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Daily Local & Regional NewsWatch
LA Police Protective League

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Los Angeles
Police Protective League
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the union that represents the
rank and file LAPD officers

  Daily Local & Regional NewsWatch

Daily News Digest
from LA Police Protective League

October 13, 2021
Law Enforcement News

Ambush Attacks On Police More Than Doubled Over Past Year, FOP Says
A new report from the Fraternal Order of Police says that ambush-style attacks on cops are up 103% from 2020, according to FOX 4. Over the past year, there have been 75 ambush attacks on officers, according to the report. Of those attacks, 93 officers were shot and 21 were killed. Lt. Jason Pate of the Fort Myers Police Department trains officers to prepare for these attacks. “Any call we go on, there is the potential to be ambushed,” Pate told FOX 4. “We always try to bring in a scenario where there is something that surprises the officer, that something unusual happens with the officer.” The FOP defines an ambush-style attack as any time an officer is shot without warning or a chance to defend themselves, according to FOX 4.  PoliceOne

Man Killed In South Los Angeles Shooting
A man was fatally shot in the Hyde Park neighborhood of South Los Angeles and police Tuesday were continuing to unravel circumstances of his death. Officers responded to a call of shots fired at approximately 10 p.m. Monday at 6725 Fourth Ave. near South Van Ness Avenue and found a 25-year-old man with gunshots wounds, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. No suspect description was available. MyNewsLA.com


Man Killed In Downtown LA Hostage Rescue Identified
Authorities Tuesday identified a man who was shot and killed by Los Angeles police after he took a woman hostage at gunpoint in a downtown high-rise apartment. Rudy Anderson, 45, died at the scene of Friday's shooting, the Los Angeles County coroner's office reported. His city of residence was not known. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the LAPD's Central Division began receiving radio calls at about 4:10 p.m. Friday of an armed man committing several crimes in the area of Eighth Street and Broadway. The suspect approached a man on the sidewalk near Eighth and Broadway, held a gun to the man's face and pulled the trigger, but the weapon did not fire, police said. The gunman entered a business in the 700 block of Broadway where three family members were inside, including a 14-year-old boy, police said. The suspect pointed a gun at the group and fired, and one of the bullets grazed the side of the boy's head, police said. The boy was treated at a hospital, and was expected to survive. The man then went to Sixth and Spring streets, where he tried to carjack a woman standing outside her vehicle but failed, police said. Security officers flagged down responding LAPD officers and they chased the suspect to an apartment complex at Sixth and Main streets. NBC 4

Arraignment Set For Man Charged In Deadly Hit-and-Run Crash In North Hills
A 29-year-old man facing murder and other charges stemming from a hit-and-run crash that left a woman dead in North Hills had his arraignment postponed Tuesday. Abraham EspinozaVelasco — who is charged with one felony count each of murder, vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, hit-and-run driving resulting in death or serious injury to another person and driving or taking a vehicle without consent — now is scheduled to be arraigned on Nov. 5. The criminal complaint includes allegations that the defendant has a string of convictions dating back to 2016 that include unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle and evading a police officer. The LAPD said the collision occurred when the driver of a black 2016 Range Rover speeding northbound on Hayvenhurst Avenue ran a red light and crashed into a 2018 Toyota Camry eastbound on Nordhoff Street. The Range Rover then crashed into a gray Honda Civic and a white Toyota Tacoma in the intersection before coming to a stop in the middle of the street. The 56-year-old woman driving the Honda was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, police said. MyNewsLA.com

Rapper Tyga Arrested On Felony Domestic Violence Charge: LAPD
Rapper Tyga, born Michael Ray Nguyen-Stevenson, was arrested Tuesday on a felony domestic violence charge after he turned himself following a dispute at his Hollywood home, police said. According to TMZ, Tyga faces the domestic violence charge after he reportedly got "physical" with his ex-girlfriend Camaryn Swanson at his house. Swanson posted pictures of her injuries on Instagram allegedly sustained in their dispute, writing she's been "emotionally, mentally and physically abused and I'm not hiding it anymore." Sources close to the rapper told TMZ that Swanson went to her ex's house around 3 a.m. and "started acting belligerent." Tyga let her inside where the situation began to escalate and reportedly turned violent. Officers at the scene saw visible marks on her face when they took the report, TMZ said. His bail has been set at $50,000.  FOX 11

Hollywood Hit-and-Run Severely Injures Pedestrian: LAPD
The Los Angeles Police Department West Traffic Division's detectives are looking for the driver of a white Mercedes-Benz that they believe was involved in a hit-and-run Saturday morning. The car, which police believe is a 2017-19 four-door white Mercedes C Class, was traveling westbound on Santa Monica Boulevard from El Centro Avenue at 6:05 a.m. on Saturday when it struck a person who was standing next to a parked vehicle on the north side of Santa Monica Boulevard, police said. The driver of the Mercedes did not stop to help the person, who was seriously injured by the collision, and instead continued westbound on Santa Monica Boulevard, police said. Police did not reveal the identity or the condition of the victim. Anyone with information is asked to contact LAPD West Traffic Division detectives at 213-473-0234 or 213-473-0222. KTLA 5

Asian-American Victim Of Koreatown Assault Terrified After Suspect Released Within Hours Of Arrest
A 70-year-old Asian American man who was violently attacked in Koreatown is afraid his assailant could target him again after the suspect was released just hours after the assault. The victim even spotted the man in the same area a few days later. Samuel Kang says he was waiting for a bus at the corner of 5th Street and Western Avenue on Sept. 20 when the suspect walked by, turned around and started the attack. The attack left him with bruises on his forehead. The incident comes amid a sharp rise in attacks on Asian Americans that have been reported during the pandemic. Kang, speaking exclusively with Eyewitness News, was in tears as he spoke about his love for America. He has a little difficulty speaking English, but he has no difficulty remembering what the attacker yelled at him. "Son of a b----, m----------- , go back to your country, go back to your country," Kang recalls the attacker telling him. "Without being prepared he started assaulting me when I was wearing my glasses, which caused me to have a rip because the lens of my glasses fell out and scratched my eyebrow," Kang said through a translator, describing the attack. ABC 7

St. Peter's Italian Church In Downtown Los Angeles Vandalized
A Catholic church that has served the Italian community in downtown Los Angeles since 1904 was vandalized on Monday morning in an act that is being considered a hate crime, officials said. In photos released by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, red paint splatters and the words “LAND Back,” and “USA,” can be seen spray-painted in black on the front of St. Peter's Italian Catholic Church located at 1039 N. Broadway. Police are treating the church vandalism, which happened on Indigenous Peoples Day, the day formerly observed as Columbus Day, as a hate crime, the Los Angeles Times reported. “We pray for all the people who suffer discrimination and isolation, so that they can find peace in their hearts, and we can live in harmony and peace,” the church said in a statement. “Our parish is a home of prayer and encounter, where everyone is welcome to find GOD. We forgive and look forward to having the strength to do GOD's will.” KTLA 5

California Mom Who Received $4.9M After Police Killed Her Son Arrested For Buying Guns For Other Son, Gang
A Fresno, California, area woman who received a nearly $5 million settlement after the police killed her son has been arrested for using some of that money to buy guns for another son and gang members. Christina Lopez, 42, was one of 14 people charged in the takedown of a Fresno-area gang that was allegedly involved in the shooting death of a man in July, according to the Fresno County Sheriff's Office. Police say the murder was a hit ordered on behalf of the gang by a 47-year-old murder convict serving a life sentence. In April, Lopez's family was awarded $4.9 million from the city of Fresno as a result of a police shooting that killed her 16-year-old son Isiah Murrietta-Golding after he fled from law enforcement. Investigators say Lopez purchased guns for her 14-year-old son who was part of the gang, and the son then shared or sold the guns to other members of the gang. Lopez faces 22 felony counts of conspiracy to provide firearms to a minor for the benefit of a street gang as well as child endangerment and conspiracy to provide a firearm to a gang member. FOX 11

Vaccine Mandates Threaten To Worsen
Police Shortages Nationwide Vaccine mandates in police departments across the country have threatened to deepen a staffing crisis that has already resulted in long wait times for 911 calls and reduced services in a number of cities. Officers have fled the force in droves in the months since the murder of George Floyd at the hands of an officer drew intense scrutiny to law enforcement practices nationwide. Low morale, public mistrust, and politically driven budget cuts have contributed to the staffing shortages that presently plague many departments, and vaccine mandates in major cities could accelerate the trend of officers leaving urban forces for the friendlier work environments of small towns and suburbs. In late September, for example, dozens of Massachusetts State Police troopers submitted their resignations after the state proceeded with a vaccine mandate, which is set to take effect on Oct. 17. Los Angeles is struggling with a potentially even greater share of unvaccinated police officers as its Oct. 20 deadline for a vaccine mandate draws closer. By mid-September, more than 2,600 employees of the Los Angeles Police Department had submitted requests for religious exemptions, raising skepticism about whether such a high number of officers actually held sincere religious beliefs to qualify. Data from mid-September showed only about half of LAPD personnel had gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, although that number has likely risen ahead of the looming deadline. Yahoo! News

Police: Man Killed Georgia Officer In Retaliation For Arresting His Friend
A man accused of gunning down a Georgia police officer during his first shift with the department ambushed him in retaliation for the officer's arrest of an associate hours earlier, authorities said. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said 43-year-old Damien Anthony Ferguson has been charged with murder in the shooting death of Officer Dylan Harrison outside the Alamo Police Department early Saturday. On Friday afternoon, Harrison approached a driver in the parking lot of the Circle K convenience store across from the police department after he observed a traffic violation, authorities said. The driver refused to identify himself and the interaction escalated when the man pushed Harrison. Harrison used his Taser, arrested the man and took him to jail, authorities said. “It is believed that the ambush-style attack on Officer Harrison was retaliation for the incident and arrest of the man,” the bureau said in a statement on Sunday evening. They did not identify the man. Speaking at a press conference Sunday, Alamo Police Chief Karen Zanders said, “I have never experienced a grief that I have felt since Officer Dylan Harrison's life was taken in our small, quiet town.” Associated Press

Video: Wisconsin Officer Shot Point Blank Through Suspect's Windshield
Earlier this month, Wisconsin police released dramatic bodycam footage of a pursuit and shootout that left an officer wounded and the suspect dead. According to CBS 58, the August 22 incident began after an officer saw the suspect run a red light. A short pursuit ended when the suspect crashed into another car. Dashcam video released by Greenfield Police shows two officers surrounding the wreckage. Officers are heard ordering the suspect multiple times to show his hands. One officer is standing right by the passenger side, with his gun drawn, video shows. The suspect is obscured by an airbag. That's when the suspect fires, striking the officer through the windshield. The exact moment of the shooting is edited from the video below. According to CBS 58, the officer was shot three times in the chest and leg. The officer is expected to make a full recovery, reported the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Tyran Lamb, ran away but was fatally shot by police a short time later. PoliceOne

Public Safety News


‘It's A Tragedy': 3 Family Members Killed, 2 Injured In South LA House Fire
Three people were killed and another two critically injured in a house fire in the South Los Angeles neighborhood of Florence-Graham late Monday night. The fire was reported at 11:43 p.m. in the 8700 block of Compton Avenue. A family member said Walterine Slack, 87, and two brothers Larry and Timothy Slack were killed in the fire. Two female family members were also inside and are now in the hospital in critical condition. Kenneth Slack said his mother Walterine was bedridden. “Originated in the living room and pretty much the smoke inhalation went throughout the house,” said Kenneth Slack, son of Walterine. “It's kind of hard to describe how I'm feeling and what I'm going through, it's a tragedy.” According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, crews responded and quickly knocked down the blaze. The L.A. County Sheriff's Department confirmed later Tuesday that Walterine died at the scene, two victims died at the hospital, and two more were in critical condition. All five were adults. CBS 2

Los Angeles County Records 8 More COVID Deaths
Los Angeles County reported another eight COVID-19 deaths and 826 new cases in its latest data, but health officials said the unusually low numbers are likely the result of weekend reporting delays. The new fatalities lifted the countywide death toll from the virus to 26,320, while the cumulative case total from throughout the pandemic rose to 1,471,645. Officials have said that about 90% of the fatalities associated with COVID-19 occurred in people with underlying health conditions. According to state figures, there were 667 COVID-positive hospital patients in the county as of Monday, up from 656 on Sunday. The number of those patients in intensive care was 195, down from 202 on Sunday. The number of COVID patients in county hospitals has declined 36 times in the past 42 days. As of Monday, the rolling average daily rate of people testing positive for the virus was 0.9%. The health department also reported over the weekend that between Aug. 29 and Sept. 25, unvaccinated Black and Latinx people had the county's highest infection rates, with 587 to 594 new cases per 100,000 people. NBC 4

Fire Weather Watch Issued For Friday In LA County
The National Weather Service Tuesday issued a Fire Weather Watch for Friday in much of Los Angeles County ahead of forecasted dry conditions, Santa Ana winds and low humidity. Downtown L.A., the L.A. County coast, Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area, L.A. County Mountains, Angeles National Forest and Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys will all fall under the weather watch. “Santa Ana winds are expected to form over most of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. While uncertainty remains in the wind speeds, gusts between 30 and 45 mph are expected at this point,” the weather service said Tuesday. “Warm and very dry air is likely, however, with humidities lowering below 10 percent over much of the area. As a result, critical fire weather conditions are possible.” Northeast winds 15 to 30 mph with gusts to 45 mph are forecasted with minimum relative humidity readings between 6% and 12%. CBS 2

Father And Son, Both First Responders, Respond To Same Emergency Call In LA County
It's not unusual for children to follow in their parents footsteps -- just ask Eric Lee Sr. and Eric Lee Jr. -- both of whom work as first responders. It's in their blood. "I followed in my mom's footsteps," the elder Lee said in an interview with ABC7. "My mom is a retired sergeant for L.A. County Sheriff's Department." Eric Lee Sr. is a sergeant with the Sheriff's Department, assigned to the agency's Special Enforcement Bureau. Eric Lee Jr. has been an EMT for two years. Typically, their paths wouldn't cross -- but they did, coincidentally, earlier this month, on one of the father's very first calls as a newly assigned tactical medic. A photo later released by the Sheriff's Department shows the father and son working side-by-side to help a motorcyclist who went down on Glendora Mountain Road. Eric Lee Sr. had arrived first. "After several minutes, I saw a care ambulance arrive at the location and saw my son step out," said Lee. "Honestly, it was probably the best day I've ever had at work." ABC 7

Local Government News

Recall Fever Hits Venice As Voters Target Councilmember Mike Bonin
Election season is starting early on LA's Westside, where the homeless crisis is fueling a recall attempt targeting Councilmember Mike Bonin. Bonin represents Council District 11, which includes Brentwood, Mar Vista, Venice, Westchester and Playa del Rey. “There's no one else to root for, you know, they're saying they don't want Mike in office but there's no alternative,” volunteer Anne Freiermuth said as she set up a table outside Ralph's in Marina Del Rey. “It's ridiculous.” “For me, the biggest issue was safety in our community and safety for children,” said organizer Nico Ruderman. “There's a lot of encampments and dangerous situations around schools.” The recall would trigger not one — but potentially two — special elections just months before the June primary, where Bonin will be on the ballot. Political scientist Raphael Sonenshein, who helped draft LA's recall rules in the City Charter, said the election chaos wouldn't end there. Unlike a gubernatorial recall, if an LA official gets recalled but no replacement candidate gets a majority on the second question, it triggers a runoff to fill the seat. The cost of two special elections in Council District 11 would be about $3.4 million, according to the clerk's office.  Spectrum News

LA City Council Authorizes Ruth Bader Ginsburg Monument In Van Nuys
The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday authorized a monument of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to be installed at Van Nuys Civic Center. The monument, designed by artist Saya Woolfalk, will feature a stainless steel roof and mosaic tile floor based upon two of the collars that Ginsburg was known to wear with her judicial robes. There will also be benches based on the Harvard Law School desks along with stainless steel doors with an etching of Ginsburg. The monument includes “special details about (Ginsburg's) journey as a law student at Harvard, recognizing her most treasured belongings and demonstrates her passion for the law,” according to the motion to install the monument, introduced by Council President Nury Martinez. “One of the door panels is slightly ajar, and ready to be pushed open by the next generation of women who are working towards equal rights,” the motion stated. Ginsburg served on the U.S. Supreme Court from 1993 until her death on Sept. 18, 2020. CBS 2
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About the LAPPL - Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents the more than 9,900 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education. The LAPPL can be found on the Web at:

www.LAPD.com


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