LAPD Officer Hit By Object, Possibly Shot By Pellet Gun; 3 In Custody

A Los Angeles police officer was struck in the neck by what authorities believe was a pellet from a pellet gun in South Los Angeles and hospitalized Thursday morning with stable vital signs. Officers with the South Traffic Division were patrolling the area of 69th Street and Denker Avenue about 11 p.m. Wednesday when one officer was hit, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The officer was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A news photographer at the scene said a perimeter was set up on Denker Avenue between Gage and 69th streets. CBS2 reported at least three suspects were taken into custody at the end of a standoff. The location of the standoff and details about the suspects were not immediately disclosed.

Authorities ID Man Killed In East Hollywood Shooting, Suspect Sought

Authorities on Wednesday identified a man who was killed in a shooting in the East Hollywood area, and continued their efforts to solve the crime. Joshua Andrade Galzen, 24, died at the scene of the shooting, which occurred about 8 p.m. Monday near Beverly Boulevard and Hobart Place, according to the coroner's office and the Los Angeles Police Department. A woman who was also wounded was taken to a hospital with injuries of unspecified severity. Her name was not released. The suspect, described only as a man wearing dark clothing, fled and was being sought. Anyone with information on the case was urged to call 877-LAPD-247.

Man Caught On Video Punching, Stomping Fellow Bus Passenger In South L.A. Attack

Police are looking for a man who was caught on video punching and stomping another man who stepped off a bus in South L.A. last month as others stood by and watched. The ambush occurred about 2:35 p.m. March 11 along the 500 block of Exposition Boulevard in the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw area of South Los Angeles. The man had gotten off the bus and was waiting for the victim to exit through the back side when the attack occurred, Los Angeles Police Department officials said in a news release Wednesday. Video shared by the agency shows the assailant “blindsided” the victim and punched him in the face, knocking him unconscious. The man then stomped on the victim’s face as the victim lay motionless. As the assailant walked away heading south on La Brea Boulevard, the victim can be seen falling off the sidewalk and onto the street as the bus remained at the scene. Later one of the witnesses appeared to approach the victim.

Hundreds In LA Violate Stay At Home Orders To Attend Street Takeovers; Police Cracking Down

For the second weekend in a row, hundreds of Angelenos violated orders to stay at home and instead flooded into the streets to watch street takeovers, also known as sideshows. LAPD tells FOX 11 this past weekend was particularly bad with what they saw, and they responded to multiple calls for service regarding the street takeovers.“It’s unfortunate that we’ve got these groups coming out to take advantage of the pandemic situation that we have,” said Sgt. Jesse Garcia of LAPD’s Central Traffic Division and the head of the Street Racing Task Force. Videos posted to social media from all over Los Angeles show hundreds of people gathering at intersections to watch vehicles perform donuts. Some videos show people being hit by vehicles, or cars crashing into each other. “Now these takeovers this weekend were unusually bad, people getting hit by cars, traffic accidents, in fact, we had a fatal accident in the city related to racing,” Sgt. Garcia said. Sgt. Garcia told FOX 11 he has seen the social media videos and says the Street Racing Task Force responded to numerous calls.

Police Don’t Want To Arrest You For Disobeying Coronavirus Stay-At-Home Order, But They Can

Catching a few waves these days might get you a ticket to jail. That’s what a few water enthusiasts have learned, with one ticketed in Manhattan Beach for defying closure signs. Another was arrested in Malibu for trying to escape from lifeguard boats. If you’re planning a block party, you too might get a stern talking to from officers, or an order to disperse: Police in some cities have responded to large gatherings armed with loud speakers and even helicopters. But while hugging or sidling up to someone in public might irritate your neighbors, you’re unlikely to be prosecuted – at least for now. Citing and arresting scofflaws for flouting stay-at-home orders meant to curb the coronavirus have been rare – which is exactly how police want it. “Most people are just going to the sand,” Capt. Tim Martin of the Huntington Beach Police Department said about those going to Surf City beaches. “We’re not pulling people out of the water.” The surge in coronavirus cases across Southern California has prompted another surge: Calls to police stations from concerned residents reporting those gathering in crowds or failing to keep a six-foot separation from others.

California Woman Licked Supermarket Goods Totaling $1,800, Police Say

Police arrested a Northern California woman after she reportedly licked merchandise at a South Lake Tahoe supermarket, ruining almost $2,000 worth of groceries. Officers responded to the Safeway location on Johnson Lane on Tuesday “for the report of a customer ‘licking’ groceries inside of the store,” the South Lake Tahoe Police Department said Wednesday in a news release. Safeway employees said they witnessed the suspect putting “numerous pieces of jewelry” from the store on her hands, licking the jewelry and then loading her cart with about $1,800 of merchandise, the news release said. Unlike other Safeways in Northern California, this particular El Dorado County location sells a number of nongrocery items, mainly for tourists, at the front of the store. An employee told police that the jewelry and all other items in the shopping cart “were deemed unsellable due to the cross contamination,” according to the news release.

Public Safety News

‘An Existential Crisis’: Poll Finds Widespread Fear Of Coronavirus In L.A.

A new poll of Angelenos reflects the region’s unnerving descent into sudden urban desolation as the coronavirus pandemic spreads. Overwhelming numbers of Los Angeles County residents express deep anxiety about contracting COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and are worried about the financial costs of staying at home, according to the poll by researchers at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs that was released Wednesday. Overall, 78% of county residents surveyed told researchers they were “very” or “somewhat” concerned that they or a family member might catch the virus, which has infected more than 6,000 in the county and slowed to a crawl economic activity in a region that is home to 10 million people. Even more, 83%, say they fear the economic impact from those closures, which are expected to continue for weeks. “People view this as an existential crisis,” said Zev Yaroslavsky, a retired L.A. County supervisor and onetime L.A. City Councilman who oversaw the poll.

342 Healthcare Workers In LA County Have Contracted COVID-19 While Battling Virus On Front Lines

Public Health officials in Los Angeles County on Wednesday reported that 342 healthcare workers in the county have tested positive for COVID-19. Los Angeles County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer thanked the county's healthcare workers during an afternoon press conference, expressing gratitude for the individuals who are putting the well being of those in their community above their own. Out of the 342 cases, 58% were individuals working at area hospitals, Ferrer said. Other cases have occurred at outpatient facilities and among emergency medical services personnel. Nurses have had the largest number of cases, but doctors, paramedics and emergency medical technicians have also tested positive. She also stated that two healthcare workers in the county have died from COVID-19, but did not release their names or any additional information on their deaths.

Coronavirus Cases In L.A. County Top 7,500 As Deaths Near 200

The county’s health director warns that stay-at-home and other protective orders will remain in effect for weeks to come after more than two dozen new coronavirus deaths were reported in Los Angeles County, pushing the total close to 200, while the overall number of cases topped 7,500. “I know this is temporary. I know it’s going to change and we will get back to many of our normal routines, but it will take significant time,” public health director Barbara Ferrer said Wednesday. “And please understand that we have weeks to go before we’re able to lift any of our health officer orders. “…We’re going to get through this together, L.A. County, and I’m grateful for all that you’re doing.” Ferrer reported 29 new deaths in the county, although three of them had been previously reported late Tuesday by Long Beach health officials. Long Beach announced one additional death Wednesday afternoon, raising that city’s total deaths to seven.

Mayor Garcetti Says Los Angeles Parks Will Be Closed, Guarded On Easter Sunday

Mirroring an action previously announced by Los Angeles County, Mayor Eric Garcetti said on Wednesday all Los Angeles city parks will be closed Saturday evening into Monday to prevent people from gathering on Easter. Garcetti said park rangers and Los Angeles Police Department officers will be at the parks to ensure the orders are followed as a measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. "I know that your heart breaks like so many of the things that we have had to do," Garcetti said. "This is such a fun moment for our kids. "This is such a great tradition that many families have, but we can afford to have one cluster of just even a few people together spread this disease to more people and kill them." Garcetti said the residents of the city are doing very well in trying to flatten the curve and weather the virus, but it's not time to backpedal.  

California Coronavirus Deaths Soar Past 500 During A Tough Week

Coronavirus deaths in California have soared past 500, capping several days that saw numerous fatalities even as officials voiced guarded optimism about the state’s overall outlook. Los Angeles County health officials on Wednesday confirmed 29 new coronavirus-linked deaths — the biggest daily jump of the pandemic — bringing the county’s total to 198 as the number of people testing positive for the illness surpassed 7,500. Of those who died most recently, 17 were older than 65, seven were 41 to 65 years old, and one person was in the 18-40 age bracket. Details about four other deaths were not immediately known. At least 22 of those who died had underlying health conditions, Ferrer said. County Public Health Department Director Barbara Ferrer said the mortality rate for the virus in the county had risen to 2.6%.

Local Government News

Coronavirus: Los Angeles City Council Introduces Rent Assistance Program For Low-Income Residents

As the days go on, the coronavirus pandemic stretches and budgets are stretched as well. "A lot of people are struggling, a lot of people don't have work. A lot of people don't know where the next meal is gonna come from," said Marva Bennett, a Los Angeles resident. All across Los Angeles, residents are being stripped of their incomes and forced to stay home by the coronavirus outbreak. The Los Angeles City Council held an emergency meeting Tuesday morning. Council President Nury Martinez was the only council member physically present, along with a handful of essential staff. Other members, joined through the internet, and introduced on Tuesday a rent assistance program for low-income residents in Los Angeles slammed by the pandemic. "I want to ensure that the working poor, working people that have just been laid off, that cannot pay their rent, actually can access an emergency renter's relief fund so that they can catch up with their rent and not fall behind," Martinez said. Council members will vote on the proposal at the next council meeting. They'll also vote on an Emergency Lifeline Jobs Program. Its goal is to make sure federal pandemic relief funds coming into Los Angeles are routed to work programs for low-income residents.

LA Metro Will Continue To Scale Back Services Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

The Los Angeles Metropolitan Authority announced Wednesday, April 8, that it will further reduce services by about 10% starting April 19 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Metro will begin running its Sunday service schedule during every day of the week, according to the agency. On weekdays, Metro Bus will run its usual Sunday schedule plus some Rapid, Express and local bus lines that normally do not run on Sundays. Buses are continuing to let passengers on and off from the rear to keep their distance from bus drivers. Metro Rail will run every 12 minutes between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. and every 20 minutes at other times. On weekends, Metro will run regular Sunday rail service. Current Metro schedules are available at www.metro.net/riding/maps/, and the Sunday service schedule is what will be implemented on April 19.