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2 Teen Boys Arrested After Girl, 15, Fatally Overdoses At High School Campus In Hollywood, LAPD Says

A 15-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter for allegedly selling a fentanyl-laced drug to two high school students -- one of whom fatally overdosed -- and a 16-year-old boy was arrested for allegedly selling narcotics to a third student at a nearby park, authorities announced Thursday. LAPD Chief Michel Moore confirmed that the suspects were taken into custody amid an ongoing investigation into the incident that occurred Tuesday at Bernstein High School in Hollywood. The younger boy, who lives with his grandmother, allegedly sold a pill to two 15-year-old girls on the Bernstein campus, causing both of them to overdose. One of them, who was identified by family as 15-year-old Melanie Ramos, was pronounced dead after being found on the floor of a girls' bathroom on the campus. The 15-year-old boy will be booked for manslaughter, Moore told reporters at a news conference. He was allegedly found to be in possession of additional pills when taken into custody. The 16-year-old suspect was arrested as he was going to school Thursday morning. He is accused of selling narcotics at nearby Lexington Park and will be booked accordingly, the chief said.

ABC 7

Westlake Man Sentenced To 24 Years In Prison For Kidnapping And Raping Girl, 15

A Westlake man was sentenced Thursday to 24 years and four months in federal prison for kidnapping a 15-year-old girl from Oregon, raping her, and filming it, federal officials said. Travis Smith, 28, pleaded guilty on Jan. 20 to one count of production of child pornography, though during his Thursday sentencing, Judge John A. Kronstadt said Smith’s “inexcusable” conduct had a “profound effect” on the girl, who was deceived by Smith after they met online, the Department of Justice said in a news release. Smith, at the time a 26-year-old father of two who was living with his estranged wife, pretended to be a 16-year-old boy, but then he turned the relationship in a “sexual and abusive” direction, authorities said. “Smith demand[ed] the victim perform painful sex acts on herself as punishment for behavior such as speaking with boys or not answering him quickly enough,” the release explained. When the girl tried to end the relationship, Smith threatened to send sexually explicit images to her family and friends. Then he drove to her home in Oregon and kidnapped her by threatening to shoot the girl and her family, the prosecutors said.

KTLA 5

DJ Violently Attacked While Walking Home From An Event In Hollywood

A local DJ was viciously attacked while walking home after a gig in Hollywood. 36-year-old Kyle Guy, also known as Verbs, was walking in the early morning hours of August 27 near the corner of Iver and Hollywood Boulevard when he was attacked. He told FOX 11 that he noticed two men fighting in the street as he was waiting to cross the intersection; that’s when one of the men focused his attention on Verbs. Next thing he knew, the guy grabbed him, spun him, and slammed him to the ground. "I landed knees first, and then he proceeded to wail on me. My kneecaps were like above my kneecap area where they're supposed to be," he told FOX 11. He said he tore both patellar tendons and needed surgery immediately. His injuries were so severe, his doctor feared he would never walk again. But after surgery on both knees, and with the help of two leg braces, he’s able to get around and get in and out of a wheelchair.

FOX 11

Burglary Suspect At Large After Search Of Pacific Palisades Neighborhood

A burglary suspect seems to have gotten away despite an extensive search in the hills of Pacific Palisades. An intruder was found inside a house on Chastain Parkway just after 9 p.m., prompting a dog sitter to run out, asking for help. A gunshot was heard, but no one was hurt. The intruder ran out and officers conducted a search of the neighborhood on the ground and by police helicopter. It's not known if any property was taken. The suspect remains at large, and police did not release a description of that person.

CBS 2

LAPD Investigating Minor Explosion In Vehicle Used For Dwelling 

A cooking device that was in a vehicle used for dwelling exploded Thursday forcing multiple streets to be closed for hours. It happened around 1:40 p.m. at Main Street and Westminster Avenue, in front of the Westminster Senior Center that is being used as the headquarters for the CIRCLE team. Police say the homeless person, who was living in their Range Rover, said their cooking device started on fire, but didn't know how it happened. No injuries were reported. 

Westside Current

110 Freeway Shooting Leaves 1 Hurt In South LA

A shooting on the 110 Freeway near South Los Angeles is under investigation Thursday night. The California Highway Patrol responded to a call of a shooting in the northbound lanes of the 110 Freeway near the 105 Freeway, just south of Century Boulevard around 3:30 p.m. One person was taken to the hospital. Officials did not say what prompted the shooting to happen in the first place. It is unknown if road rage played a factor in the shooting. As of Thursday night, no arrests have been announced and a suspect has not been formally identified. 

FOX 11

Former USC Dean Marilyn Louise Flynn Agrees To Plead Guilty To Federal Bribery Charge

Former University of Southern California Dean Marilyn Louise Flynn has agreed to plead guilty to a federal bribery charge she faces in a political corruption case brought against her in October of last year. The case, which ties to suspended Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, alleges that during her time as dean, Flynn conspired with Ridley-Thomas while he was a member of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors from 2017 to 2018, something prosecutors say resulted in the university receiving lucrative county contracts, which were expected to generate about $9 million a year. According to the 20-count indictment, Flynn, 83, agreed to provide Ridley-Thomas' son, Sebastian, with graduate school admission, a full-tuition scholarship and a paid professorship at the university. She also allegedly arranged to funnel a $100,000 donation from Ridley-Thomas' campaign funds through the university to a nonprofit to be operated by his son, former Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas.

CBS 2

Shooting In Compton Leaves Man Dead

A man was shot to death in Compton and sheriff’s homicide investigators Thursday are continuing their search for the shooter. Deputies were called at approximately 8:30 p.m. Wednesday to North Central Avenue and Sam Littleton Street where they found the victim suffering from gunshot wounds, said Deputy Brenda Serna of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau. The victim was taken to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries. There was no immediate suspect information. Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be called in to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477or submitted online at lacrimestoppers.org.

MyNewsLA

Man Stabbed To Death In Bell Gardens

Authorities are investigating the murder of a man in Bell Gardens Friday. The man was found with stab wounds to his torso at about 11 p.m. in the 6400 block of Colmar Avenue, at Gage Avenue. He was taken to a hospital, where he died. The man's name has not been released. At the scene, two alleys were blocked off with crime scene tape. No suspect or suspect vehicle information was released, and no further information was being released at this time.

CBS 2 

Driver Sentenced In Long Beach Halloween DUI Crash That Killed Family Of Three

A man was sentenced to prison Thursday in a Long Beach DUI crash that killed a family of three as they were trick-or-treating on Halloween. Carlo Adrian Navarro was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison and ordered to pay restitution as family members looked on in the courtroom during an emotional hearing. They delivered statements during the sentencing phase of the trial. "You are our neighbor. I have given candy to you on Halloween night, I know I have," said family member Cecilia Ramos. "You used your car as a weapon and you ran over my family. You shouldn't have been behind that wheel. You know better, and you did the wrong thing." The Oct. 31, 2019 crash killed Joseph Awaida, 30, his 3-year-old son Omar Awaida and the boy's mother, 32-year-old Raihan Awaida. Joseph Awaida's mother, Omar's grandmother Vera, also spoke Thursday. "There are no words to describe the loss,'' she said. "The defendant has given us a life sentence. The world has lost more than it will ever know.'' Navarro was southbound on Country Club Drive when he lost control on a turn, police said. The SUV struck the family members as they walked on the sidewalk. He was arrested at the scene.

NBC 4

Video Shows Suspect’s Fatal Rampage That Wounded 2 Phoenix Officers

New video has been released of a suspect who went on a shooting rampage last month, killing two and wounding five others – including two Phoenix Police Department officers. KTAR News reported that Isaiah Steven Williams, 24, left his hotel room at the Days Inn around 8:30 p.m. on August 28. He was wearing tactical gear and had an automatic rifle. He took the side door at the hotel and exited, and then used the rifle to shoot rounds at nearby vehicles and buildings. In the video, a white vehicle can be seen pulling into the parking lot. Williams shoots at it, fatally wounding Misael Arevalo, 36, and Karla Garzona, 44. Three others ran away and sheltered at a gas station. Williams even attempted to throw a Molotov cocktail into the window of a Waffle House. However, it didn’t break the glass or start any type of fire. Williams continued to fire shots until officers arrived on scene. The suspect fired at them, wounding one officer in the shoulder and the other was hit by shrapnel. The officer who was shot in the shoulder fired back at Williams. Backup later arrived and a total of four patrol units were shot at by Williams during the incident. Police later found the suspect dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

PoliceOne

Watch: LEOs Rescue Family From Treacherous Flash Flood Waters

Tense moments were caught on body camera footage as law enforcement officers rescued a family from flash floodwater over the weekend. Fox 11 reported the incident occurred on the side of a roadway in San Bernardino. The woman and her two children alerted police for assistance on a separate issue. But after calling, rain drenched the area, which resulted in flash flooding. The woman and her children were taken out of the flood waters. At one point, an officer carries one of the children in his arms. Two other officers assisted him with crossing the treacherous waters. Other officers also helped the two members of the family cross and get to the other side safely. 

PoliceOne

Firefighters Knock Out Structure Fire In Watts

A fire broke out early Thursday morning at the 1536 block of East 102nd Street in Watts. It's unclear at this moment how the fire started or how many valuable were lost in the fire. Twenty-eight firefighters responded to the structure fire that broke out in the halls of the building. Fortunately, firefighters managed to contain the fire within half an hour after arriving to the scene. The fire did not spread throughout the walls of the structure, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. No injuries were reported at the scene of the fire. 

CBS 2

LA County Pitches Free Program For Abortion And Reproductive Healthcare To People From Outside CA

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to unanimously support a proposed plan to provide reproductive healthcare and abortion services at little or no cost to people outside the state seeking help. The county voted for the proposal after the Supreme Court’s June decision in Dobbs vs. Jackson, which decreed there is no federal constitutional right to abortion. The pilot program was pitched by Supervisor Hilda L. Solis and Chair Holly J. Mitchell, and voted on Tuesday. "Although the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs vs. Jackson was only two and a half months ago, the damage has been immeasurable. We continue to see reports of residents from other states traveling far to get life-saving reproductive healthcare services. Other states are shrinking the rights of pregnant women, girls, and other birthing people ─ but not here in Los Angeles County. We welcome those who live outside of California to travel here to receive reproductive health services. It is our collective responsibility to uphold abortion and reproductive healthcare services as a fundamental right," Solis said. The motion allows the County Department of Health Services to create the program and institute it in clinics and hospitals at low or no cost.

NBC 4