L.A.'s Surge In Homicides Fueled By Gang Violence, Killings Of Homeless People

Curtis DeTurk had always been a “drifter,” but he had a dream, according to his sister Shelby Schnitz. A religious man from a tight-knit family, DeTurk, 27, had recently moved from Indiana to Los Angeles with the hope of becoming a famous guitar player. “He just wanted a fresh start where no one knew him and he could become famous,” she said. Instead, DeTurk was shot dead earlier this month while asking for change outside a North Hollywood pizzeria — a tragic fate similar to those of dozens of other people experiencing homelessness in L.A. this year. “It’s beautiful and not so beautiful at the same time,” Schnitz said of L.A. In a year defined by challenges, L.A. is approaching a benchmark of violence not seen in a decade: 300 homicides in a single year. It hasn’t happened since 2009. There had been 274 killings in the city as of Wednesday. The causes are complex and varied — and some sadly familiar. Out of nearly 80 homicides in Central Los Angeles through the end of last month, more than half were suspected of being gang-related, and more than 30 involved victims who were experiencing homelessness, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

3 Officers Injured, 18 Arrested As Dodgers Fans Celebrate Historic Win

Dodger World Series celebrations devolved into looting and vandalism, leading to 18 arrests and left three Los Angeles police officers with minor injuries, authorities said Wednesday. Around 1 a.m., the department declared an unlawful assembly in an area roughly bounded by Eighth Street and Pico Boulevard from Broadway to Figueroa Street. Celebrations of the Dodgers’ first championship since 1988 erupted across the city Tuesday night, but things got unruly in downtown Los Angeles, where crowds looted a tractor-trailer and some retail outlets, while throwing objects at officers and vandalizing a police vehicle. “We are still dealing with a large, and at times unruly, crowd in the Downtown L.A. area,” the LAPD tweeted just after midnight. “There are several street closures and areas of heavy traffic congestion.

LAPD Chief Moore On Chaotic Scenes After World Series: 'We Are Embarrassing Ourselves In A Sports Celebration'

While most Dodger fans in Los Angeles celebrated the team's World Series victory responsibly on Tuesday night, some took to the streets of downtown for a night of chaos that included fireworks, "street takeovers" and the looting of at least one semi-truck's cargo. In an interview with ABC7 on Wednesday, LAPD Chief Michel Moore discussed how the raucous gatherings were similar to the ones that turned out after the Lakers won the NBA championship earlier this month. "What started out as a celebration turned to unruly, riotous crowds," says LAPD Chief Michel Moore. "There were repeated instances of vandalism, looting and arson," Moore said. Officers were assaulted with rocks and bottles, all while fireworks were being set off, he added. For a period of time it was "mayhem, it was uncontrolled and officers trying to restore order" the police chief said. Some officers suffered minor injuries and several arrests were made. "It's frustrating," said Moore. "We're going to continue to identify strategies to change this, to change the conduct, for those that believe the rules don't apply to them." About 500 officers were stationed in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday night, 200 more than during the celebration of the Lakers' championship.

LAPD Video Shows Officer Applying Tourniquet To Man Who Blew Off Hand During Lakers Victory Celebration

An incident in which Los Angeles police officers helped save the life of a man who they said accidentally blew off part of his hands with a pyrotechnic device after the Lakers’ NBA title victory earlier this month came into sharp focus Wednesday, when the LAPD published intense video from the scene. The video — including body-camera footage — is largely from the viewpoint of an officer who applied a tourniquet to the man’s arm: Officer Christopher Gonzalez, a former Army Ranger, according to the LAPD. “What starts as a night to celebrate champions … becomes an evening of chaos,” reads text at the start of the video, which the LAPD posted on Twitter. The injuries suffered by the man, who was not identified, were first reported the day after the Lakers’ win, which drew a huge crowd downtown. The celebration devolved into clashes between members of the crowd, some of whom were throwing bottles at officers and damaging property, and police, who fired projectiles to clear the crowd — badly injuring several people.

Hollywood Movie Producer David Guillod Arrested on Suspicion of Sex Assault

“Extraction" and “Atomic Blonde" producer David Guillod was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of sexual assault only months after being charged with drugging and assaulting women in Santa Barbara, authorities said. Guillod, 53, was taken into custody at his home in the Sherman Oaks area of Los Angeles after a woman told police on Oct. 21 that he had sexually assaulted her during an evening meeting, according to a police statement. Guillod remained jailed on $5 million bail. Guillod’s defense attorney, Philip Cohen, confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that his client had been arrested but could not offer further details. Guillod was out on bail after surrendering in June to authorities in Santa Barbara, northwest of Los Angeles.

Man’s Conviction Upheld For Killing Of Woman Found In Northern L.A. County

A state appeals court panel Wednesday upheld a man’s first-degree murder conviction for supplying the gun used to murder a woman whose body was dumped in a desolate area of northern Los Angeles County after she witnessed a shooting in Fresno. The three-justice panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal noted that there was evidence to allow a reasonable jury to conclude that Alex Richard Valdez knew what co-defendant Joshua Aaron Robertson was going to do and that he gave him the gun so the 26-year-old victim, Kimberly Harvill, could be “silenced.” “Here, there was substantial evidence Robertson killed Harvill with Valdez’s gun to keep her from talking to the police and implicating them in the Fresno shooting,” the panel noted in its 23-page ruling.

San Pedro Man Charged With Making Hate Crime Threats At Protesters

A man has been charged after allegedly threatening protesters in San Pedro last month, officials announced Wednesday. Timothy James Carroll, aka “Yo,” faces six counts of criminal threats alleged to be hate crimes, as well as one count each of possession of a firearm by a by a felon — a .357 Magnum — unlawful possession of ammunition and possession of a leaded cane. The 54-year-old San Pedro man is also being charged with a misdemeanor count of possessing a controlled substance — hydrocodone — according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The charges stem from incidents on Sept. 4 and 11, when Carroll allegedly threatened a small group of peaceful protesters in San Pedro. The group called themselves the “Good Trouble Brigade.” Authorities did not elaborate on the nature of Carroll’s alleged threats. He pleaded not guilty to the charges last week and is set to return to court on Nov. 13.

Beverly Hills Police, LAPD Making Security Preparations For Election Day

With less than a week until Election Day, the Beverly Hills Police Department and Los Angeles Police Department are taking proactive approaches to ensure safety for residents and businesses in the area. Authorities say Rodeo Drive will be shut down to vehicle and pedestrian traffic on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The popular street lined with high-end stores, along with other locations, has been targeted during past protests. Police suggest if businesses on Rodeo Drive plan to board up storefronts, they do so no later than Monday. Starting Saturday, Beverly Hills police say officers will begin working 12-hour shifts with no days off through the following week. The move comes as the department prepares for maximum deployment of officers. BHPD is also hiring 80 armed security guards and partnering with the Santa Paula Police Department's SWAT Team for election week -- all to prepare for possible protests and unrest following the election. LAPD is also preparing for potential violence in the wake of election results. The department says officers are receiving ongoing training on crowd control in preparation for protests related to the election.

Dozens Arrested Since June 1 By Long Beach Police Department’s Looting Task Force

The Long Beach Police Department said on Wednesday that it has arrested 45 looting suspects since the formation of its Looting Task Force. The team went into effect on June 1 on the heels of unrest and widespread demonstrations in response to police brutality. Eleven additional suspects were taken into custody, leading to a total of 45 arrests, including people from Los Angeles, Long Beach, Compton, Bellflower and other surrounding areas. Long Beach police said the task force was created “with the sole purpose of conducting criminal investigations for significant crimes during the civil unrest experienced in the city in late May.” On May 31, thousands of people in Long Beach peacefully protested the Minneapolis Police Department’s killing of George Floyd, but some others participated in looting, prompting Mayor Eric Garcetti to request National Guard troops.

27 Arrested For Alleged Unemployment Benefits Fraud In SoCal Since Sept. 10

More than two dozen people have been arrested since Sept. 10 in Torrance for alleged unemployment benefits fraud and identity theft, police reported Wednesday. The 27 suspects used stolen identities to obtain California Employment Development Department unemployment benefits, and 130 EDD cards were recovered, along with $150,000 and four handguns, including two without serial numbers, according to Sgt. Alexander Martinez of the Torrance Police Department. "Most debit cards were issued in third parties' names, including identity theft victims, with a value of up to $20,000," Martinez said. "The suspects possessed numerous cards and would often use the cards to make high-end purchases and make cash withdrawals from ATMs." Anyone who receives a letter from the EDD without applying for benefits is urged to call their local police department, even if it is in someone else's name who does not live at the residence, Martinez said.

Convicted Killer Of Chicago Police Leader Sentenced To Life In Prison

The man convicted of gunning down Chicago police Cmdr. Paul Bauer in a downtown stairwell in 2018 was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday after emotional testimony from Bauer’s family. The sentence for Shomari Legghette, 47, was mandatory by law, as a jury had convicted him in March of killing a police officer in the course of his duties. Erin Bauer, the commander’s widow, told Judge Erica Reddick of her loss before the sentence was handed down. “To lose someone so violently adds another layer of pain that is indescribable,” Bauer said. Bauer’s teenage daughter Grace also testified, describing for the courtroom an alternate world where her father stayed home on Feb. 13, 2018. “This, to me, is a perfect world,” she said.

Public Safety News

As Winds Weaken And Flames From 2 Large Wildfires Subside, Thousands Of Southern California Residents Return Home

Firefighters battling the Silverado and Blue Ridge fires took advantage of weakening winds Wednesday, allowing crews to gain stronger control of the once fast-moving blazes and paving the way for thousands of residents to return to their homes in Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties. On Monday and Tuesday, powerful Santa Ana winds whipped both fires into large infernos that threatened the homes of more than 100,000 residents of expensive zip codes in cities such as Irvine, Lake Forest, Chino Hills, and Yorba Linda, where seven homes were damaged and one destroyed by flames. Combined, the blazes have charred nearly 28,000 acres. But on Wednesday, wind speeds dropped and some moisture returned to the air, giving crews a much-needed window to attack the blazes.

Local Government News

L.A. City Council Delays Vote For New Limits On Where Homeless People Can Camp

Los Angeles is again considering a proposal to greatly restrict where homeless people may camp in public places around the city — rules that opponents say would criminalize homelessness. The City Council on Wednesday spent four hours debating changes to the city’s code before President Nury Martinez decided to delay a vote to Nov. 24. The anti-camping proposal would bar people from sitting, lying down or bunking down near schools, parks or day care centers. Tents couldn’t be set up near shelters or other facilities serving homeless people that have opened in recent years. Those sleeping on the streets would have to keep clear from right of ways such as driveways and loading docks and leave enough room for wheelchair users to pass under the Americans With Disabilities Act. One amendment to the law could allow authorities to eventually remove homeless camps anywhere in the city if the campers are first offered shelter as an alternative to sleeping on the street.