California Bill Seeks DA Independence From Police Union Money

Under a California bill announced Thursday, elected district attorneys in the state will be required to recuse themselves from investigating and prosecuting excessive force and fatal shootings by police when the prosecutor has taken campaign contributions from the officer’s labor union or association. The bill by Assemblymember Rob Bonta, D-Oakland, says a prosecutorial conflict of interest occurs when an elected district attorney solicits or has accepted a financial contribution to their political campaign from law enforcement groups or their labor unions. Once a district attorney recuses themselves, the California Attorney General would be required to take over both the criminal investigation and any prosecutorial action. In an emailed statement, the LAPPL board of directors called the Prosecutors Alliance a “dark money” group and said it’s “laughable” Bonta is concerned about conflicts of interest. “We wonder if he’s trying to restrict the free speech of union members to attract for his own benefit the millions of dollars in special interest money that has rushed into California to influence legislators who are systematically weakening public safety in our neighborhoods,” the statement said. “There’s a term for this, it’s called hypocrisy.” 

Staff Locked Down At Hawkins High School After Man With Gun Reported

A South L.A. school was placed on lockdown Thursday after staff at the facility saw a man with a gun on the property, police said. Just before 8:20 a.m. the L.A. School Police Department was notified of an apparent domestic violence incident outside Augustus F. Hawkins High School at 825 W. 60th St. in the Vermont-Slauson neighborhood, according to LASPD Sgt. R. Perez. A staff member saw a male suspect pointing a gun at a person police believe he is in a relationship with, Perez said. “He ended up running away from the school,” he said, adding it didn’t take long to track him down. No students are currently attending the school, but the LASPD still operates a variety of services out of its facilities. ABC7 reported that one person had been taken into custody.

Man Arrested In Alleged Hit-and-Run That Killed Father In South LA

A 26-year-old suspected hit-and-run driver is behind bars Thursday for allegedly hitting a 37-year-old father who was riding a bicycle with his children in South Los Angeles. Moises Iscaya, of Los Angeles, was identified on Oct. 6 as the hit-and-run driver, police said. According to sheriff’s department records, he has been behind bars since Oct. 4, and police say he is facing multiple charges, including murder. He is being held on $2.2 million bail, sheriff’s department records show. Jorge Guerra was injured in the collision at 8:40 p.m. July 8 on Wadsworth Avenue north of 88th Street, and died July 16 at a hospital, according to the Los Angeles Police Department and the coroner’s office. “Mr. Jorge Guerra and his two young children were riding their bicycles northbound on Wadsworth Avenue north of 88th Street (when) a vehicle driving at a high rate of speed struck them from behind causing Jorge to sustain life-threatening injuries,” an LAPD statement said.

Body Found In Hollywood Hills

A person was found dead Thursday along the Cahuenga Pass in the Hollywood Hills. The body, located in the 6700 block of West Mulholland Drive, was reported at 9:43 a.m., according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department. Paramedics "arrived quickly'' to the scene and pronounced the person deceased, he said. It was unclear if the victim was discovered near a home. Firefighters alerted LAPD of the death, and officers from the Hollywood Station were headed to the scene at 10:10 a.m., according to Officer Melissa Podany of the LAPD's Media Relations bureau.

LAPD Looking For Hit-And-Run Driver Who Critically Injured Elderly Man

The Los Angeles Police Department Thursday was looking for the driver in a dangerous hit-and-run in El Sereno that left a pedestrian in critical condition. LAPD said the victim, a 75-year-old man, was struck at about 6 p.m. near Alhambra and Bullard avenues. Police said the male suspect was believed to be driving a 2000-2010 white Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck with power washing equipment in the back. After striking the man, police said the driver got out of his truck before getting back in and driving away.

LAPD Searching For Woman Seen On Video Trying To Kidnap 2 Children

Detectives asked for the public's help Thursday identifying a suspect who allegedly attempted to kidnap two children in Los Angeles. According to the LAPD, around 6 p.m. on Oct. 18, the victim went to a local restaurant in the 100 block of West Manchester Avenue. The female suspect walked up to the victim as she was walking to her car and demanded that she hand over her young brother. Police said the woman tried to grab the 1-year-old boy from the victim's arms and claimed the boy was her child. Surveillance video shows the victim walking to her car with her younger brother in her arms. The suspect followed the pair out in the parking lot and once again tried to take the child from the victim's arms. The victim called for help and ran back into the restaurant. Anyone with information regarding this incident was urged to contact 77th Division, Crimes Against Person Detectives, Detective Preciado at 323-786-5412.

$35K Reward Offered After Mail Carrier Robbed In North Hollywood

A reward of up to $35,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of a man suspected of robbing a mail carrier in North Hollywood. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service says the postal carrier was robbed while delivering mail in the area of 10821 Kling Street on Oct. 5. around 3:15 p.m. Investigators say no mail was taken and the postal carrier was not harmed, but the suspect apparently got away with Postal Service property. The suspect is described as Black, between the ages of 18 and 20, 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing 145 pounds with an athletic build. Surveillance video images of the suspect were released. Anyone with information is asked to contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455.

North Carolina Man Arrested In Long Beach For Allegedly Trafficking Teen Girl

A 23-year-old man from North Carolina was arrested for allegedly trafficking a teenage girl in Long Beach, police reported Thursday. On Sept. 24, detectives learned that a 13-year-old girl was being trafficked in the Los Angeles area, and detectives arranged to meet with her in Long Beach, according to the Long Beach Police Department. Detectives subsequently arrested Tyler Rosbor, of Browns Summit, North Carolina, on suspicion of human trafficking of a minor and pimping in relation to an adult female, police said. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Oct. 23. Rosbor arrived in California in September and began pimping the woman, who introduced him to the 13-year-old girl, according to police.

LA County Officials Warn Homeowners To Beware Of People Claiming To Be Property Tax Collectors

Los Angeles County officials are warning homeowners about people who are going door-to-door claiming to be property tax collectors. The fake tax collector has been coming to homeowners doors and claiming that property taxes must be paid in person because the COVID-19 pandemic has closed county offices to the public. “This scam is sophisticated but do not fall for it,” Hahn said in a statement. “County officials are not going to any homes to collect property tax payments – in fact, the Treasurer Tax Collector Office is not accepting is not accepting any in-person payments at this time.” Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector Keith Knox and County Assessor Jeffrey Prang said the fake tax collectors may even have fake identification and the tax bill for the homeowner in question. Knox said that his office does not conduct in-person visits, and while appraisers from the county assessor’s office might sometimes visit homes to appraise the property, Prang said they never ask for tax payments.

Public Safety News

LA County Reports 3,600 New COVID-19 Cases, 18 Deaths

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Thursday reported 3,600 newly confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and 18 new deaths, bringing countywide totals to 294,065 cases and 6,956 deaths. Health officials said the number of reported new cases includes an estimated 2,000 backlog cases due to technical issues with the state’s data reporting systems. Officials also said they expected to receive additional backlog test results over the next few days. Of the new deaths reported, six people were over the age of 80, 10 were between the ages of 65 and 79, one was between the ages of 50 and 64 and one was between the ages of 30 and 49. Sixteen people had underlying health conditions.

Still In Purple COVID-19 Tier, L.A. County Relaxing Some Restrictions On Schools, Breweries, Entertainment Centers

Despite remaining in the most-restrictive reopening tier with widespread coronavirus transmission, Los Angeles County officials announced Wednesday they will be easing some local coronavirus rules to align with the state’s. The new changes increase the number of high-need students returning to classrooms, remove certain requirements for breweries and wineries, and allow family entertainment centers to open outdoors. Schools opening at 25% capacity for kids with special needs: While schools in L.A. County can’t reopen for in-person instruction for most students, campuses were allowed to bring back children with special needs and English learners — but only at 10% capacity. Now, the county is increasing the capacity to 25%, allowing more students who need special services to return to campuses.

Bobcat Fire In Angeles National Forest Now At 95% Containment

Firefighters were making steady progress on the 115,796-acre Bobcat Fire Thursday, with containment growing to 95%. The fire, which began in the Angeles National Forest, has destroyed 171 structures, including 87 residences, and damaged 47 structures, including 28 residences. Full containment is estimated for Oct 30. Officials had previously estimated full containment by Sept. 30. "Over the last couple of days, crews were successful in bringing containment of the #BobcatFire to 95%. Please use caution when traveling in the Mt. Wilson area as your firefighters are still working to repair and mop-up in that area," the Angeles National Forest tweeted Wednesday. A half-dozen injuries from the Bobcat Fire have been reported, according to the USFS. Flames have destroyed 171 structures and affected another 47 in the Antelope Valley area, with seven sustaining minor damage and five major damage, USFS officials said. Of the buildings destroyed, 87 were residential.