Email from Los Angeles Police Protective League Daily News & Updates   Law Enforcement News Authorities tout massive 50-pound fentanyl seizure in L.A.: ‘Our biggest bust yet’ State and local authorities announced felony charges Tuesday against three alleged Mexican drug cartel affiliates accused of plotting to sell 50 pounds of fentanyl in Los Angeles. L.A. County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman touted the bust alongside state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta during a news conference at the downtown Hall of Justice, with officials estimating the street value of the drugs seized at $55 million. “This is our biggest bust yet,” Bonta said. Bonta said the operation began in January when investigators received “reliable information” suggesting Torrance resident Priscilla Gomez, 43, was a drug courier. She was arrested after a search during a traffic stop by Downey police uncovered fentanyl in her car, officials said. Another cache of drugs was found in a Downey apartment, said to include “indications of a Mexican cartel.” In addition to the 50 pounds of fentanyl, authorities found nearly 12 pounds of opium.“There’s no telling how many lives would be tragically cut short and how many communities would have been devastated had these drugs been distributed,” Bonta said. “Thankfully, this time, we won’t have to find out.” Los Angeles Times Man Accused of Assaulting 63-Year-Old Woman and Child in West LA Had Multiple Prior Arrests A man accused of brutally assaulting a 63-year-old woman in her West Los Angeles home was already wanted on previous charges, including possession of a firearm and burglary, according to court records and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Ishmail Bangura, 33, has been charged with assaulting a 63-year-old woman during a first-degree residential burglary with the intent to commit rape and attacking a young child in the West Los Angeles neighborhood of Sawtelle on Feb. 27. Officers were called to the 2400 block of Barry Avenue at about 12:30 p.m. on Feb 27 for a call of an assault with a deadly weapon. As the investigation unfolded, officers learned the nude suspect, who was identified as Bangura, entered the home of a the woman and threatened to kill and assault her. When the victim ran out of her home, police said Bangura pushed her to the ground, got on top of her and repeated his threats. Witnesses intervened and helped the woman flee. Westside Current More than 100 crows shot to death in Westchester by unknown suspect, bullets narrowly miss people A neighborhood is on edge after more than 100 birds were shot to death with bullets narrowly missing people in Westchester. "I think the whole block is feeling pretty freaked out about it," said Westchester resident Brenna Lenoir. "It's crows, but how long until it escalates to pets and children or maybe the rest of us or perhaps a bullet ricochets off something?" The Los Angeles Police Department is now investigating the deadly animal attack terrifying residents in the 8300 block of Chase Avenue. The latest shots rang out Saturday on a murder of crows, killing three and injuring another. Lenoir said the suspect targets the birds gathered in a massive tree, and they never know when the gunman will take aim. "It's pop, pop, pop, sometimes a swish as it goes over your head. I was out with a neighbor the other day walking her dog and she ducked because she heard the noise come from above," Lenoir said. More than 100 birds have been shot and killed, she said. It began before the pandemic and has been escalating since. ABC 7 Smash-and-grab crew wreck kosher Los Angeles pizza shop, pharmacy Store surveillance cameras captured a trio of hooded burglars violently destroying property while ransacking a pizza shop and pharmacy in Los Angeles’ Pico-Robertson neighborhood early Tuesday morning. The break-ins unfolded at around 4:30 a.m. at Pizza Mark and a neighboring pharmacy in the 1700 block of South Robertson Boulevard. Security footage at the pizza shop shows the masked thieves shattering the front door of the restaurant and immediately heading for the register. Instead of simply turning the keys, which were dangling from the cash drawer’s lock, one of the crooks repeatedly smashed the register on the ground. Unsatisfied with the register, the burglary crew, who can be seen running in and out of the shop several times, also stole the pizza shop’s safe before moving to the pharmacy next door and causing even more mayhem and damage. KTLA 5 Illegal dumping in Los Angeles soars in first two months of 2025 Reports of illegal dumping in Los Angeles soared in the first two months of this year compared to the same period last year, according to data compiled by Crosstown LA. There were 22,046 reports of trash, furniture and other debris discarded illegally in the city in January and February, up 36%, according to the data news outlet. That’s the highest number for that period dating back to at least 2018, based on publicly available data from the MyLA311 service. “While illegal dumping may bring to mind a few trash bags dropped on a corner, it often means piles of construction debris, or even hazardous waste, tossed by a person or business seeking to avoid paying proper disposal fees,” Crosstown notes in its report. “Materials are frequently dropped on sidewalks, in alleys or on vacant lots under cover of darkness.” In L.A.’s Council District 8, which encompasses much of South L.A., illegal dumping reports more than doubled from 2,118 in January-February 2024 to 3,329 in the first two months of this year. KTLA 5 Southern California police warning residents of increase in ‘key cloner’ car thefts “Key cloner” car thefts are on the rise in Southern California, according to one local law enforcement agency. The Burbank Police Department issued a press release early Tuesday afternoon warning SoCal residents of the trend, which primarily affects newer vehicles that can be started without a key. “Most newer vehicles sold today are enabled with keyless or remote ignition,” Burbank police said. “The owner of the vehicle simply needs to have their key fob close to unlock and start their vehicle.” The added convenience of being able to start a vehicle without actually being in it is complicated by new advancements in technology being employed by thieves to steal newer cars, according to authorities. Thieves typically take advantage of keyless entry systems by using an aftermarket device – normally about the size of a cell phone or small tablet – to remotely scan for a key fob signal and quickly create a cloned key. KTLA 5 BWC: Man attacks Ohio officers with axe, bat before OIS Newly released body-worn camera footage shows the moment a man attacked officers with a baseball bat and an axe before an officer-involved shooting, WCPO reported. Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich announced that sheriff’s deputies who shot the man during the Feb. 28 incident will not face charges, according to the report. The man has been charged with five counts of felonious assault on an officer. The incident began when deputies responded to reports of a man chasing people with a bat near Columbia Township, according to the report. Body camera footage shows an officer speaking with the man at his front door, reminding him that they had already talked earlier that day. Moments later, the man swung an aluminum baseball bat at the deputy, forcing officers to retreat. Despite repeated commands to drop the bat, the man threw it at the deputies before going back inside his home. The man then returned with an axe, running toward the deputies before turning and running along the sidewalk. A deputy fired a non-lethal bean bag round, but the suspect continued fleeing. A deputy then fired a shot, striking the man in the hand. After being hit, the man switched the axe to his uninjured hand and threw it at the officers before charging at them. PoliceOne ‘Fast action and teamwork’ from Fla. police stops possible school attack, chief says The Sanford Police Department has arrested a 17-year-old high school student accused of making an online threat to “shoot up” Seminole High School, WESH reported. Police were alerted on March 8 to a video posted online showing an unidentified male making threats while displaying what appeared to be multiple guns and vests, according to the report. Investigators determined the suspect was a student at Elevation High School, and officers arrested him on March 9. The suspect is charged with intimidation written/electronic threat of mass shooting/terrorism act. Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith credited the collaboration between multiple local and federal agencies. “The swift identification and arrest of [the suspect] is the direct result of the immediate collaboration and dedication of multiple local and federal agencies and organizations. This fast action and team work most likely prevented a tragedy,” Smith stated. Agencies involved included the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office Gang and Habitual Offender Suppression Team, according to the report. PoliceOne Public Safety News LA County confirms first measles case in resident After detecting the year's first measles case in a resident, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health released a list of businesses where individuals may have been exposed to the infectious disease. "Measles spreads easily through the air and on surfaces, and a person infected with measles can pass it on to others before they feel sick or have symptoms," Public Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said. Public health officials said the resident returned to the U.S. after boarding China Airlines flight CAL8/CI8, which arrived at LAX on March 5. LA County has partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to contact passengers assigned to specific seats who may have been exposed. The agencies typically work together to investigate communicable disease exposures on international flights to the U.S. The resident then stayed at the Tom Bradly International Terminal at LAX for nearly four hours between 7 p.m. and 10:40 p.m. Two days later, on March 7, the resident visited Cloud 9 Nail Salon at 5142 N. Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood. They stayed there from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. CBS 2 Back-to-back L.A. storms force evacuation warnings, raise threat of brief tornados and mudslides Back-to-back storms hitting Southern California this week have triggered evacuation warnings for some areas burned in the January firestorms, with the potential for wild weather and falling snow levels. The evacuation warnings include areas hit by the Palisades fire as well as the Sunset fire, which burned in the hills above Hollywood. “There’s also potential for strong thunderstorms with damaging wind or weak, brief tornadoes,” said Robbie Munroe, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. Munroe said the storm is expected to be similar to the January storm that caused flooding and mud flows near the Los Angeles County burn scars. This time, the areas that burned in the Palisades, Franklin, Hurst, Bridge, Hughes and Eaton fires could also experience flooding, debris flows and mudslides. There’s a 30% to 50% chance of significant flooding and debris flows in recent burn scars, Munroe said. Los Angeles Times What to know about measles in California and across the United States The first measles case of 2025 involving a Los Angeles County resident was reported this week by health officials. On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported the case involving a county resident who traveled through Los Angeles International Airport. As of March 8 in California, there were five confirmed measles cases this year, according to the state Department of Public Health. Measles outbreaks in West Texas and New Mexico are now up to more than 250 cases, and two unvaccinated people have died from measles-related causes. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000. NBC 4 About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 8,900 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. Listen To Our Podcast Los Angeles Police Protective League | 1308 W 8th St | Los Angeles, CA 90017 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Our Privacy Policy | Constant Contact Data Notice