Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - A community meeting has been planned for later in December for city officials, law enforcement and school officials to help residents address surging gun violence that has claimed two young lives in as many days in an Azusa neighborhood.
The community meeting is scheduled for December 21 at 6:30 p.m. at Foothill Community Church, 777 E. Alosta Ave. The meeting will be held in coordination with the Azusa Police Department , Azusa Unified School District and local public officials, according to the city of Azusa in a written statement. “The city is working closely with the Azusa Unified School District and County partners to facilitate resources and provide support for the community and our local families and are preparing For a local dialogue later this month, according to Azusa Mayor Robert Gonzales. A young man driving a vehicle was shot in the area of East Newburgh Street and North Donna Beth Avenue just before 10 a.m. Monday, December 5. During his escape, the driver crashed into a parked truck which then slammed into a parked car. The driver died after being hospitalized. One day later, two teenagers were shot just before 3:30 p.m. in the 600 block of North Donna Beth Avenue, which is roughly one block north of where the December 5 shooting occurred. Both teenagers were taken to a trauma center where one of them died. Investigators have not yet publicly revealed if the shootings are related to each other, or definitive motives. Anyone with information on these shootings is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Provide information anonymously by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app or lacrimestoppers.org. For more information on the December 21 community meeting, visit the City of Azusa website, or call the Azusa city manager’s office at 626-812-5200. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - A male juvenile was shot and later died Tuesday, the most recent victim in ongoing violence in an Azusa neighborhood.
First responders were sent to North Donna Beth Avenue south of East Renwick Avenue just before 3:30 p.m. December 6. At least two victims were found. It is unclear if anyone else was wounded, according to dispatch supervisor Bernard Peters of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. A unidentified male juvenile died after being taken to a hospital, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. It is unclear if a suspect is in custody, or if investigators have identified any suspects. The shooting is the latest in continuing violence in a neighborhood that saw a young driver shot while eastbound on Newburgh Street from North Donna Beth Avenue just two days prior. That driver, who still remains unidentified, was shot at least once and crashed while fleeing at high speed through the neighborhood. Strangely enough, this December 6 shooting occurred likely in the same area where the driver was shot December 5. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - A man found seated in a crashed vehicle, suffering from a gunshot later died at a hospital, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Monday.
Azusa Police officers were called to a traffic collision in the 17700 block of East Newburgh Street just before 10 a.m. December 5. The unidentified victim, only described as being 18 to 25 years old, was found suffering at least one gunshot, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. KTLA 5 reporters discovered Facebook video from the man who was shot. He was on a livestream as he drove east on Newburgh Street. A single shot struck the man and his vehicle careened head on into a parked truck. An initial report provided to the California Highway Patrol indicated that at least one or more of the vehicles involved in the crash had caught on fire. First responders began providing CPR to the man who was shot before he was transported to a local hospital. Investigators believe that the shooting occurred near the intersection of East Newburgh Street and North Donna Beth Avenue, roughly one block west of where the crash occurred. Either investigators do not know where the shot came from, or have not yet publicly revealed information leading to a suspect. Anyone with information on this shooting is urged to call the Los Angeles county sheriffs homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Remain anonymous by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - An embedded investigator with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office helped to uncover a gargantuan cache of fireworks at two locations in Azusa June 27.
One person was detained and 14,000 pounds of fireworks were seized during the operation led by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Azusa Police Department. An illegal firearm and more than $10,000 in cash were also seized, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. “By embedding our prosecutors and investigators in the communities that we serve, we were able to secure valuable information that led to the safe removal of thousands of pounds of illegal fireworks from an Azusa neighborhood,” District Attorney Gascón said. “I am grateful that we could assist local law enforcement in protecting this community from the potential dangers posed by illegal fireworks.” The fireworks seized were being stored at a home and a storage facility in Azusa. Twenty-seven homes were evacuated while the explosives were safely recovered and disposed, Santiago said in a written statement. The investigator is part of the DA’s new Community Violence Reduction Division. It is not publicly clear if the detained person will face arrest. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES – An 18-year-old man was identified recently, the victim of a shooting in a residential area June 2.
Andrew Hidalgo was identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. He died from multiple gunshot wounds. His death is listed as a homicide. Hidalgo was allegedly spray painting graffiti in an Azusa neighborhood Thursday, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Hidalgo was found by Azusa Police officers in the 200 block of South Noble Place, June 2 around 3:23 p.m. He was transported to a hospital and died the next day, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Investigators later identified two suspects in the shooting and both are now in custody. Their names have not been publicly released. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - A man allegedly spray painting graffiti in an Azusa neighborhood Thursday was the target of gunfire, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The unidentified victim was found by Azusa Police officers in the 200 block of South Noble Place, June 2 around 3:23 p.m. He was transported to a hospital and died the next day, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Investigators later identified two suspects in the shooting and both are now in custody. Their names have not been publicly released. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - A passerby en route to work found a man down in a park early Friday morning and officers and firefighters saw that the deceased victim suffered from unknown head trauma.
The victim was found in the 1300 block of Mountain View Circle around 7:43 a.m. Friday, June 3. The passerby called Azusa Police and Los Angeles County firefighters, the latter declared the victim dead at the scene. The victim was only described as a Hispanic man, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. The park is the Azusa Rockery, 1350 Mountain View Cir., a half-acre geology interpretive park north of an industrial area and adjacent to the San Gabriel River Bike Path. The victim has yet to be identified. Preliminary Report Indicates Dust Hazard Contributed to Crash of Sheriff Copter Above Azusa4/7/2022 Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report recently indicating the causes that contributed to a crash that injured six of water Los Angeles County sheriffs rescue helicopter.
The Eurocopter AS332L1 that was being flown March 19 to treat and transport a crash victim along Highway 39 north of Azusa became engulfed in dust as it descended to about five feet above a dirt turnout. The main rotors struck a nearby tree. The helicopter crashed and rolled over in the landing zone, according to the NTSB. Of the six people on board, four suffered serious injuries. Two received minor injuries. The crash occurred around 5:07 p.m. As the pilot in command, who was behind the controls, the other pilot and crew chief coordinated a landing, the trio discussed a potential dust hazard known as a “brownout” and tree hazard, according to the NTSB. As the Sheriff’s Air Rescue 5 helicopter descended on the landing zone, the pilot in command heard the crew chief say “hold.” As the descent slowed, a dust cloud overcame the helicopter, according to the NTSB. The six on board had to be extricated from the crashed helicopter. Brackets securing the pilot in command’s lap belt also fractured from their position, according to the NTSB. The main rotor system and fuselage sustained major damage. The wreckage was taken to a secure location for further investigation, according to the NTSB. Azusa, Glendora Investigation Yields Stolen Catalytic Converters, Other Property in Pomona4/4/2022 Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA – A multi-agency investigation involving Azusa and Glendora detectives into catalytic converter thefts last year led to the discovery of the stolen items being stored and sold in Pomona. Eight suspects were arrested April 2 after a search warrant was served. Numerous catalytic converters were found, as well as nearly $40,000 in cash, firearms, narcotics, items taken during railroad cargo thefts and other metal theft-related items, according to the Azusa Police Department. Additional warrants were served with help from the task force comprised of the California Highway Patrol and Union Pacific Railroad Police. The value of the stolen cargo is estimated at $100,000, according to the Azusa Police Department. Azusa Police property crimes detectives began investigating the catalytic converter theft and learned stolen converters from Azusa, several other local cities and converters from San Bernardino County were being stored and sold in the San Gabriel Valley prior to being transported for recycling, according to the Azusa Police Department. The eight suspects face charges including possession of stolen property, felony vandalism, vehicle theft, firearms violations, narcotics violations, probation and parole violations, according to the Azusa Police Department. “This investigation continues to be ongoing. The Azusa Police Department is committed to curbing thefts related to catalytic converters within the City of Azusa, as well as working with other local agencies to combat this issue within the San Gabriel Valley and other parts of Southern California,” according to the Azusa Police Department in a written statement. Assisting Azusa and Glendora detectives were the Taskforce for Regional Autotheft Prevention, Foothill Special Enforcement Team, San Bernardino County Auto Theft Task Force, Chino Hills Station Multiple Enforcement Team, Chino Police Department, Los Angeles County Probation and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Metal Theft Investigator. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA – An officer was hospitalized for injuries considered not life-threatening after being shot during a struggle with a suspect who fled from a reported stolen vehicle Wednesday.
The unidentified suspect ran from officers in the 1000 block of West Gladstone Street around 4 p.m. February 16. Two officers chased the suspect on foot and an altercation began, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. “During the struggle, the suspect produced a handgun and fired at the officers, at which time one officer returned gunfire and an officer involved shooting occurred. One officer was struck in the lower torso and was transported to a local hospital,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau in a written statement. The suspect is only described as a man in his 30s. Next of kin have yet to be notified, according to Sarah Ardalani of the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. The suspect was struck multiple times. He was treated by paramedics at the scene, but was pronounced dead. A handgun was recovered at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. A 28-year-old passenger in the reported stolen vehicle was detained, but it is unclear if she was arrested or released. |
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