Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A man is facing kidnapping and other charges related to the assault of a female Azusa Pacific University September 6.

The suspect, 32 year old Chima Njoku, who also goes by Jake Christopher, found his victim while she was sitting in her vehicle in the Citrus College parking lot, 1000 W. Foothill Blvd., around 6 p.m. He reportedly asked her about the weather and while she was distracted by her phone, entered through an unlocked passenger door, according to the Azusa Police Department.

The victim ordered the suspect out, but he allegedly refused and told her to drive to nearby Azusa Pacific University. Out of fear for her life, she complied.

The victim was told to stop on Shire Lane at the university, where she once again told the suspect to exit. He allegedly then attacked her and attempted to sexually assault her, according to the Azusa Police Department.

The suspect fled before officers arrived.

The victim then directed officers to Alosta Avenue and Calera Avenue, where the suspect was found hiding under a vehicle. The suspect fled, but was caught after a brief foot chase, according to the Azusa Police Department.

The suspect allegedly attempted to assault officers before his arrest.

Njoku, a View Park resident, was booked on suspicion of kidnapping, false imprisonment, attempted rape by force or violence knowingly resisting an officer by use of force or violence.

Njoku is being held in lieu of $1 million bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in West Covina Superior Court September 10.

LOS ANGELES - An Azusa man was sentenced to more than 11 years in state prison Monday after pleading no contest to several charges stemming from a June 6 shooting with police.
 
Edward Gamino, 35, pleaded no contest to one count of assault with a semi-automatic weapon on a peace officer and two counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling or vehicle, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokesman Ricardo Santiago.
 
Gamino was sentenced to 11 years and four months in prison.
 
The bizarre incident unfolded June 6, 2021 in the 800 block of East Foothill Boulevard near Azusa Pacific University and Citrus College around 11 a.m. A suspect was seen with a firearm. Azusa Police officers initially could not find a suspect, according to Azusa Police Captain Robert Landeros in a previous interview.
 
Around Noon, a suspect was seen reportedly firing a handgun into the air and fired at an Azusa Pacific University employee in a truck. No one was hit by gunfire.
 
During an area search, officers located a suspect, later identified as Gamino. A foot chase ensued inside the Foothill Vista Mobile Home Park, 840 E. Foothill Blvd. Officers exchanged gunfire with Gamino, who took refuge in an occupied mobile home, Landeros said. 
 
The 88-year-old mother of Audrey Schmedes was able to escape with the help of neighbors.
 
“I got a message from her neighbor, a voicemail saying that ‘you mom is with me. Her unit was broken into and there’s somebody in there now,” according to Audrey Schmedes in a previous interview.
 
Schmedes called her mother’s home number and a man who was likely Gamino answered the phone.
 
“After he said hello a couple of times I said ‘hello’ back and I said ‘can I like to speak to the lady who lives there’ and he said ‘she’s outside,’” Schmedes said.
 
Gamino was soon taken into custody. He was found wearing a makeshift gunbelt he used to holster the weapon. A handgun was recovered, Landeros said.

AZUSA – A sweep of both east and west APU campuses in Azusa yielded no danger after threatening messages were sent to the university Wednesday.
 
Authorities were also compelled to evacuate and search regional campuses, their residential living areas and other buildings in Monrovia, Orange County, Los Angeles, Inland Empire, the High Desert, Murietta and San Diego. Nothing dangerous was located at the regional campuses, according to a statement from Azusa Pacific University.
 
Azusa Pacific University gave the all clear to concerned students, staff and faculty February 17 at 10:41 p.m.
 
APU students and employees were sent an emergency alert about the suspicious messages and bomb threat at 5:31 p.m.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A series of threatening messages sent to Azusa Pacific University Wednesday afternoon has forced authorities to recommend evacuations at fellow campuses across Southern California Wednesday.

Evacuations have been ordered for APU regional campuses in Monrovia, Orange County, Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, the High Desert, Murietta and San Diego, according to the Azusa Pacific University Campus Safety department.

Students currently inside on-campus housing are asked to shelter in place. Students who are not on campus are asked to stay away from the area.

Threatening messages were sent to the Azuza Pacific University campus Wednesday afternoon. At least one of those messages contained a possible bomb threat.

Traffic around the Azusa Pacific campuses is being redirected away from the University.

​It is not yet clear if investigators have identified the source of the messages.

AZUSA - Drugs and alcohol are not yet believed to be factors in a crash that sent five people to two hospitals Thursday night, an Azusa Police sergeant said.

A truck veered off the road and crashed into a light pole while southbound on Azusa Veterans Way around 11:25 p.m. October 17. The truck careened down an embankment and landed in a mangled mess in a small residential parking lot near North Cornejo Way north of Barberry Way.

Three of the five occupants were ejected from the truck after it fell roughly 30 feet from the roadway, according to Sgt. Nick Covarrubias of the Azusa Police Department.

All five patients were determined to have moderate injuries. Four were transported to a local hospital for treatment, one was taken to a trauma center, according to Dispatch Supervisor Martin Rangel of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - A man attempted to steal property right out of his victim’s hands in broad daylight near 85˚ on Alosta Avenue April 18.
 
A man in his mid-30s approached two people walking westbound outside of 85˚, 1119 E. Alosta Ave., around 12:23 p.m. and became verbally combative with them and attempted to pull property out of one of the victim’s hands, according to an Azusa Pacific Timely Warning notice.
 
The victim was able to pull away from the suspect and call Azusa Police.
 
The suspect was described as a white man in his mid-30s, with greyish/blond hair and beard and has a medium build. He wore a grey shirt and black pants.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - Two men were issued trespass notices after following a female student onto the Azusa Pacific University campus Monday.
 
The two men, who are not students, reportedly followed a female student from Alosta Avenue and Calera Avenue, telling the student “we’re going to lurk on you for a minute,” according to an Azusa Pacific University Department of Campus Safety Alert.
 
The incident occurred around 6:21 p.m. April 3.
 
The men were witnessed walking onto the campus and entered the Hartwig Chapel and later entered the Courgar’s Den, according to Azusa Pacific campus safety officials.
 
The female student flagged down a campus safety student worker who escorted her to the campus safety office.
 
Azusa Police officers and campus safety searched for the suspects. Azusa officers found and detained the men outside a mail room. They were eventually issued a notice of trespass, Azusa Pacific campus safety officials said.
 
Azusa Pacific campus safety officials identified the men as 30-year-old Austin Earnest Mackey and 24-year-old Damon Dowell.
 
Dowell admitted to officers that he had prior arrests for sexual battery, Azusa Pacific campus safety officials said.
 
Mackey also has an arrest record, but Los Angeles County booking information does not specifically state why he was arrested.
 
Anyone who sees either or both of these suspects is urged to call their local police or campus safety personnel.