Category Archives: 245

Good Samaritans capture armed robbery suspect in Azusa

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AZUSA — Good Samaritans captured and held a suspect for police following a knifepoint robbery attempt at a Foothill Boulevard massage parlor earlier this week, authorities said.
Ernesto Delacruz, 26, of Covina, was booked on suspicion robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and battery likely to cause great bodily injury in connection with Monday’s 6:17 p.m. robbery at Royal Massage, in the 500 block of East Foothill Boulevard, Azusa police officials said.
Delacruz entered the massage parlor, posed as a customer and approached a female employee in her 40s, Sgt. Tim Harrington said.
“Delacruz produced a knife and demanded money from the business,” Cpl. Jorge Sandoval said in a written statement. “A short struggle over the knife followed, before Delacruz fled the business.”
The woman chased after Delacruz as he fled, “at which time a neighboring business employee assisted with detaining Delacruz,” Sandoval said. “That neighboring employee sustained moderate facial injuries while attempting to detain Delacruz and was assisted by a second passer-by in doing so until Azusa police officers arrived.”
The employee of the neighboring business, a 28-year-old man, was punched by the suspect as he held the man for police, Harrington said. The other good Samaritan, a 26-year-old man, was not hurt.
A folding knife believed to have been used in the robbery was found at the scene, the sergeant added.
According to county booking records, Delacruz was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail pending his initial court appearance.

Teen wounded in Montebello shooting

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MONTEBELLO — A 15-year-old Montebello boy suffered minor injuries Saturday in a shooting in a residential neighborhood, police said.
The attack took place about 2:50 p.m. as the teen was walking in the 400 block of N. Poplar Avenue, Montebello police Lt. Rick Rojas said.
The motive and circumstances of the shooting remained under investigation, the lieutenant said.
The teen, who suffered a grazing wound to the upper body in the shooting, provided little information to investigators, Rojas said. “He’s not being real cooperative.”
Police described the shooter as a man in his 20s or 30s, about 5 feet 8 inches tall and of thin build. He wore blue jeans, a blue hat and a blue shirt which he used to cover his face.
Officers searched the area, however the attacker was not found.

Shooting reported at Cortez Park in West Covina

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WEST COVINA — A fight led to a shooting at Cortez Park Friday afternoon, however no gunshot victims were found, police said.
Police received “numerous calls of shots fired” at the north end of the park, along Citrus Street just north of Cortez Street, West Covina police Lt. Dennis Patton said.
The gunshots rang out during a fight involving six or seven men, the lieutenant said.
“All the involved parties dispersed prior to our arrival,” he said. But officers did locate evidence a shooting had occurred, such as bullet casings.
“As of this time, we don’t know if anybody was hit,” Patton said Saturday. A check of local hospitals turned up no gunshot victims.
The men involved in the fight were believed to have left the area in a white car and a silver pickup truck, police added.
Detectives were looking into the possibility that a car found later in the day in San Bernardino may have been involved in the incident, Patton said, however the investigation was ongoing.

Suspect charged in Pasadena deputy-involved shooting; one of three suspects in prior home-invasion also charged

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PASADENA — Prosecutors Tuesday charged a two-strike felon with attempted murder of a peace officer and other counts in connection with a gunfight with a deputy last week, authorities said.
A U.S. Marshals task force arrested Michael Garrett, 24, of Pasadena Monday in San Bernardino County, Pasadena police Lt. Tracey Ibarra said. He was charged Tuesday with the attempted murder of a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy, assault with a deadly weapon and being a convicted felon in possession of a gun.
The charges stem from a Thursday afternoon gunfight between the deputy and at least one suspect, Pasadena police officials said. No law enforcement officers were injured, though it was unclear if either of the suspects was wounded in the exchange.
The shooting took place as Pasadena police, with the help of sheriff’s deputies, were investigating the home-invasion robbery of an elderly woman which took place two days earlier, Pasadena police Cmdr. John Perez said.
No suspects in the shooting were arrested during the eight-hour manhunt that followed it, however police arrested three men in connection with the home-invasion robbery, officials said.
Two Pasadena men, Paul Darryl Scott, 31, and Marquice Garrett, 19, were found within the police search perimeter following the shooting and arrested on suspicion of home-invasion robbery, Perez said. A SWAT team arrested a third man, 20-year-old Eddie Brodney McFadden, the same evening in his hometown of Arcadia.
Scott and Marquice Garrett were released from custody without charges Tuesday pending further investigation, Ibarra said.
Prosecutors charged McFadden Tuesday with three counts of home-invasion robbery, one count of elder abuse, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of criminal threats and unlawful possession of a gun, the lieutenant said.
Michael and Marquice Garrett are family members, Ibarra said, adding that she believed them to be brothers.
The shooting with which Michael Garrett has been charged took place about 12:20 p.m. Thursday on Orange Grove Boulevard near Mar Vista Avenue, police said.
A deputy was following a car containing Garrett and at least one more suspect in connection with the previous home-invasion robbery, according to Pasadena police.
Another vehicle collided into the deputy’s car and fled, officials said. The deputy continued following the original car until it abruptly pulled into a driveway and at least two suspects got out.
At least one of the suspects began shooting at the deputy, who returned fire, police said.
It was not clear Wednesday if Michael Garrett fired a weapon during the gun battle, Ibarra said.
The home-invasion robbery that preceded the shooting took place about 11 p.m. March 12 in the 1900 block of Arroyo Boulevard, Perez said. Three armed and masked man forced their way into the home of an 89-year-old woman, with two other family members present, and robbed the home of cash and other valuables, investigators said. The crime was not initially reported to police,
Officials learned of the alleged crime the following day when the robbers called the victim and demanded she withdraw more money from her bank, Perez said. A bank employee thought the transaction suspicious and notified police. Upon speaking with the woman, officers were told of the home-invasion robbery.
According to county booking records, both Michael Garrett and McFadden were being held without bail.

4-year-old boy remains hospitalized in critical condition following Pasadena shooting

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PASADENA – A 4-year-old boy remained hospitalized in critical condition Saturday after he was shot along with two men inside a Summitt Avenue in the neighborhoods second shooting this week, authorities said.
The child was struck in the torso in the shooting, which was reported just before 9 p.m. in the 1800 block of Summitt Avenue, Pasadena police Lt. Jason Clawson said. A man in his 50s was shot in the arm, and another man in his 30s suffered a grazing wound. Neither of the men’s wounds were considered life-threatening.
Shots were fired from in front of the home, Lt. Ed Calatayud said.
“The the rounds penetrated a residential structure, a garage area, where theh victims were,” he said.
Clawson said the child was rushed to a hospital by a relative before officers arrived.
The relationship between the wounded boy and men was not clear.
No suspects were in custody, Calatayud said Saturday morning.
Police are looking for three suspects in connection with the attack. One was described as a Latino man in his 20s with a shaved head, wearing a white T-shirt and black shorts. The two other suspects were only described as Latinos wearing dark shirts and pants. No getaway car was seen.
The motive in the shooting was unknown as the investigation continued, Calatyud said.
The shooting took place on the same block where a teenage boy was wounded in a shooting Wednesday.
Lt. Tom Delgado said the teen was approached by an attacker and there was a brief exchange of words before the shooter opened fire. No suspect description was available.
The boy suffered minor injuries in the shooting, Delgado added.

- Brian Day and Ruby Gonzales

Teen wounded in Pasadena shooting

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PASADENA – A teen suffered minor injuries in a shooting on Summit Avenue late Wednesday, police said.
The victim, a local teenager, was approached by an assailant about 8:30 p.m. in the 1800 block of North Summit Avenue, Pasadena police Lt. Tom Delgado said.
“Words were exchanged and the suspect fired multiple rounds at the victim,” he said.
The teen was taken to a hospital for treatment of apparently minor injuries, Delgado said.
A suspect description was not available, he added, and no getaway car was seen.
The investigation was ongoing, the lieutenant said, however there was no initial indication the shooting was gang-related.

Two wounded in Pomona shooting

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POMONA — Two people were wounded in a shooting late Sunday, authorities said.
The shooting was reported at 9:35 p.m. in the 2200 block of West Carlton Avenue, Los Angeles County Fire Department Supervising Fire Dispatcher Phil Ulloa said.
Two victims were injured, however their conditions were not immediately available, Pomona police officials said.
Rescuers landed a helicopter at nearby Brackett Field to rush one of the patients to a hospital, officials added.
No further details were available.

Arizona man stabbed by hitchikers on 10 Freeway in Rosemead

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ROSEMEAD – Two hitchhikers stabbed an Arizona man four times Friday night after he pulled over to let them out of his car due to constant quarreling, officials said.
The stabbing took place just after 11 p.m. on the San Bernardino (10) Freeway near Rosemead Boulevard, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Lynette O’Brien said.
The stabbing victim, a man in his mid-30s, was expected to survive after undergoing treatment at a hospital, O’Brien said. He was stabbed twice in the stomach, once in the side and once in the back.
He had picked up the hitchhikers in Arizona and was en route to Hollywood, O’Brien said.
“Apparently, the two hitchhikers started arguing,” O’Brien said. They were arguing constantly.”
Fed up with the quarreling, the man pulled over to let the man and woman out of the car, O’Brien said.
The male hitchhiker stabbed the driver before exiting the car with the woman, officials said.
The motorist continued driving on the 10 Freeway. He initially believed he had merely been punched, but exited at Rosemead Boulevard and called for help when he realized he was bleeding, O’Brien said.
Deputies searched the area and found the two suspects on foot near the scene of the stabbing, she added. Deputies arrested them without a struggle.
Detectives withheld the suspects’ names Saturday as they continued their investigation, O’Brien said. She also declined to discuss whether the knife used in the attack was recovered.

MTA bus struck by gunfire in El Monte

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EL MONTE – Authorities believe an MTA bus hit twice by gunfire on Tuesday was not the intended target of the shooter or shooters.
El Monte police detained two men following the incident on Peck Road and Ramona Boulevard.
Detective Ken Fraser said the men were later released. He added that police are looking for one suspect and a beige vehicle.
The shooting happened at 4:05 p.m. Tuesday.
An MTA bus was heading north on Peck Road near Ramona Boulevard when it was hit by two stray bullets, according to El Monte police spokesman Cpl. Aram Choe in a statement.
One round hit the windshield while the other round struck one of the windows, he said.
Aram said a 12-year-old boy in the bus was hit by broken glass and complained of pain to his forehead. He was examined by paramedics.
Police received calls about shots fired at Peck Road and Ramona.
One of the passengers on the bus reported the shooting and told police she saw a beige vehicle speeding away from the area, Choe said.
According to the corporal, other callers said they saw the shooting and believe two other suspects ran from the scene.
Two men believed to be involved in the shooting were found and detained.
Detectives are still trying to determine who was the real target in the shooting.
There was no description released for the suspect still being sought.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the El Monte Police Department at 626-580-2100.

- Ruby Gonzales

House shot in Altadena, no injuries reported

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ALTADENA — Deputies are looking for the man who shot at a home Wednesday night.
There were no injuries.
Sgt. Booker Hollis of the sheriff’s Crescenta Valley station said deputies found two bullet holes in the house.
The shooting happened around 8:45 p.m. in the 2500 block of North El Sol Avenue.
Hollis said a resident looked out a window and saw two men. One of the men fired two shots in her direction, the sergeant added.
The shooter and his companion ran toward another street and out of view.
They were described only as black men wearing dark clothing.

- Ruby Gonzales