Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - The man accused of gunning down an auxiliary bishop for the LA Archdiocese over alleged money issues awaits his day in court.

Carlos Medina, 61, is being held in lieu of $2 million bail. A court date has yet to be set.

LA Archdiocese Auxiliary Bishop at David O’Connell was discovered dead from at least one gunshot wound in his bedroom after deputies were called at 1 p.m. to a report of a person not breathing in the 1500 block of Janlu Avenue in Hacienda Heights Saturday, February 18, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.

The Sheriff’s Department was notified Sunday, February 19 at 7 p.m. of a person of interest tied to the murder. Deputies traveled to the city of Torrance where the person of interest lives and after the special enforcement operation, Medina was apprehended.

Two firearms and items possibly tying Medina to the murder were confiscated. The firearms will have to be examined to determine if they were used in the Hacienda Heights murder, Luna said at the Monday press conference.

A tipster told the Sheriff’s Department that Medina was acting strange, irrational and expressed that O’Connell owed Medina money. Medina is married to O’Connell’s housekeeper, Luna said at the Monday press conference.

Investigators did not find any apparent forced entry into the home. Surveillance footage showed a dark-colored compact SUV pull into the bishops driveway and was driven away after a short time. That SUV is driven by Medina’s wife.

Before Medina’s arrest, investigators were told that he was possibly in the Central California area. A tipster notified investigators that Medina had returned to his home in Torrance in the 20400 block of Kenwood Avenue.

At 2 a.m. on Monday, February 20, deputies arrived to arrest Medina, but he refused to exit. At 8:15 a.m., Medina finally surrendered.

REGION - A little late for a white Christmas, but a winter storm could bring snow down to the 1000-foot level this week.

Cooler temps and high winds will usher in by Tuesday with winds potentially from 45 to 70 miles per hour in the mountains and foothills and 30 to 50 miles per hour in the coasts and valleys. The biggest chance for snow is Wednesday and during the morning hours from Friday to Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters believe 1 to 2 inches of snow is possible at the 1,000-foot to 2,000-foot level

Temperatures may be 10 to 20 degrees lower than normal.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - Citing the recent mass shooting in Monterey Park, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion aimed at toughening gun regulations.

Item 2, authored by Janice Hahn, would prohibit the selling of .50-caliber rounds of ammunition and accompanying firearms in unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, as well as prohibit the possession of firearms on county property with some exceptions. An ordinance could also establish a 1,000-foot buffer between firearms dealers and child-sensitive areas.

Amendments to the county code would also strengthen regulation of firearms and ammunition dealers in county areas.

Hahn also authored Items 56-A, which would direct the county’s Chief Executive Office’s Legislative Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations branch to support state legislation SB 2 and SB 241, which would strengthen conceal-carry laws and require federally-licensed firearms dealers to complete annual training provided by the California Department of Justice.

Item 8, authored by Hilda Solis, would authorize the County Chief Executive Office’s Legislative Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations branch to send a five-signature letter to U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and the Los Angeles County Congressional delegation showing support for S.14 and S. 25, which seeks to raise the minimum age to purchase assault weapons from 18 to 21. The bills would also ban the sale, transfer, manufacture and import of military-style assault weapons, high-capacity magazines and other high-capacity ammunition feeding devices.

Item 15, authored by Lindsey Horvath, would create county ordinances that would require all firearms in a residence to be securely stored in a locked container or disabled with a trigger lock. An ordinance would also mandate liability insurance for gun owners.

Item 15 also requests the feasibility of implementing a county gun database. A county code would be created to require the posting of signs warning customers about the risk associated with access to firearms wherever they are sold.

The series of motions were unanimously approved.

“I intend to do whatever is possible to protect Los Angeles County residents, particularly following the tragedy in the First District community of Monterey Park. Gun-related violence will continue to cause mass damage, trauma, and harm if we do not take the necessary steps at all levels of government,” Solis said in a written statement. “This includes supporting key gun safety legislation like Senator Feinstein’s recent action to reinstate the assault weapons and high -capacity magazine ban. Today, living in the United States of America means being at risk of becoming a victim of a mass shooting. To that end, time is of the essence."

Board Chair Hahn echoed the notion that Congress has failed to enact gun reform.

“Because they have not acted — we have found actions we can take at the county level to protect lives,” Hahn said in a written statement.