Monthly Archives: December 2016

Robbers target painkillers in Pasadena pharmacy heist

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PASADENA >> Police are seeking two men who fled with two duffel bags full of painkillers following a robbery at a Pasadena pharmacy on Wednesday afternoon.
The crime took place about 12:10 p.m. at the Pasadena City Pharmacy, 1648 E. Washington Blvd.
The two robbers gestured as if they had handguns, though none were seen, as they entered the pharmacy and jumped over the counter, Pasadena police Lt. Mark Goodman said.
“They filled two duffel bags that they had brought with them with prescription medication,” he said. The robbers targeted painkillers and did not steal any cash. It was unclear how much medication they obtained.
Both robbers were last seen fleeing the store on foot, he said. No injuries were reported.
Police described both robbers as black men, between 25 and 30 years old, wearing all-dark clothing.
Investigators were in the process of checking area surveillance cameras for useful footage, Goodman said.
Anyone with information can reach Pasadena police at 626-744-4241. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

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Pico Rivera man killed in deputy-involved shooting identified

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PICO RIVERA >> Coroner’s officials have released the identity of a 48-year-old man who died after being shot by sheriff’s deputies who responded to reports he was attacking family members with scissors in Pico Rivera on Christmas Eve.
Zhonghua Li, 48, of died in the deputy-involved shooting, which took place shortly after 5 p.m. on Saturday outside a home at Greenglade Avenue and Kells Place, according to Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner records.
Deputies were first summoned to the home in regard to a family disturbance involving a man with mental health issues, Deputy Kimberly Alexander of the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Information Bureau said. While en route, the call was updated to say the suspect was stabbing family members with a pair of scissors.
Two deputies arrived and confronted Li in the street, Alexander said in a written statement. He began walking toward the deputies with what was ultimately found to be a pair of “threading scissors,” Lt. Steve Jauch of the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau said.
A deputy fired a bean bag round at Li, to no effect, and he continued approaching the deputies and refusing to drop the scissors, according to Alexander. Both deputies then fired their pistols, fatally wounding Li.
Li’s sister suffered a stab wound to her hand in the original family disturbance but declined to be taken to a hospital, Jauch said.

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Duo sought after three Whittier businesses burglarized overnight

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WHITTIER >> A pair of masked burglars broke into a Marie Callender’s restaurant, a BevMo! liquor store and MoneyGram branch during an early-morning burglary spree over the course of an hour in Whittier on Thursday, police said.
“The (modus operandi) is the same in all of them,’ Whittier police Lt. Jim Uhl said.
In all three cases, two men wearing masks, gloves and hooded sweatshirts pried open the doors of the business to gain entry, he said. They drove a full-size pickup truck.
The first break-in occurred just after 2 a.m. at Marie Callender’s, 12402 Washington Blvd., Uhl said. The burglars forced their way into the restaurant, but fled without taking anything.
About 30 minutes later, another break-in was reported at BevMo!, 15525 Whittier Blvd., the sergeant said.
The two burglars targeted high-end liquor, making off with about $6,000 worth of booze, he said.
About 20 minutes after the BevMo! break-in, the pair forced their way into a MoneyGram branch at 14030 Lambert Road, Uhl said. Again, the burglars forced their way in, but fled empty-handed.
Detectives were working to obtain video surveillance footage from the burglaries, Uhl said.
Anyone with information can reach Whittier police at 562-567-9200. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

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Santa Fe Springs woman denies charges in stabbing; father’s cause of death still unknown

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SANTA FE SPRINGS >> A Santa Fe Springs woman arrested on suspicion of stabbing her father and her father’s girlfriend last week, after which the father died of undetermined causes, is awaiting trial on assault and other charges as coroner’s officials continue investigating what killed the man, officials said.
Janette Buena, 27, pleaded not guilty Dec. 22 to one count of assault with a deadly weapon on her father’s girlfriend, three counts of brandishing a knife at police while resisting arrest and one count of cocaine possession, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokesman Ricardo Santiago said.
No charge had been filed in connection with the death of her father, identified by coroner’s officials as 63-year-old Manuel Buena.
Manuel Buena suffered an apparently minor stab wound to his hand and declined medical treatment, Whittier police Lt. Kent Miller said. But minutes later, he collapsed and was rushed to a hospital, where he was ultimately pronounced dead.
Manuel Buena’s officials cause of death is yet to be determined by Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner investigators.
The incident unfolded about 9:45 p.m. on Dec. 20 at a mobile home the three shared in the 8000 block of Sorensen Avenue, according to Whittier police Lt. Kent Miller.
Buena allegedly attacked her father and his 46-year-old girlfriend with at least one large knife, police said in a written statement.
The father’s girlfriend suffered stab wounds to her head, hands and arms, police said. The father suffered a stab wound to his right hand.
Police said the victim’s locked themselves in the bathroom of the mobile home and called 911.
Responding officers encountered Janette Buena at the doorway, still armed with a knife, officials said. She retreated back into the mobile home and tried to force her way in to the bathroom where the two injured victim’s were.
Police fired three bean bag rounds at the suspect, but she refused to drop the knife, according to police. Officers then used a Taser to subdue her and take her into custody. Two 8- to 10-inch-long kitchen knives were recovered at the scene.
Janette Buena suffered a broken wrist during the incident, likely from the bean bag rounds, police added.
Manuel Buena’s girlfriend was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, Miller said.
The lieutenant said Manuel Buena declined medical treatment of what appeared to be a relatively minor injury to his hand.
But about 15 minutes later, he collapsed in cardiac arrest, officials said. He soon died at a hospital.
Police initially arrested Janette Buena on suspicion of the murder of her father.
But as Manuel Buena’s cause of death remained unclear, prosecutors charged her only in connection with the stabbing of her father’s girlfriend, as well as brandishing knives at police and possession of cocaine.
According to county booking records, Janette Buena was being held in lieu of $106,500 bail. She is scheduled to appear Friday for a pre-preliminary hearing in the Norwalk branch of Los Angeles County Superior Court.

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Northern California woman robbed in Pasadena on Christmas Eve

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PASADENA >> Two men robbed a Northern California woman visiting Pasadena for the holidays at gunpoint on Christmas Eve, police said.
The robbery unfolded about 3:50 p.m. on Saturday in the 2800 block of East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena police Lt. Mark Goodman.
A 25-year-old Santa Clara woman was walking down the street when two robbers approached and one of the brandished a handgun, he said.
They demanded the woman’s money and cellphone, which she turned over.
The robbers then got into a dark-colored SUV, which sped away north on Sunnyslope Avenue, according to the lieutenant.
Police described the robbers as two Latino men between 20 and 25 years old. One stood 5 feet 10 inches tall, wore all dark clothing and carried a handgun. The second robber wore a beige trench coat and blue jeans.
Anyone with information can reach Pasadena police at 626-744-4241. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

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Family displaced by Christmas Eve house fire in Pasadena

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PASADENA >> A Christmas Eve fire ripped through a Pasadena home late Saturday, displacing a family of three and causing about $850,000 worth of damage, authorities said.
The fire was first reported at 8:51 p.m. at a home in the 400 block of Redwood Drive, Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.
Smoke and flames were pouring from the roof of the two-story home when firefighters arrived, she said. Three family members who lived inside the home had already gotten out safely.
Stored items in the rear of the home helped fuel the fire, which consumed “a majority of the house” before being declared extinguished 24 minutes after firefighters arrived on scene, Derderian said.
Officials estimated the fire caused about $700,000 worth of damage to the home and another $150,000 in damage to the contents inside.
The cause was under investigation.

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PHOTOS courtesy of Jamie Nicholson/Pasadena Fire Department

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Pasadena man killed in shooting identified

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PASADENA >> Authorities have identified a 25-year-old Pasadena man who was killed in a shooting on Thursday night.
Brandon Douglas died at a hospital shortly after the 9:47 p.m. shooting in the 1200 block of North Fair Oaks Avenue, according to Pasadena police Lt. Vasken Gourdikian.
Police responding to reports of gunfire found Douglas lying on a sidewalk suffering from gunshot wounds, Lt. Mark Goodman said.
No eyewitnesses were found, and the circumstances of the deadly shooting were unknown, he said. No suspect description was available.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Pasadena police at 626-744-4241. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

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UPDATE: Man shot by deputies following alleged scissor attack on family in Pico Rivera

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PICO RIVERA >> Deputies shot and killed a man in Pico Rivera after he reportedly attacked family members with scissors late Saturday, authorities said.
The deputy-involved shooting took place shortly after 5 p.m. on Greenglade Avenue near Kells Place, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. John Haynes said.
Deputies first responded to a call requesting help with a 50-year-old man suffering from mental health issues, the sergeant said. While en route, a second call reported the man had begun stabbing family members with a pair of scissors.
Two deputies encountered the man in the street, Deputy Kimberly Alexander of the sheriff’s Information Bureau said in a written statement.
“He was holding an object in his right hand,” she said. “He began walking aggressively towards the deputies and refused the commands to stop and drop the object.”
One of the deputies shot the suspect in the torso with a “stun bag,” according to Alexander.
“The suspect continued aggressing towards the deputies, refusing to drop the object. As a result a deputy involved shooting occurred with both deputies firing their duty weapons,” the deputy said.
Paramedics pronounced the wounded man dead at the scene, officials said. HIs identity was not available.
No injuries to deputies were reported.
“A sharp bladed object was recovered near the suspect’s body,” Alexander added.
It was unclear later Saturday whether any of the suspect’s family members had been injured.
“Detectives are beginning interviews with family members who were with the suspect at the time of the 911 call to determine if any victims were stabbed,’ Alexander said.
Anyone with information can reach the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers.

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Fire scorches Altadena discount store

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ALTADENA >> A fire gutted a discount store in Altadena late Friday but resulted in no injuries, officials said.
The fire was first reported at 11:03 p.m. at Joon’s Discount, at Fair Oaks Avenue and Woodbury Road, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said in a written statement.
Los Angeles County firefighters encountered “heavy smoke and fire” inside the building when they arrived.
“Fire department units had to use cutting tools to gain access inside and after fighting the fire for several minutes they were able to search the inside of the store and, thankfully, no one was inside,” according to the statement.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation, but there were no initial indications of suspicious circumstances, officials said.
“Most if not all of the contents of the store had been damaged by fire, smoke and water,” the statement continued.
A dollar-value estimate of the damage was not available.

PHOTOS courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

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UPDATE: Man fatally shot by police following pursuit in El Monte

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EL MONTE >> Police in El Monte shot and killed a man as he allegedly charged at officers with an SUV late Friday, authorities said.
The incident took place about 9:35 p.m. at Esto Avenue and Fieldcrest Street, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said in a written statement. Detectives from the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau are handling the investigation into the officer-involved shooting.
The identity of the suspect was not released Saturday pending notification of his family, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Capt. John Kades said.
Prior to the shooting, El Monte tried to pull over a mid-size SUV near Valley Boulevard and Tyler Avenue, suspecting that the driver was intoxicated, according to Deputy Trina Schrader of the sheriff’s Information Bureau. The driver refused to stop, starting a pursuit.
The suspect crashed into another motorist during the chase and continued fleeing, she said. The driver of the car struck by the suspect was not hurt.
Police continued chasing the SUV until it came to a stop at the intersection of Esto Avenue and Fieldcrest Street, Schrader said. Officers got out of their cars and approached the suspect.
“The suspect then drove into the cul-de-sac, turned around and drove towards the officers, who were standing outside their vehicles,” Schrader said. “An officer-involved shooting occurred.”
Paramedics pronounced the wounded suspect dead at the scene.
Three officers fired their weapons in the incident, officials said. No officers were injured.
Another El Monte officer collided with a civilian car while responding to the pursuit. The driver of that car was treated for injuries described by officials as minor.
Further details were not available.
Anyone with information was urged to contact the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

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