Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

POMONA - Investigators are trying to determine the cause of a fire that ignited in the paper goods aisle of a Walmart Saturday afternoon.

Firefighters doused the flames that also activated the sprinklers. Electricity went out inside the Walmart Supercenter, 80 Rio Rancho Rd. First responders were sent to the scene around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, December 30.

The entire store was evacuated

Firefighters had flames knocked down by 5:15 p.m., according to Dispatch Supervisor Michael Pittman of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Officers were unable to view security

“The paper towel and toilet paper section was on fire. There was pretty minimal damage other than smoke saturation,” according to Sgt. Uribe of the Pomona Police Department.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
Citywatch Editor

POMONA - A Pomona teen is still hospitalized after being found shot late Tuesday night.

First responders arrived to the 1300 block of West Mission Boulevard around 9:22 p.m. and found the juvenile gunshot victim December 26.

The juvenile was treated at the scene and transported to a hospital by Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics, according to the Pomona Police Department.

Investigators from the Pomona Police Major Crimes Unit are determining a motive.

It is not publicly clear if investigators have identified a suspect in the hours since the shooting.

Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call the Pomona Police Department at 909-620-2085. 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

POMONA - A church has been reduced to smoldering rubble after a fire ignited inside Victory Outreach Church overnight.

Firefighters were sent to the church, 177W. Monterey Ave., at 2:47 a.m. December 17 and were greeted by smoke and fire from within the 12,000-square-foot church. Firefighters initiated an aggressive interior attack, according to Cpt. Sheila Kelliher Berkoh of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

No civilians or firefighters were injured.

Much of the fire was in the attic. As the firefight progressed, firefighters believed they were gaining an upper hand on extinguishing the flames, but the fire began growing. Additional resources were called after the fire expanded.

100 firefighters were called to battle the flames, as well as an urban search and rescue team, hazmat and heavy equipment, Berkoh told SGV CityWatch.

The large open attic across the 12,000-square-foot structure likely aided in the fire is rapid spreading, Berkoh told SGV CityWatch.

The church was scheduled to debut a play the night of December 17 and hold a Christmas toy giveaway, but now churchgoers are left to pick up the pieces and find a way to move forward.

Firefighters remain on scene to extinguish hot spots.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

POMONA - Five people with outstanding warrants were arrested last Saturday after responding to a shooting call.

Police did find evidence that a shooting took place inside a residence in the 800 block of East Columbia Street. Officers were sent to the location around 8:07 a.m. No shooting victims were located.

“Officers arrived and successfully evacuated twenty individuals from the premises. During the investigation, it was learned that a shooting did occur and at this time, there have been no reported injuries. At the location, five individuals were found to have outstanding warrants and were arrested and booked at the Pomona City Jail,” according to the Pomona Police Department in a written statement.

Assisting Pomona were police departments from Chino, Claremont, La Verne and Ontario.