LAPD Declares Another Citywide Tactical Alert As Election Results Pour In

The Los Angeles Police Department declared another citywide tactical alert Wednesday as election results continued to pour in. The alert, effective as of 3:30 p.m., was made as a precaution to address “any incidents that may arise as a result of election day activities,” the department said. Authorities said the announcement was not in response to “any specific incident.” Another tactical alert was issued Tuesday afternoon as Angelenos and voters across the country went to the polls. Also Tuesday, police announced the city municipal code was amended to include laser pointers or laser-style devices on the list of prohibited items while attending or participating in any public demonstration, rally, protest, picket line or public assembly. Any violation of the code is a misdemeanor.

Authorities ID Man Stabbed To Death In Downtown L.A.

Authorities Wednesday identified a man who was stabbed to death in a robbery at a downtown Los Angeles jewelry store. Eshagh Natanzadeh, 62, of Beverly Hills died at the scene of the crime at about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 700 block of South Broadway, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office and the Los Angeles Police Department. No arrests were reported, and no suspect description was available. Anyone with information on the case was urged to call 877-LAPD-247.

LAPD Detain, Cite Two Videographers After Declaring Downtown Protest Unlawful

Two videographers filming a Wednesday night protest in downtown Los Angeles were detained and given “failure to disperse” citations after police declared the gathering unlawful. Capt. Stacy Spell, an LAPD spokesman, confirmed that two people had been cited and released on charges of failing to disperse. He said one other man at the scene was arrested on suspicion of battery on a police officer. Asked about the two people who were detained saying they were press, Spell said that he could not comment on specific detainees, but that LAPD officers have been dealing with large numbers of people at recent protests claiming to be members of the media. “We are having an ongoing challenge with individuals who are participating in disruptive activities, taking over the street and failing to disperse but subsequently claiming to be media,” he said. “Literally the entire crowd claimed to be media.”

Suspect Goes On Wild Joyride In $350K Truck Belonging To DJ Marshmello

A wild pursuit involving a stolen $350,000 truck belonging to a famous DJ started in Malibu and came to a crashing end in the San Fernando Valley Wednesday night. The stolen truck belongs to DJ Marshmello, whose real name is Christopher Comstock. The incident began sometime between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., when the Ford VelociRaptor 6×6, valued at around $350,000, was stolen from the service bay of a Ford dealership in the 15500 block of Roscoe Boulevard in Van Nuys. According to Los Angeles police, the suspect rode up to the dealership in a bicycle, threw the bike in the bed of the truck and then drove away in the truck. A few hours later, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies spotted the truck driving recklessly in the area of Malibu Knolls Road. A pursuit ensued, with the driver jumping onto the southbound 101 Freeway. California Highway Patrol officers took over the chase.

Pursuit Suspect In Custody After Almost Striking CHP Motorcycle Officer In Van Nuys

Police took a pursuit suspect into custody Wednesday night after he led California Highway Patrol on a brief chase and almost struck a motorcycle officer after pulling into a Van Nuys cul-de-sac. The pursuit started on the 405 Freeway when CHP attempted to pull over the driver, who was driving without a tire — sending sparks into the air. The driver blew through a couple of red lights and attempted to maintain control of the disabled vehicle before turning into the Van Nuys cul-de-sac and almost struck a motorcycle officer while turning around. Officers eventually managed to take the driver into custody after he jumped out of the car and attempted to get away on foot.

Don't Fall For This New IRS Text Message Scam

The Internal Revenue Service, state tax agencies and the tax industry Wednesday warned of a new text scam created by thieves that attempts to trick people into disclosing bank account information under the guise of receiving the $1,200 Economic Impact Payment. The IRS, states and industry, working together as the Security Summit, reminds taxpayers that neither the IRS nor state agencies will ever text taxpayers asking for bank account information so that an EIP deposit may be made. "Criminals are relentlessly using COVID-19 and Economic Impact Payments as cover to try to trick taxpayers out of their money or identities,'' said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "This scam is a new twist on those we've been seeing much of this year. We urge people to remain alert to these types of scams.''

Missing Los Angeles Firefighter's Remains Found In Mexico, LAFD Confirms

A desperate search for a Los Angeles firefighter ended on a tragic note after his remains were found in Mexico. According to the Los Angeles City Fire Department (LAFD), the remains found in Mexico were those of firefighter/paramedic Frank Aguilar. Aguilar had been missing since August after he disappeared during a trip to Rosarito, a Mexican tourist hotspot. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said he was "deeply saddened to learn" about Aguilar's death. "This is a tragic loss for our entire city," Garcetti said. During the search for Aguilar, authorities in Mexico arrested a couple in October. Fanny "N" and Santos "N" were arrested and are accused of stealing Aguilar's belongings, which included a credit card.

Social Justice On Ballot Scores Some Victories, Suffers Some Defeats

Why should suspects with money be able to leave jail while the gears of justice grind, while those without money are stuck behind bars? Should skin color, sex and ethnicity be factors in public college admissions, and who gets public jobs and contracts? Why should criminals who’ve been given probation instead of jail time be allowed to vote, while parolees – who did prison time and are finishing their sentences on the outside – are forbidden from voting? California voters wrestled with ballots chock full of complicated social justice issues on Nov. 3, amid unprecedented racial reckoning and heightened awareness of historical wrongs. While election results are not yet final, voters appear to have delivered a very mixed bag of decisions: No on considering skin color in public decision-making. No on eliminating cash bail. No on tougher criminal sentencing. Yes on allowing parolees to vote. Yes on redirecting money to social services.

Florida Man Going Back To California To Face Human Trafficking, Witness Intimidation Charges

A Florida man who posted bail after being charged with trafficking a minor and child pornography in California was arrested again this week back in his home state — this time on charges related to stalking and witness intimidation, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. The sheriff’s office said that Dominick Alleva, 21, was taken into custody by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office in Florida and is awaiting court proceedings. He is expected to be returned to California to face the charges there. Alleva was originally arrested on suspicion of statutory rape on April 28, the San Luis Obispo County detectives said. He posted the $45,000 bail shortly after his arrest. Less than a month later, investigators filed new charges against Alleva, for suspicion of human trafficking of a minor and the possession, production, and distribution of child pornography. He appeared in court on May 19, at which time the judge raised his bail to $150,000. Alleva posted bail the next day and left California for Florida.

Public Safety News

LAFD Rescues Family Dog From Burning Sun Valley Home

Los Angeles firefighters rescued the family dog from a burning home early Wednesday morning in Sun Valley. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded at 12:16 a.m. to the home on the 8700 block of Remick Avenue, where they controlled the house fire in about 25 minutes with an aggressive attack. A firefighter emerged from the home holding curly-haired Bon Bon. The small dog, covered in soot but otherwise OK, was reunited with his family. There were no injuries, and the cause of the fire is unknown at this time.

L.A. County Sees Highest 1-Day Increase Of Coronavirus Cases Since August

Los Angeles County on Wednesday recorded the highest one-day increase of coronavirus case numbers not associated with a backlog since late August, officials said. The increase of 1,843 new coronavirus cases was also accompanied by a slight uptick in COVID-19 hospitalizations. This mirrors trends seen statewide. There were 817 people with COVID-19 hospitalized Wednesday — the first time hospitalizations for the respiratory illness passed 800 since mid-September. “While this is still significantly lower than the peak of over 2,200 daily hospitalizations in mid-July, the increase in hospitalizations is most likely associated with the continued increase in cases over the past two weeks,” the L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a news release.

California’s COVID-19 Efforts Fare Better Than National Average, But Hospitalizations Are Rising

As states throughout the country experience severe spikes in coronavirus infections, California’s case count remains mild by comparison. But as transmission and hospitalizations again increase, officials are returning to a cautionary refrain. “The future is indeed uncertain,” Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly said Wednesday. “There’s still learning to be done, and we know this requires us to remain vigilant.” The statewide number of hospitalizations increased by 13.5% over the past 14 days, and the number of patients in intensive care has grown by nearly 20%. Hospitalizations are a lagging indicator for the spread of the virus. The rise follows an increase in the statewide positivity rate for infections, which grew from 2.6% to 3.3% over the past 14 days. The metric is low when compared to the national average of 6.7%, but even a slight uptick can reverse progress.

Local Government News

Mark Ridley-Thomas Holds Sizable Lead Over Grace Yoo In L.A. City Council Race

Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas declared victory over attorney Grace Yoo in his race to represent a Koreatown-to-Crenshaw district on the Los Angeles City Council, setting the stage for a return to City Hall after an 18-year absence. While returns were still being tabulated, Ridley-Thomas held a commanding lead over his opponent Wednesday, with 61.4% of the vote compared to Yoo’s 38.6%. In L.A.’s Silver Lake-to-Sherman Oaks district, urban planner Nithya Raman maintained a smaller but significant lead over City Councilman David Ryu, in a contest that has drawn nationwide attention from progressives looking to pull City Hall further to the left, according to the partial results. The two sets of candidates were competing for the two seats just as L.A.’s political leaders confront a massive budget shortfall, a lingering pandemic and a frustrating homelessness crisis.

L.A. Council Votes To Authorize Businesses To Refuse Service To Customers Who Don't Wear Masks

The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to give authority to business owners to refuse service to patrons who do not wear masks or face coverings while on their premises amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "Small business owners and their employees are risking their lives to stay afloat in the midst of this economic and public health crisis," said Councilman Herb Wesson, who authored the proposed requirement in July. "Wearing a mask saves lives, and this simple, common-sense law will save lives and allow us to beat this virus sooner rather than later." According to the ordinance, a face covering or mask can be made from a variety of materials such as cotton, silk or linen. A face covering may be factory-made or sewn by hand or can be improvised from household items such as scarfs, T-shirts, sweatshirts or towels.