Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

AZUSA - Four students were arrested Friday, September 6, after a series of fights broke out on the Azusa high school campus.

Law enforcement was called to the high school, 240 N. Cerritos Ave., just before noon. Officers arrived and observed numerous fights occurring simultaneously.

“Officers, with the assistance of campus security and school officials were able to calm the situation and send students back to class,” according to the Azusa Police Department in a written statement.

Charges include resisting/delaying a peace officer, bringing weapons onto school grounds(Brass Knuckles) and battery.

Because the students are minors, their names will not be released.

Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call the Azusa Police Department Detective Bureau at 626-812-3200. 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 - Two juveniles and an adult were arrested, accused of being involved in the shooting death of a 62-year-old man January 31.

Jiovanni Ruiz, a 21-year-old Covina man, and one of the juveniles were officially charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office with one count each of murder.

Ruiz was arrested May 9. It is not publicly clear when the other juveniles, a resident of Covina and the other, a resident of Azusa, were arrested.

First responders were sent to a mobile gas station, 145 N. Azusa Ave., on a report of a shooting victim around 9 PM January 31.

The 62-year-old victim was found down and unconscious. He was treated by paramedics at the scene and transported to a hospital, where he later died, according to the Azusa Police Department.

It is not publicly clear if detectives have determined a motive for the shooting.

Anyone with information on this shooting is urged to call the Azusa Police Department at 626-812-3200. 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 - Investigators are asking for public assistance in providing information regarding a fire that gutted the cafeteria of a shuttered elementary school Friday.

Investigators ultimately deemed the fire at Mountain View Elementary school, 201 N. Vernon Ave., as arson. Beyond that, the Azusa Police Department has not provided any details regarding a possible suspect description, if one exists.

District employees were on campus at the time, but it is unclear if any of those employees witnessed the start of the fire.

The cafeteria was being used to store furniture, according to radio traffic from the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Firefighters were dispatched to the school at 7:16 p.m. Friday, June 7. They discovered heavy smoke and flames coming from the cafeteria and initiated an aggressive fire attack to limit the damage. Knockdown was called at 8:06 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Mountain View was one of two campuses closed for the 2019-20 school year as a cost-saving measure to grapple with declining enrollment district wide.

Anyone with information on this fire is urged to call the Azusa Police Department Detective Bureau at 626-812-3200. 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 - A 17-year-old student was arrested, booked on suspicion of battery Friday after a fight broke out on campus between a group of students.

Further arrests are possible as officers and the Azusa Unified School District continue an investigation, according to the Azusa Police Department.

It is not readily known how many students were involved, or what level of injuries were sustained.

“Due to student privacy laws, we are unable to provide further information regarding disciplinary action that may have occurred as a result of the fight,” according to the Azusa Unified School District in a written statement.

A school resource officer was on campus when the fight occurred. The incident was quickly resolved with a rapid and massive police response, according to the Azusa Police Department.

“The Azusa Police Department has zero tolerance for any physical violence on any school campus within our jurisdiction. It is our goal to maintain a safe learning environment for our students at all times. To that end, we will continue to assign a full-time School Resource Officer to the AHS campus and will be providing increased patrols at the school throughout the school year,” according to the Azusa Police Department in a written statement.

The district outline security measures undertaken at the school, including increased security staffing, a full-time Azusa Police Student Resource Officer, additional security cameras and contracting with a security company for additional resources.

Anyone with additional information on this fight is urged to call the Azusa Police Department at 626-812-3200. 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 anonymous tipster notified Azusa High School staff and Azusa police about a student armed with a handgun on campus Friday.

The anonymous tipster notified Azusa High School staff to report a student in possession of a handgun on the campus, 240 N. Cerritos Ave., March 3. An investigation by the Azusa Police Department and school administrators led to two students being arrested.

“AUSD policy, and state law, consider the possession of a gun on a school campus to be a serious disciplinary matter as well as a criminal matter, and the situation is being handled as such,” according to the Azusa Unified School District in written statement.

The district is unwilling to share further details due to privacy laws and the ongoing investigation.

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.

AZUSA - Police are investigating a reported child annoying by a man in a grey sedan September 19.

In a letter to parents of Azusa Unified, Superintendent Linda Kaminski said a man in his 3os tried to wave the girl over to his vehicle while she walked to school Thursday morning.

The incident occurred in the 800 block of East Alosta Avenue near Taco Bell around 7:42 a.m.

The girl ran from the scene and called 9-1-1, Kaminski said.

AZUSA - A 28-year-old employee of the Azusa Unified School District was arrested May 6, accused of an unlawful sexual relationship with a minor student.

Jessica Marie Esparza is accused of engaging in the illicit relationship two years ago when the alleged victim was 16 years old. The alleged acts occurred over the course of a year, according to Lt. Robert Chivas of the Azusa Police Department.