother dropped him upon getting shot, officials said.

1 Killed, 6 Shot, Including 7-Year-Old Girl, At California Funeral

Police in Tulare, Calif. are looking for a lone gunman who opened fire on a large gathering, killing one man and wounding five others, including a 7-year-old girl. Tulare Police Sgt. Edward Hinojosa said a 23-year-old man was killed, and the girl was shot multiple times. Police said the shooting was reported at 10:20 p.m. Wednesday, as a group of more than 50 people gathered following the burial of a man who died in a car crash. Witnesses said a single person walked up and fired multiple rounds, Hinojosa said. The scene was chaotic as officers arrived, and the entire department is helping investigate the crime scene, Hinojosa said. Tulare is in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley and is about a three-hour drive from San Francisco. 

You Still Can’t Rely On CDC’s Gun Injury Numbers. But This May Be The First Step Toward A Fix.

For the third year running, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes its annual estimate of firearm injuries as “unstable,” which means it is potentially misleading and unfit for use by researchers. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, which operates the database that serves as the basis for those estimates, is now taking the first step toward a possible solution: Bringing in independent reviewers to look at the faulty data and provide recommendations on how to fix it. The assessment will scrutinize the sample of hospitals that feeds the CPSC’s nonfatal injury database. As The Trace and FiveThirtyEight first reported, that sample is currently very small, which can result in wildly unreliable estimates. According to an excerpt of the work contract provided by a CPSC spokesperson, the review will seek to “understand the pros and cons of keeping the current samples, expanding the current samples, or resampling the hospital emergency departments.” The review will also suggest new methods for making calculations for certain types of injuries that vary widely between hospitals. Our reporting has revealed that shootings are one such type of injury.

Public Safety News

L.A. County Declares Local State Of Emergency Amid 7 Confirmed Cases Of COVID-19 Coronavirus

Officials with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Los Angeles County Department of Health declared a local and public state of emergency Wednesday morning. The proclamation comes the day after the second case of the novel coronavirus in L.A. County was confirmed by health officials. The patient was treated at a Kaiser Permanente hospital and is currently in self-isolation. Now, there are seven confirmed cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus in the county. Three of the infected patients recently traveled to Northern Italy, two patients had family members who live outside the area that had the virus, and the sixth patient has a job that requires them to make contact with travelers. "We must remain vigilant," said L.A. County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Kathryn Barger. "Our main message is that the City of Los Angeles and cities of the county have done everything possible to be ready and this is everyone's responsibility," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. 

Local Government News

L.A. City Council Election Results Roundup: How Did Your Candidate Do?

As updated election results trickled in Wednesday evening, incumbents and political veterans dominated the seven races for Los Angeles City Council but some appear headed to November runoffs. Los Angeles voters were left waiting in voting center lines until late hours of Tuesday night, as hiccups in the new county voting system caused check-in and polling delays. The results may still fluctuate as the registrar counts outstanding ballots, including provisional ballots and vote-by-mail votes which will continue to arrive by Friday. Results won’t be official until the registrar certifies the election.