LOS ANGELES – A 31-year-old man shot and who later died at a hospital was identified recently.

Andrew Valencia, 31, was identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. He died of a gunshot wound to the chest. His death was ruled a homicide.

Valencia was found wounded, but still alive in the 3000 block of Allgeyer Avenue May 5. Firefighters and El Monte Police officers were called around 4:50 a.m. He was taken to a hospital and later declared dead.

Valencia was found laying to the side of a road near a business.

Surveillance footage apparently revealed a dark-colored sedan was driven to the location and Valencia was pushed out of the vehicle, leading investigators to believe he was shot elsewhere. The sedan was driven south from the scene.

Anyone with information on this shooting is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Information can be provided anonymously 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

EL MONTE - One person died from apparent gunshot wounds after being hospitalized Thursday morning.

Reports from the scene show the shooting took place on North Allgeyer Avenue south of Valley Boulevard.

Firefighters were dispatched at 4:50 a.m. May 5. One unidentified victim was taken to a hospital, according to a public information officer with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The patient later died, according to reports from the scene.

The El Monte Police Department is deferring all questions to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

EL MONTE - Police continue to investigate a hit-and-run collision that took the life of a bicyclist March 22.

Officers were called just before 9 p.m. to a male down and bleeding in the street at El Monte Avenue and Lower Azusa Road.

The male was declared dead at the scene by Los Angeles County firefighters, according to Lt. Doug Knight of the El Monte Police Department.

The bicyclist was identified as 59-year-old Ruben Vicario, an El Monte man. He died of blunt trauma. His death was ruled accidental, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

The suspect vehicle is possibly a red or burgundy 2019 or 2021 Toyota sedan.

Anyone with information on a suspect is urged to call the El Monte Police Department at 626-580-2100.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

EL MONTE - Road closures are in effect after a driver struck and killed a pedestrian Tuesday night.

Officers were called just before 9 p.m. to a male down and bleeding in the street at El Monte Avenue and Lower Azusa Road.

The male was declared dead at the scene by Los Angeles County firefighters, according to Lt. Knight of the El Monte Police Department.

The suspect driver did not remain at the scene. The description of the driver and vehicle are not available, Knight told SGV CityWatch.

All lanes of Lower Azusa Road are closed between Pal Mal Avenue and Persimmon Avenue. All lanes of El Monte Avenue are closed between Lower Azusa and Douglas Street, Knight told SGV CityWatch.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

EL MONTE - Fire investigators and El Monte building inspectors are examining a fire at the former site of a highly-controversial church Sunday morning.

The fire burned in a one-story commercial building at 2600 Tyler Ave. Firefighters were dispatched at 8:54 a.m. March 6. The fire, which burned in some façade on the street-side of the structure, was knocked down at 9:18 a.m., according to Dispatch Supervisor Jeremy Stafford of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The building apparently used to house the First Works Baptist Church, whose pastor was known for anti-gay rhetoric. Two people were caught on grainy security video January 23, 2021 as they ignited an object that caused a fire inside the building.

The building apparently now houses a different church, according to Lt. Pete Rasic of the El Monte Police.

“I think it is a Christian church. I think it’s a church that’s new to the building,” Rasic told SGV CityWatch.

A quick Google search shows Celestial Church of Christ LA Mother Parish as occupying the address, however the City of El Monte business directory still lists First Works Baptist Church at the location.

Preliminarily, the cause may be electrical, Rasic told SGV CityWatch.

One person inside the church was displaced, Stafford told SGV CityWatch.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

EL MONTE – The Los Angeles County Fire Department announced the passing of a fire captain Wednesday night.

Fire Captain Steven McCann from Los Angeles County Fire Station 166 passed away February 9.

“We extend our deepest condolences and prayers to the entire McCann family during this difficult time,” according to a social media statement from the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The department’s Memorial Management Team and PEER Support Team were activated to ensure proper care for all family members to support those in need, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

A medical emergency was dispatched at Fire Station 166, 3615 Santa Anita Ave., around 9:30 p.m.

First responders were told of a firefighter in cardiac arrest. CPR was performed and the patient was transported with a police escort and unobstructed roads to Arcadia Methodist Hospital.

McCann was declared dead at the hospital.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

REGION - A pedestrian died at the scene after being struck by a train headed for San Bernardino Thursday afternoon, a Metrolink spokeswoman said.

Eastbound train 382 bound for the San Bernardino Depot struck the pedestrian around 5:54 p.m. January 27. None of the 120 passengers on the train were injured or required assistance in evacuating, according to Laurene Lopez, public affairs manager for Metrolink.

Four other trains, including a westbound train, were affected during a track closure, Lopez told SGV CityWatch.

The railroad tracks were cleared at 10:29 p.m. Thursday, Lopez told SGV CityWatch.

​The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is investigating.

EL MONTE – A 31-year-old man was arrested, suspected of brutally beating to death an 89-year-old woman later Tuesday night, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.
 
El Monte Police officers discovered the brutally beaten woman during a “welfare check” in the 11300 block of Cedar Circle around 10:54 p.m. The woman was on the ground and appeared to have significant trauma to her upper body, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau.
 
The 89-year-old woman was hospitalized and later died.
 
After receiving information on a possible suspect, El Monte officers located the man, believed to be the victim’s grandson, and detained him. He was eventually placed into custody, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

EL MONTE - A woman died at a hospital after being found with apparent blunt force trauma Tuesday night.

The incident was reported to the El Monte Police Department in the 11300 block of Cedar Circle at 10:54 p.m. December 14.

It is not yet publicly clear how the woman may have sustained her injuries. It is unclear if a suspect is being sought.

Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Information can be provided anonymously 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

EL MONTE – Police arrested five people involved in an alleged assault Sunday night that led to a pursuit into Los Angeles and back again.

The five suspects were involved to varying degrees in an assault in the 10500 block of Valley Boulevard around 8 p.m. November 14. The victims, a father and son, were allegedly assaulted after leaving a restaurant, according to lt. Pete Rasic of the El Monte Police Department.

Police quickly saw the suspect vehicle near the scene after the victims described the vehicle. The driver and suspects sped away after officers attempted a traffic stop, Rasic told SGV CityWatch.

The fled officers at high speeds, sometimes at 100 miles per hour.

During the pursuit a handgun was tossed from the suspect vehicle, but was later recovered, Rasic told SGV CityWatch.

The pursuit ended with three suspects being quickly detained on Santa Anita Avenue near Valley Boulevard in El Monte.

Two suspects continued to flee on foot, with one fleeing into the rather large Rio Hondo flood control channel, but both fleeing suspects were caught, Rasic told SGV CityWatch.

In an odd twist, a vehicle seemingly unrelated to the pursuit caught fire on Santa Anita Avenue south of Valley Boulevard just after the pursuit ended.

The driver of the burning vehicle told officers that while in Los Angeles he was a victim of a crime involving the assault suspects. Officers are investigating this new allegation, Rasic told SGV CityWatch.

Booking information was not yet available.