Phoenix Officer Killed, 2 Others Wounded In Shooting

A Phoenix police commander was killed and two other officers were wounded Sunday night as they responded to calls about a dispute between roomates. Cmdr. Greg Carnicle, a veteran officer and father of four, was killed. The other officers, both women, were hospitalized, the department said. Sgt. Mercedes Fortune said at a news conference that the suspect refused to cooperate and shot the officers after they were called to the scene shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday. The suspect was still inside and the situation was active as of 10 p.m., Fortune told the Arizona Republic. "Tonight we lost a true hero. Greg Carnicle was a 31-year veteran of our department," Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams said. The other two officers who were shot are in stable condition, she said. One woman is out of surgery, and another is recovering from her wounds, Williams told the Republic.

2 More LAPD Employees Positive, Department Now Has 24 COVID-19 Cases

Two more Los Angeles Police Department employees tested positive for the Coronavirus, authorities said Saturday. That brings the total to 24, according to Los Angeles Emergency Operations Center spokeswoman Jessica Kellogg. In addition, six Los Angeles Fire Department members have tested positive for COVID-19, Kellogg said. "All of these individuals are self-isolating at home and recovering," she said. No further details were available.

NYPD: 730 Uniformed Members Test Positive For COVID-19, Up 300 From Last Week

The number of NYPD employees who tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) reached 818 on Sunday, and was expected to reach 900 by Tuesday morning, Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said. In total, 730 uniformed members and 88 civilian members have tested positive for the virus, which is an increase of 122 uniformed members since yesterday. The NYPD also said 4,651 uniformed members of the NYPD were on sick report on Sunday, which accounts for 12.8% of the department’s uniformed workforce. A total of 4,342 NYPD uniformed employees were on sick report on Saturday, the department previously reported. Shea said the NYPD is “staggering” its work force and “giving discretion” to front-line commanders in terms of accommodating members of the NYPD — “particularly those above 50 years of age.” The third member of the NYPD died on Saturday as a result of the coronavirus, the Advance/SiLive.com reported.

LAPD Preparing Scenarios In Which Many Officers Are Out Sick From Coronavirus

While the number of infected Los Angeles police officers remains relatively small compared with their counterparts in New York City, LAPD Chief Michel Moore said he is prepared for the coronavirus to potentially sicken more of the force. So far, 24 officers and civilians have tested positive and have been self-quarantined at home. The department has been taking measures to limit the spread and avoid numbers like the New York Police Department, where more than 230 officers tested positive and about 10% of the department is calling in sick. In addition, six Los Angeles firefighters have tested positive for the coronavirus. “All of these individuals are self-isolating at home and recovering,” the city said in a statement. Moore said his leadership team has been setting up a plan for scenarios in which up to 30% and perhaps even half the department calls in sick. These are worst-case scenarios, and officials do not think it will get that bad.

Crime Falls Sharply In March Due To Coronavirus Restrictions, LAPD And Sheriff Report

Crime in Los Angeles fell sharply in March as the city imposed strict new rules on residents and businesses to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Violent offenses in the city dropped 14% and property crime declined 12% through March 25 compared with the same period last year, according to figures from the Los Angeles Police Department. The department had reported single-digit reductions before this month. Homicides have dropped slightly so far this month from 15 to 12, department figures show. Robberies were down 22% along with an 11% decrease in aggravated assaults. Meanwhile, thefts fell 18% and burglaries were down 7%. The only categories to see increases were vehicle theft, up 10%, and rape, which ticked up 2% during that time. The downward trend occurred as Mayor Eric Garcetti ordered nonessential businesses to shut down and told residents to stay home. L.A. County imposed similar restrictions, and the Sheriff’s Department also reported a drop-off in crime. LAPD Assistant Chief Robert Arcos said criminal activity is declining as fewer people venture out of their homes to shop or visit bars and restaurants.

Man Shot During Fight In South Los Angeles

A man was shot to death during a fight with another man in South Los Angeles, authorities said Saturday. The shooting was reported at about 11 p.m. Friday in the 3200 block of East 111th Street, according to Officer Mike Lopez of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Media Relations Section. Both the victim and suspect were described as men in their 30s, Lopez said. The suspect shot the victim with a handgun and fled the scene in a silver car, he said. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The man’s name was not released pending notification of relatives.

LA City Attorney Warns Residents Against Fake At-Home Coronavirus Test Scams

L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer is warning residents against scams related to COVID-19 at-home. In a video message Saturday, Feuer reminded Angelenos that the FDA has not approved an at-home test for the coronavirus. “It’s not like a home pregnancy test; you can’t just buy it,” he said. “Knowing that we can’t just buy a test means anyone trying to sell us one is a scammer. And this is happening in a variety of ways.” Feuer said his office has received reports of people going door-to-door to sell supposed at-home testing kits for COVID-19, which can lead to false results as well as the opportunity for a scammer to burglarize homes. “If someone comes to your door offering to test you, don’t open it. Call 911,” Feuer added. Fake tests are also being offered by email, text, and robo-call, according to the video. Feuer reminded L.A. residents that, currently, COVID-19 tests are only being made available to those in the city who are the most vulnerable. Any solicitation of tests is a scam, he said.

Suspect Arrested In Carjacking, Kidnapping, Sexual Assault Of Woman In Long Beach

A tattoo-covered man who prosecutors say carjacked, kidnapped and sexually assaulted a woman in Long Beach earlier this month has been charged with seven felony counts and is being held on $3.35 million bail. Jacob William Brown, 39, of Long Beach is accused of carjacking the woman on March 15 as she sat in her vehicle in the 400 block of Pine Avenue in downtown Long Beach, then driving her elsewhere where he committed sexual assaults, according to Long Beach Police Department and Los Angeles County District Attorney’s officials. The victim was sitting in her car, inside of a parking structure, “and was approached by the adult male suspect who forced her back into her vehicle,” police said in a written statement Friday. “The suspect then drove the victim’s vehicle to several unknown locations where the acts of sexual assault occurred. The suspect then fled the scene on foot prior to officers’ arrival.” Detectives launched an investigation, which included collecting surveillance camera footage of the suspect and distributing the images to the public in hopes of generating leads.

South Los Angeles Serial Killer Dies In Prison At Age 67

Lonnie David Franklin Jr., who killed at least 10 people between 1985 and 2007 -- mainly in the South Los Angeles area -- has died at the age of 67, officials at San Quentin State Prison said Sunday. Franklin, who was sentenced to death in Los Angeles in 2016, was found unresponsive in his cell at about 7:20 p.m. Saturday. "Medical assistance was rendered and an ambulance was summoned. Franklin was pronounced deceased at 7:43 p.m. His cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy; however, there were no signs of trauma,'' prison officials said. Franklin was a former Los Angeles city garage attendant and sanitation worker who was also suspected in several other killings. Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman once said he was "certainly'' one of Los Angeles' most prolific killers.

CHP And LASD Searching For Missing Bellflower Man With Medical Condition

The California Highway Patrol and the sheriff’s department are asking the public to help find a 64-year-old man with dementia who went missing Sunday from Bellflower. Vicente Garcia was last seen around 7 a.m. near his residence in the 16600 block of Ardmore Avenue, said Deputy Tracy Koerner. Garcia is Latino. He stands 5-feet-6 inches tall and weighs about 160 pounds. He has shoulder-length black-and-gray hair and a goatee. He has brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a long-sleeved white Dodgers shirt and blue pants. His left arm is in a sling. Anyone who knows Garcia’s whereabouts was asked to call 911. Tipsters can also call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.

CHP Reports Increase In Speeding Violations Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Clear highways, even during rush hour, have become a sign of the times as stay at home orders have forced people indoors to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. “It surprised me,” Shanelle Gonzalez, a California Highway Patrol officer, said. “It scares me too.” Gonzalez, who works with the Southern Division of CHP, said now that fewer people are on the road, she’s dealing with a new set of dangers as drivers, facing little resistance, increase their speeds. “I want to protect myself and protect anyone else out there,” Gonzalez said. Gonzalez said she and her colleagues noticed an uptick in people driving well over the posted speed limit as soon as statewide stay at home orders went into effect, and it’s happening in Northern California, too. The Golden Gate CHP tweeted about speeding citations on the rise in the Bay Area. And although the CHP’s call volume has decreased, the crashes they have recently responded to have been worse. “We’re getting those overturned vehicles,” Gonzalez said. “And we’re seeing that there’s more injuries.”

Public Safety News

Coronavirus: National Guard Transforms Los Angeles Convention Center Into Field Hospital

A transformation is underway inside the Los Angeles Convention Center as members of the National Guard set up dozens of beds, preparing the center for use as a federal field hospital in response to the coronavirus pandemic. "A federal medical station led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which dropped off that equipment and we unpacked it this weekend," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti during a press conference on Sunday. At New York City's Javits Convention Center, the National Guard was staffing a similar field hospital. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers set up the site in just a few days. There were more than 33,000 coronavirus cases in New York. The city's hospitals were swamped with sick patients. With cases of the virus increasing in Los Angeles County, officials are bracing for a surge in patients at Southern California hospitals.

L.A. County Virus Toll Up To 2,136 Cases, 37 Deaths

L.A County’s coronavirus toll Monday stood at 2,136 cases and 37 deaths. Five more deaths from COVID-19 and 332 new cases were announced by Los Angeles County health officials over the weekend. No further information was released about the latest fatalities, but five of the six deaths reported on Saturday occurred in people over the age of 60, and one was between 50 and 60 years old. Two of those people did not have any reported underlying health conditions, according to officials. “Our hearts and prayers go out to all the families and friends of individuals who have died. I ask that everyone please do your part to not infect others or become infected yourself by adhering to the public health directives and practicing social distancing,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of Los Angeles County Public Health. 

Coronavirus Deaths Jump To 132 As California Faces A Critical Few Weeks

The California death toll from coronavirus has risen to 132, with officials warning of tough weeks ahead as the number of confirmed cases of the virus continues to surge. Experts say California will likely continue to see a surge in new cases and deaths for the next few weeks but hope that the social distancing measures imposed could slow the spread. The biggest immediate concern is for hospitals, which risk being overwhelmed by a rising number of sick patients. The number of COVID-19 patients in California’s intensive care unit beds doubled overnight, rising from 200 on Friday to 410 on Saturday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said. And the number of hospitalized patients testing positive for COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus, rose by 38.6% — from 746 on Friday to 1,034 on Saturday, Newsom said. “We’re blessed that we’re just at 410, devastating for the individuals there and their family members and loved ones,” Newsom said at a news conference in Sunnyvale on Saturday. “But by comparison and contrast to other parts of this country, that number seems relatively modest.”

Local Government News

L.A. City Council Expands Tenant Protections Amid Outbreak But Votes Down Blanket Ban On Evictions

With April 1 fast approaching, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the L.A. City Council on Friday expanded efforts to prevent residential evictions during the coronavirus pandemic. But the governor and councilmembers dismissed calls for broader action that housing advocates say would have better protected tenants from losing their homes. Through an executive order, Newsom announced a two-month delay on residential evictions for those who can’t pay their rent as a result of the virus — the first statewide action he has taken on evictions during the outbreak. But the order still allows renters to be removed from their apartments come June. In Los Angeles, the City Council voted to prevent landlords from evicting tenants affected by the coronavirus, including those who have had to move in with family members and crowd apartments beyond what would be normally allowed under their leases. The council, however, fell short of enacting a complete ban on evictions by one vote. The governor’s order covers those who have lost work because of the coronavirus and those who need to take care of children whose schools are closed or family members with COVID-19. Renters will eventually have to make up all the rent they owe.

LA Council OKs More Paid Sick Leave At Large Companies, For Workers Affected By The Coronavirus

During a marathon, 11-hour e-meeting, the Los Angeles City Council approved an ordinance Friday, March 27, that requires more paid sick leave to be available to workers at companies with 500 or more employees, hit by effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The council debated, and passed or rejected, a long list of other efforts as well. The sick-leave measure would give full-time workers at those companies an additional 80 hours of paid leave. Part-time workers at those companies will also get additional paid sick leave. This requirement would not apply to workers at companies that were temporarily closed due to COVID-19-related orders. The council unanimously approved the ordinance, and the issue now goes to the mayor’s desk for signing.