Hawthorne News, CA Local News

Hawthorne, LA, Paramount park projects get state grants

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 16:12:51 +0000

Three park projects in Los Angeles County received about $14 million combined in state grants, which the California Department of Parks and Recreation announced this week.

Those projects — in Hawthorne, Los Angeles and Paramount — were among eight total across California to receive a combined $42 million under the Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Grant Program. That program has provided about $1.2 billion in grants to create better park access since its inception more than 15 years ago, according to a recent press release.

“Having access to outdoor spaces is critical for all Californians,” State Parks Director Armando Quintero said in the press release, “and these projects will contribute to the quality of life for many people who seek local parks to improve their physical, mental and social well-being.”

Zela Davis Park, in Hawthorne, received nearly $1 million for renovations through the statewide program.

The $963,060 will pay to construct a new playground and picnic area with shade, a basketball court, public art, landscaping, lighting throughout the park, and more upgrades, according to the press release.

Hawthorne has 0.41 acres of park space per 1,000 residents, according to a California State Parks email, “with a very limited availability of vacant land that can be acquired and developed as new park space.”

The Zela Davis Park project will renovate the existing 0.74-acre park, which was originally built in 1978 — and has had few upgrades since then. It “has no amenities to attract visitors and gets very little use as a community park,” the Thursday, Dec. 28, email said.

“New recreation features that will be added will greatly improve the condition of an existing and critically needed recreation facility,” the email said. “Community residents will be engaged during the renovation by assisting with the design of the art elements and through community partners such as Zela Davis Elementary School and BHS-Family Health Center.”

The Zela Davis Park in Hawthorne received nearly $1 million for renovations through a state-wide program, it was announced by the California Department of Parks and Recreation on Dec. 28, 2023. (photo by Michael Hixon/SCNG)
The Zela Davis Park in Hawthorne received nearly $1 million for renovations through a state-wide program, it was announced by the California Department of Parks and Recreation on Dec. 28, 2023. (photo by Michael Hixon/SCNG)
The Zela Davis Park in Hawthorne received nearly $1 million for renovations through a state-wide program, it was announced by the California Department of Parks and Recreation on Dec. 28, 2023. (photo by Michael Hixon/SCNG)

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Another $5.8 million, meanwhile, will go toward the Jefferson Park Project, which will create a new park in Los Angeles. That park will boast a playground and water play area, picnic and exercise areas, public art and a skate spot, among other amenities.

Paramount, though, received the largest of the three grants — nearly $7.4 million. That money will help expand the city’s Paramount Park Community Center, particularly the senior center within that facility. The expansion will include include “fitness, music, craft, billiards, card, and conference rooms (and) two screened outdoor lounge areas,” among other additions, according to the state’s Thursday press release.”

Since 2000, California State Parks’ Office of Grants and Local Services has doled out more than $3 billion in local assistance grants to help create or improve approximately 8,000 parks across the state, according to the press release.

1 dead, 1 hospitalized after Hawthorne shooting

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 14:55:05 +0000

Two men were shot, one of them fatally, in Hawthorne Monday night.

The men were in the 13400 block of Kornblum Avenue when the shots rang out shortly after 8 p.m., the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a news release.

One of the men was declared dead at the scene, while the other was taken to a local hospital, where he is in stable condition.

No suspect has been identified, authorities said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the LASD Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.

Redondo Beach woman gets 15-year sentence for defrauding Medicare in a $24 million billing scheme

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 18:09:04 +0000

LOS ANGELES — A Redondo Beach woman was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years behind bars for billing Medicare more than $24 million by submitting fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary medical equipment — mostly power wheelchairs — and repairs, many of which were never performed.

Tamara Motley, 55, was also ordered by U.S. District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr. to pay $13.1 million in restitution, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Motley was found guilty by a federal jury in downtown Los Angeles in June of 20 counts of health care fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

According to evidence presented at her five-day trial, Motley was the de facto owner of Hawthorne-based Action Medical Equipment and Supplies. From January 2013 to November 2016, she was also the de facto owner of Ventura-based Kaja Medical Equipment & Supply. Both companies were enrolled with Medicare in the names of Motley’s out-of-state relatives.

Motley orchestrated a scheme in which she paid accomplices for patient referrals and then directed them to take patients to corrupt physicians, who prescribed medically unnecessary durable medical equipment, such as power wheelchairs, that her companies used to submit fraudulent bills to Medicare, evidence showed.

In January 2011, when Medicare changed the reimbursement rules for the wheelchairs to make the upfront payments less lucrative to suppliers, Action switched to billing Medicare for power wheelchair repairs, and continued that scheme at Kaja once Action was shut down.

The repairs were not medically necessary because the patients did not need the chairs to begin with, were not needed to make the wheelchairs serviceable in any event, and often simply were not performed. These repairs were expensive — often billed for $3,000-$4,000 — and accounted for nearly half of Action’s billings and almost all of Kaja’s.

Over an eight-year period, Action billed Medicare more than $18.2 million for durable medical equipment — most for power wheelchairs, but also for accessories, knee braces and back braces — and repair or replacement. Medicare paid Action nearly $10.3 million.

Between July 2013 and November 2016, Kaja billed Medicare $6.3 million, primarily for repairs. Medicare paid Kaja about $2.8 million for those claims, evidence showed.

Costco’s food court is a great place to fuel up for a day of shopping

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 09:23:52 +0000

Food shopping makes me hungry.

I’ve tried following the sage advice to eat before I go shopping, to keep impulse buys to a minimum. And I do, I swear I do. But still, the sight of all those aisles of tasty treats — well, let’s just say my pantry and freezers are packed to a degree that I’ll put on weight during the next global pandemic!

Of late, the availability of yummy chow has moved past the world of supermarkets, into an unexpected food stand at a casual shoe outlet store. You want pepperoni pizza with your slip-ons? No problem.

But let us begin with the granddaddy of all supermarket eateries: the never disappointing, nigh on cult following Costco food court (locations include 14501 Hindry Ave., Hawthorne, 310-727-0419; and 2640 Lomita Blvd., Torrance, 310-891-1020; www.costco.com) — which has so much of an obsessive following, its hot dog has even inspired a website of its own (www.costcohotdog.com) written by and for true believers.

Costco’s food court offers cheese and pepperoni pizza. There’s a roast beef sandwich, and a turkey and provolone that’s pretty good. There’s a rotisserie chicken Caesar salad, because this is SoCal, and you gotta have salads. (It’s the law, y’know!) There are five ice creams, including a sundae, which is nice. But like the iconic Costco rotisserie chicken, it’s the hot dogs that really matter.

For $1.50, they come with a bottomless soft drink. You can top them with chopped onions, relish, ketchup and mustard. Costco sells millions of them every year. They have no fillers, no by-products, no artificial flavors or colors. Even the buns are good. Religions have been built on less.

I grab one before I shop. I grab another one after. It makes standing on the checkout line so worthwhile.

Skechers Food Spot opened at the giant Skechers shoe outlet in Gardena earlier this year. (Photo by Merrill Shindler)

Some months ago, unexpectedly, Skechers opened the Skechers Food Spot (Skechers Warehouse Outlet, 19000 S. Vermont Ave., Gardena; 424-271-2361, https://local.skechers.com/ca/gardena/2), as an undeniable clone of the Costco food court.

You don’t shop for food at Skechers — obviously. I don’t know if shopping there makes Skecher-holics peckish. But if they do feel the need, the Food Spot menu is a cutdown version of the Costco one.

The hot dog is from Nathan’s of Coney Island, all-beef, going for $2.50. (For those of us from N’Yawk, the Nathan’s hot dog is a culinary object of desire!)

There’s also a double cheeseburger, three chicken sandwiches, two pizzas, and two salads — a Manhattan Beach Cobb and a Californian Caesar. The 20-ounce fountain drinks run a buck. Which means a dog and a soda will cost more than twice what it does at Costco.

I don’t wear Skechers; my feet need more support. Skechers also doesn’t sell gas. And Costco has randomly placed stands of people offering food samples. For me, Costco wins on so many levels.

More Merrill: Reel in great seafood at this down-home Redondo Beach restaurant

To return to the notion of how shopping makes me hungry, let me direct your attention to the front-of-the-store food court at H Mart (Vista Plaza, 4340 Pacific Coast Hwy., Torrance; 310-974-6880, gift.hmart.com/storelocator/index/index/id/51) — our local branch of the nationwide Korean supermarket chain, the Korean equivalent of the wonderful 99 Ranch Market, with its many aisles of Chinese products and ingredients.

The food court actually offers a proper, if very busy sit-down dining area, allowing you to feast on a wide variety of dishes, in the style of the Singapore hawker markets. It calls itself “KTown: Authentic Korean food for everyone.” Which makes it odd that when you enter the store, there’s the Frenchish Tous les Jours Bakery, with its madcap abundance of pastries. I was especially captivated by a birthday cake that looked like a smiling bear’s head with a pointed hat on top.

On the other side of the tables in the middle of the court, there’s the multidish Hansol Noodle Soup & Rice, which serves far more than noodles, soup and rice. I had a tasty beef bulgogi plate on one visit, and a crunchy pork cutlet on another. For even more crunchiness, there’s the functionally named BBQ Chicken. And next door, there’s Paik’s Noodles — which, like Hansol, offers far more than noodles. Paik’s deep-fried chicken is called kkanpunggi — a name guaranteed to drive my spell-check crazy.

You pick up your food at each stand, and walk it to a table. A sign asks diners to return the trays and dishes to the stand where they come from. But most seem to just pile them up at an unused counter. Totally understandable because there’s shopping to be done. And even a few food samples to try.

But there’s nothing as good as the Costco hot dog. Even the Dodger Dog pales in comparison. And Dodger Stadium doesn’t offer free parking.

Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Email mreats@aol.com.

South Bay workforce agency celebrates community members, partners

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 15:01:34 +0000

The South Bay Workforce Investment Board recently honored its partners and community members for their contributions to society during its annual awards ceremony.

More than 500 community members attended the organization’s 28th awards ceremony last week in Torrance to celebrate the achievement of the SBWIB community.

The top award, the Esther Williams Award of Excellence, went to Northrop Grumman Corporation, with Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts, Jr., a past recipient of the award, presenting it to the aerospace company.

The aerospace company was recognized for “its many years of support to the SBWIB,” a press release said, “and for its visionary approach in expanding apprenticeship programs and ongoing commitment to excellence and community engagement.”

Cindy Egan, vice president of Advanced Mission Systems at Northrop Grumman, said in a statement that the organization is “incredibly grateful and proud” of its partnership with SBWIB and El Camino College.

“Together,” she said, “we are lifting up our community through skills developed and used here at home in the South Bay.”

Other past recipients of the esteemed award include Linda Bradley, former CEO of Centinela Valley Hospital Medical Center, and Dennis Fitzgerald, former vice president of operations for Impresa Aerospace, LLC, in Gardena. Last year, the award went to retiring Hawthorne City Councilmember Olivia J. Valentine.

During the Thursday, Nov. 9, ceremony, SBWIB Executive Director Jan Vogel also paid tribute to past SBWIB Chair Wayne Spencer, who died earlier this year.

The inaugural Wayne Spencer Community Service Award went to the Beach Cities Health District. The organization was honored for its service to the community over the past 25 years and, the SBWIB press release said, for “its initiative to become part of the allcove network of integrated youth mental health centers throughout California.”

Representatives of the Beach Cities Health District, who received the inaugural Wayne Spencer Community Service Award, posed for a group photo during SBWIB’s 28th Awards Ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 9. (Courtesy of the South Bay Workforce Investment Board).

A total of 87 individuals, businesses, event sponsors and training partners from Carson, El Segundo, Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Torrance, Lawndale, Lomita and Redondo Beach were celebrated at the ceremony.

Adult and youth award recipients posed for a group photo at SBWIB’s 28th Awards Ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 9, in Torrance.(Courtesy of the South Bay Workforce Investment Board).

AI’s risks and benefits will be focus of free Torrance community conversation on Wednesday

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 15:38:24 +0000

A free community conversation scheduled for Wednesday evening, Nov. 1, in Torrance will aim to answer some burning questions people might have about artificial intelligence.

The event, hosted by nonprofit AIandYou, will feature Susan Gonzales, the organization’s founder and CEO, and special guest Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, in a discussion to help people develop a comprehensive understanding of AI and make well-informed choices.

The discussion will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Toyota Meeting Hall.

“We take a very basic approach, like what is an algorithm? What is ChatGPT and how does it work? How does AI impact my vote this election,” Gonzales said. “So, we are talking about the basics and leveling the understanding of AI before it’s too late.”

Lieu, in a statement, said he is pleased to join the event “because AI is going to change the world as we know it.

“As a recovering computer science major, I’m fascinated by AI and all it can do,” he added. “AI has significantly helped society and will continue to move us forward. At the same time, we need to mitigate any potential harms of AI.”

That’s why Lieu introduced the National AI Commission Act, which would create a bipartisan blue ribbon commission to advise Congress on how to effectively regulate AI, the representative said.

A native of South Bay, Gonzales grew up in Hawthorne. Later in life, she moved to the Bay Area to pursue a career in the technology field.

Prior to launching her nonprofit in 2019, Gonzales headed Facebook’s community engagement efforts.

She first learned about AI in 2016, when the company launched a tool that uses it to enhance access to photos on the social network for the visually impaired community.

So when she left Facebook around five years ago, Gonzales decided to delve deeper into AI. But she quickly realized that there was hardly any representation of the technology from marginalized communities, such as women, people of color, LGBTQ folks and people with disabilities.

“I felt like the AI tech company community was over here, and then the rest of us were over here,” she said, “and there was nothing in the middle.”

In response, Gonzales launched AIandYou, which aims to prepare marginalized communities for the inevitable changes by educating them about the benefits, risks and opportunities of AI through easy-to-understand information online and community conversations.

Gonzales also serves on the National AI Advisory Committee, where she advises the Biden administration on AI.

The Torrance event is the first in a series of “bringing AI into the community” events, which her organization has launched, she said.

“I’m a product of the South Bay,” Gonzales said. “I’m bringing AI home.”

The discussion will cover topics such as how AI can play a role in education and how small business owners can use the technology to improve their inventory and marketing.

It will also help voters protect their votes in the 2024 election, which will be digitally driven and comes down to voters having a basic AI literacy, Gonzales said.

“This will be the first election where there will be more deepfakes, which are created with AI tools, than ever before,” she said, referring to the creation of fake photos or videos through AI.

“The bottom line is that AI will forever be part of our lives,” Gonzales added. “So now is the time to create a foundation of understanding and awareness.”

If you go

What: “Community Conversation about AI,” a free event hosted by AIandYou with special guest Congressman Ted Lieu

When: 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov.1

Where: Toyota Meeting Hall, 3300 Civic Center Drive, Torrance, CA, USA.

How: Attendees must register here to attend.

DOJ sues SpaceX, alleging it discriminated against refugees, asylum seekers

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 14:38:07 +0000

LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Department of Justice sued SpaceX Thursday, alleging Elon Musk’s Hawthorne-based space company discriminated against refugees and asylum seekers in its hiring practices.

The lawsuit alleges that between 2018 and 2022, Hawthorne-based SpaceX “wrongly claimed” that export control laws limited its hiring to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.

The DOJ said it has been investigating SpaceX since June 2020, when the department’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section received a complaint of employment discrimination from a non-U.S. citizen.

SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“Our investigation found that SpaceX failed to fairly consider or hire asylees and refugees because of their citizenship status and imposed what amounted to a ban on their hire regardless of their qualification, in violation of federal law,” Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement.

Clarke added that SpaceX “recruiters and high-level officials took actions that actively discouraged asylees and refugees from seeking work opportunities at the company.”

According to data SpaceX provided to the government, from September 2018 to May 2022, out of more than 10,000 hires, the company hired only one individual who was an asylee and identified as such in his application, the lawsuit states.

SpaceX recruits and hires for a variety of positions, including welders, cooks, crane operators, baristas and dishwashers, as well as information technology specialists, software engineers, business analysts, rocket engineers and marketing professionals. The jobs at issue in the lawsuit are not limited to those that require advanced degrees, prosecutors said.

The suit was filed in the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer, the only court that can hear claims under the Immigration and Nationality Act’s anti-discrimination provision, the law the complaint alleges SpaceX violated.

The government is seeking back pay for asylees and refugees who were deterred or denied employment at SpaceX due to the alleged discrimination. The lawsuit also seeks civil penalties in an amount to be determined by the court and policy changes to ensure it complies with the Immigration and Nationality Act’s mandate against discrimination.

SpaceX successfully launches 100th Starlink mission

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 17:22:35 +0000

SpaceX lit up the West Coast sky early Tuesday morning, Aug. 22, as it launched another batch of Starlink satellites to orbit.

A Falcon 9 carrying 21 Starlink satellites lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 2:37 a.m.

The rocket launch marks the Hawthorne company’s 100th dedicated Starlink mission and brought the total number of Starlink satellites it boosted to low-earth orbit to nearly 5,000. Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by the space exploration company that provides internet coverage on a global scale.

SpaceX launches a Starlink mission early Tuesday morning 2:37am across the west coast from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Simi Valley CA, Aug 22, 2023. Space-X launch was delayed a few days from Hurricane Hilary passing through. Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)
SpaceX launches a Starlink mission early Tuesday morning 2:37am across the west coast from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Simi Valley CA, Aug 22, 2023. Space-X launch was delayed a few days from Hurricane Hilary passing through. Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)
SpaceX launches a Starlink mission early Tuesday morning 2:37am across the west coast from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Simi Valley CA, Aug 22, 2023. Space-X launch was delayed a few days from Hurricane Hilary passing through. Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)
SpaceX launches a Starlink mission early Tuesday morning 2:37am across the west coast from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Simi Valley CA, Aug 22, 2023. Space-X launch was delayed a few days from Hurricane Hilary passing through. Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)
SpaceX launches a Starlink mission early Tuesday morning 2:37am across the west coast from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Simi Valley CA, Aug 22, 2023. Space-X launch was delayed a few days from Hurricane Hilary passing through. Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)
SpaceX launches a Starlink mission early Tuesday morning 2:37am across the west coast from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Simi Valley CA, Aug 22, 2023. Space-X launch was delayed a few days from Hurricane Hilary passing through. Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)
SpaceX launches a Starlink mission early Tuesday morning 2:37am across the west coast from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Simi Valley CA, Aug 22, 2023. Space-X launch was delayed a few days from Hurricane Hilary passing through. Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)
SpaceX launches a Starlink mission early Tuesday morning 2:37am across the west coast from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Simi Valley CA, Aug 22, 2023. Space-X launch was delayed a few days from Hurricane Hilary passing through. Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)
SpaceX launches a Starlink mission early Tuesday morning 2:37am across the west coast from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Simi Valley CA, Aug 22, 2023. Space-X launch was delayed a few days from Hurricane Hilary passing through. Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)
SpaceX launches a Starlink mission early Tuesday morning 2:37am across the west coast from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Simi Valley CA, Aug 22, 2023. Space-X launch was delayed a few days from Hurricane Hilary passing through. Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)

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The launch was initially scheduled to take place on Thursday, Aug 17, but was pushed back four days as a result of Hurricane Hilary, which became the first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years.

“Due to Hurricane Hilary impacting recovery operations in the Pacific, we are standing down from tonight’s Falcon 9 launch of @Starlink. Next launch opportunity is no earlier than Monday, August 21,” the company announced on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.

This was the 15th flight for the Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission. It successfully landed at SpaceX’s drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You” 8 1/2 minutes after takeoff, according to a video of the launch SpaceX posted on X.

SpaceX is targeting this Friday, Aug. 25, for its next astronaut mission. The flight will send four Crew-7 members to the International Space Mission abroad a SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule. The rocket will be launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

59 homeless under 405 Freeway near LAX are moved indoors

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 19:40:23 +0000

LOS ANGELES — Nearly 60 people who were living in homeless encampments or RVs in the Lennox, Hawthorne and Inglewood areas were moved into temporary housing in the first operation organized under Los Angeles County’s Pathway Home program, county officials announced Wednesday.

Similar to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ Inside Safe program, the county’s Pathway Home is an effort to target homeless encampments, including recreational vehicles, and move people into alternative housing.

According to the county, Pathway Home’s first operation was conducted between Aug. 9-11 and targeted a cluster of encampments beside or under the 405 Freeway in the general area of Los Angeles International Airport. A total of 59 people were moved indoors — 50 into a hotel operated by Pathway Home and nine others into interim housing.

It was not immediately clear how long those people would remain in the provided housing. County officials said the program provides “wraparound services” aimed at helping them “achieve stability and ultimately move into permanent housing.”

Those services include physical and mental health care, substance-abuse disorder treatment, benefits enrollment and life skills development, according to the county. The program also offers “housing navigation” services to help people obtain leases, along with time-limited subsidies to help them pay rent.

In addition to moving the homeless into housing, Pathway Home workers found housing for 26 pets, while removing seven RVs that were being used for housing and removing tents and debris from the various encampments, officials said.

“Pathway Home is part of an urgent mobilization that reflects an all-hands-on deck approach to scale up and fast-track proven solutions to reduce unsheltered homelessness,” Los Angeles County Homeless Initiative Director Cheri Todoroff said in a statement.

Can Taylor Swift, music festivals, football and soccer games save LA Metro?

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 09:40:25 +0000

The Taylor Swift effect on the Los Angeles County economy is well documented. Now you can add the singer’s impact on transit ridership during the six sold-out concerts held earlier this month at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

LA Metro’s rail ridership during Swift concerts on Aug. 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 jumped 25 percent over same day averages in July, an increase of 150,000 boardings. Metro’s special bus shuttles to SoFi from two different rail line stations added 30,000 more, bringing the total increase in rail and bus boardings to 180,000 during the concert series, LA Metro reported.

Metro also ran trains until 2 a.m. to accommodate those leaving the Swift concerts, which often ended at 11:30 p.m or later. Normally, trains stop running at around midnight.

The ridership numbers beat the previous post-pandemic high that took place shortly after the opening of the new, downtown Regional Connector rail line and three DTLA stations in June.

But it wasn’t just the intimate pop vocal stylings of Swift that pumped up train and bus “event” ridership.

The HARD Summer music festival on Aug. 5 and 6 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and BMO Stadium (formerly Banc of California Stadium) had ridership 50% over regular weekend boardings, adding more than 20,000 customers to the E (Expo) Line train with stations serving the venues at Exposition Park, Metro reported.

dressed in their Sunday’s best for @HARDFEST pic.twitter.com/GPDvuL9RIH

— Metro Los Angeles (@metrolosangeles) August 6, 2023

“We are thrilled ‘Swifties’ and HARD Summer festival-goers chose to take Metro to fuel their passion for music,” said Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins in a prepared statement. “Introducing young people to the benefits of using public transit is a priority for Metro.”

At HARD-fest, concert-goers rode the E Line and exited at one of two nearby stations, no shuttle connections needed. “We saw big numbers right away,” said Stephen Tu, Metro’s senior director of service development on Monday, Aug. 14. “That venue at Exposition Park is directly served by multiple Metro rail stations and a bus rapid transit station on the 110 Freeway. We know we can be very competitive there.”

The two concert events have placed LA Metro’s average weekend ridership at 91% of pre-pandemic levels. That is way above 76%, the average ridership for weekday riders, which includes a majority going to and from work.

Wiggins can see the writing on the wall. Stay-at-home workers and high office vacancy rates in DTLA and other workforce locations are the result of more people working from home and therefore not riding the trains or buses as often as they once did on workdays before the pandemic.

She said Metro’s priority in this post-pandemic world is “building our capability to provide service to large-scale entertainment and sports events across the region, particularly as we see the strong growth in Metro’s weekend ridership.”

During the Swift concerts, the use of Metro trains and buses started slowly, then grew. On the night of the first concert, Aug. 3, 4,630 concert-going Swifties rode a Metro train or bus, Metro reported, and many extra bus shuttles added from the K (Crenshaw) Line and the C (Green) Line to SoFi were half-filled at best.

“On that first night, we had decent numbers, but then it grew,” said Tu. The agency ran 35 bus coaches as part of the two shuttles and they took on about 5,000 people per concert night.

Taylor Swift fans exit a Metro shuttle outside of SoFi Stadium to attend the first night of the concert series in Inglewood on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023. (Photo by Brittany Murray, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

The K Line light-rail saw a 250% increase in ridership over the same period in July, adding about 5,000 additional trips each night as compared to last month. The C Line light-rail saw 6,000 additional trips per night, or 35% more rail boardings. The A Line light-rail from Azusa to Long Beach grew by 20 percent over the six nights, while the E Line light-rail saw a 15% increase, amounting to 15,000 additional trips each night on both lines combined, Metro reported.

Lines were long for the bus shuttles going back to the C Line and K Line trains, said Celine Castaneda, 20, who went to the first concert on Aug. 3 by way of a Lyft ride. “I saw the lines to get on those shuttles. And the buses were hardly moving because there was a lot of traffic,” she said on Monday.

After the first night, Metro began to work more closely with the city of Inglewood, Tu said. The buses received some traffic signaling priority, enabling them to move faster from the concert venue parking lots to city streets.

“Running connecting shuttles is challenging, when you don’t have your own bus lanes,” Tu said. “We were able to bring down shuttle wait times and buses could go faster.”

Also, the shuttles were new to the Swifties, he said, adding that a majority had never been to SoFi Stadium and were unfamiliar with transit connections.

As buses ran more efficiently, shuttles reached train depots faster and the word got out on social media and among the Swifties friends’ network, he said.

“As the word spread that the service was very good, even late at night, a lot more fans were satisfied and felt safe,” Tu said.

“This is where we want to be as an agency,” he added. “To be relevant not just for traditional work trips but all trips — and that includes sports and other events.”

LA Metro has provided rides on the Dodger Express, a bus line that runs from Union Station to the Dodger Stadium parking lot on game nights. Also, it’s preparing its C-Line shuttle to SoFi Stadium for the upcoming NFL Chargers and Rams games.

Since the K Line opening in October, and A Line extension via the Regional Connector, transit riders have had more options, said Patrick Chandler, Metro spokesman. Swift fans have a reputation for taking mass transit to concerts in other cities, such as in New York, Chicago and Santa Clara County.

“Young people like transit more than driving their cars,” Chandler said.

Many fans ride the trains to USC football games. Those that like to drink beer during the game don’t have to worry about driving home impaired. “People drinking a little too much can use transit,” Chandler said.

But some on social media have complained, saying Metro should run its trains until 2 a.m. on normal weekends, to accommodate those going to clubs and bars or working late in downtown L.A., Long Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica, and other areas.

“If you’re a late-night worker or stay out late drinking, Metro could care less. If you’re a die hard Swifty, they lay out the red carpet for ya!” wrote U/SocksElGato on Reddit.

On Metro, riders can expect more extended train times and extra buses and shuttles during special events. The effort is part of getting ready for the biggest sporting event of all. “At Metro we are gearing up for the Olympics and Paralympic Games” in 2028, said Tracy Smith, Metro spokesperson. “Providing services for these events is a great trial run.”

Man killed in attack on Metro train in Hawthorne

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 16:45:14 +0000

A fight broke out on a L.A. Metro Green (C) Line train Wednesday evening, Aug. 2, near the Crenshaw Station with one man pulling out a sharp object and the other a gun — leaving one dead and one wounded, authorities said.

It was unclear what prompted the brawl.

Just after 7:20 p.m., Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were called to the Crenshaw Station, at 11902 S. Crenshaw Blvd., and found a man with stab wounds in his upper body on a westbound train, sheriff’s Lt. Michael Gomez said.

He had apparently pulled out a handgun and shot the other man in the upper body.

The stabbed man with the gun died. The other man had walked off of the train when deputies arrived and detained him. He was taken to a hospital for treatment and was still there as of Thursday morning and been arrested, Gomez said.

Neither had been publicly identified.

Gomez said the suspect used what might be a kitchen knife and that investigators had found the weapon.

The one who died was in his early to mid 20s, deputies figured, while the the other man was perhaps in his mid-30s.

It was believed the two men did not know each other and detectives were looking into possible gang affiliations for both, Gomez said.

The two men were standing next to each other before they started fighting.

It wasn’t known how many other riders were in the trolley when the fight broke out, but some who had been in the immediate area moved into a different car, Gomez said.

Man Found Dead From Gun Shot Wounds Near Hawthorne Airport

Sat, 25 Dec 2021 04:23:43 +0000

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a shooting death that took place on the 12000 block of Berendo Avenue in West Athens, minutes away from Hawthorne Municipal Airport.

When authorities arrived to the scene, they found a man shot to death.

The suspect is at large. There is currently no motive or information related to this homicide.

The attack took place at about 5:10 p.m. Friday, according to Deputy Alejandra Parra of the Sheriff’s Department.

Authorities have not identified the victim.

City Of Hawthorne Sues Owner Of ‘Dead’ Mall, Calls It ‘Significant Safety Threat That Needs Immediate Attention’

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 21:15:31 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — The City of Hawthorne has filed a nuisance abatement lawsuit against the owner of the Hawthorne Mall, alleging the long-closed shopping center is a blight and a danger to the community.

(credit: City Of Hawthorne)

Once known as the Hawthorne Plaza Shopping Center, city officials say the famously dead mall has become a magnet for illegal dumping, graffiti, homeless encampments, and hazardous conditions including exposed plumbing and electricity.

“There is a significant safety threat that needs immediate attention, as evidenced by the repeat transient and children break-ins, among a host of other dangers,” a statement from the City of Hawthorne said about the lawsuit, filed on Nov. 24.

The shopping center opened in 1977 along Hawthorne Boulevard between 120th Street and El Segundo Boulevard. It began to decline in the 1980s and 1990s, and lost its last big retailer in JC Penney in 1998. And while there are no longer any retail shops in the mall, it still does brisk business – it is home to a police training center, and has been the location of several movies and TV shows, including, “Minority Report,” “Gone Girl,” “Westworld;” and music videos for Taylor Swift, Chris Brown, Travis Scott, and BTS.

(credit: City Of Hawthorne)

Several attempts to redevelop the 35-acre property, such as revitalizing it as a shopping center then later as a mixed-used development with housing units, have gone nowhere. After issuing hundreds of administrative citations against the mall’s owner, M&A Gabaee, LLC, the city’s next step is apparently a nuisance abatement lawsuit.

“The City has worked for years with the owner to address these issues plaguing the community, yet it has been met with one broken promise after another,” Hawthorne City Attorney Robert Kim said in a statement. The city says neighboring residents, school staff, and children have tried to work with police to address the issues, but many “are afraid to go outside and feel like they are prisoners in their own homes.”

(credit: City Of Hawthorne)

“No one deserves to feel unsafe in their own home, and we will do what it takes to make this community feel safe again,” Kim said.

M&A Gabaee has not yet responded to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

Vigil Held For Melguin Santos, Driver Pulled From Truck, Beaten To Death Following Altercation At Hawthorne Bar

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 03:30:34 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — A vigil was held Tuesday night for a driver who was killed in Hawthorne.

The incident unfolded overnight Saturday outside of Rock It Sports Lounge and Grill on Hawthorne Boulevard north of Rosecrans Avenue.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the man, now identified as Melguin Lopez Santos, 40, of Los Angeles, was asked to leave the bar earlier because of an altercation inside. That’s when Santos reportedly returned in his vehicle. Investigators say they received numerous calls Santos allegedly attempting to run over the crowd in a pick-up truck.

“I wish he was still here to spend time with my family and me,” said Brandon Lopez at the vigil, the victim’s son.

Monday, Santos’ family members told CBSLA they want answers in his death.

“I want to know what happened,” said Monica Perez, the wife of Santos. “I want justice, because something’s not right.”

For reasons unknown, at some point in time, authorities say Santos lost control of his car, and struck a tree. That’s when a group of people outside tried to pull him out of the vehicle.

Deputies say Santos then attempted to drive away but then hit the wall of the building with his truck.

“It’s important that the city officials in Hawthorne, as well as the LA County Board of Supervisors, introduce a reward to capture his killers,” said Najee Ali at the vigil Tuesday, a community activist.

At that point, investigators say the crowd pulled Santos out of the truck and beat him. When authorities arrived on scene, they located Santos who had died.

As of Sunday morning, no arrests have been made. Authorities have identified four people involved in the fight who are cooperating in the investigation.

“He did not deserve this,” said Ilene Perez, the sister-in-law of Santos. “Whatever happened, it shouldn’t have gone that far. His kids are hurting. His wife is hurting. We just want to know the story on what happened.”

A cause of death was not known. An autopsy was expected to be conducted to determine the exact cause. The investigation is ongoing.

Driver Allegedly Beaten To Death After Attempting To Hit Crowd With Vehicle

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 03:56:51 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) – Authorities were investigating the death of a man killed in Hawthorne early Saturday morning, who was allegedly pulled from a truck and beaten to death after nearly striking several people on the sidewalk in front of a business.

Hawthorne police received several calls at approximately 12:08 a.m. regarding a vehicle driving on a sidewalk, attempting to strike people who were standing.

The coroner has identified 40-year-old Melguin Lopez Santos of Los Angeles as the deceased driver of the pickup.

(credit: CBS)

Santos had an earlier verbal altercation inside a business in the 14200 block of Hawthorne Boulevard and was asked to leave, but returned driving his truck onto the sidewalk and nearly struck several patrons, sheriff’s officials said.

He ultimately lost control of the truck and hit a tree.

“Surrounding patrons attempted to take the driver out of the vehicle, but the driver was able to accelerate and drove his truck into a nearby building,” according to an LASD statement. “Patrons again took the driver out of the vehicle, and a physical altercation ensued, at this time Hawthorne police officers arrived on scene.”

When Hawthorne Police arrived, they found the victim lying on the ground, suffering what appeared to be blunt force trauma. He was pronounced deceased by paramedics.

At this time, there are four male suspects but no other description was available.

Anyone with information about the incident was encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.

Anonymous tips can be made to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submitted online at lacrimestoppers.org.

SpaceX Makes More History, Launches First All-Civilian Crew Into Space

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 03:00:16 +0000

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Hawthorne-based SpaceX made history Wednesday evening when it launched the first-ever non-professional astronaut crew into space.

The launch of the four all-civilian crewmembers aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule, dubbed Inspiration4, took place just after 5 p.m. Pacific time from Cape Canaveral, Fla.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon is seen sitting on launch Pad 39A at NASA Kennedy Space Center as it is prepared for the first completely private mission to fly into orbit in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Sept. 15, 2021. (Getty Images)

The trip is hoping to raise $200 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, with half of that amount coming personally from the trip’s commander, 37-year-old Shift4 Payments CEO Jared Isaacman, according to SpaceX.

Joining Isaacman on the voyage is Hayley Arceneaux, a physician assistant at St. Jude and pediatric cancer survivor, Chris Sembroski, an Air Force veteran and aerospace data engineer, and Dr. Sian Proctor, a geoscientist and trained pilot.

Proctor will be piloting the spacecraft, the first Black woman ever to do so.

“There have been three Black female astronauts that have made it into space, and knowing that I’m going to be the fourth means that I have this opportunity to not only accomplish my dream, but also inspire,” Proctor told reporters.

The crew will spend three days in space before the Dragon capsule splashes down at one of several possible landing sites off the Florida coastline.

Although none of the crew members are professional astronauts, all of them underwent rigorous astronaut training at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne. The sessions included G-force training on Mig-29, AlphaJets and LC-39 aircraft.

Sembroski, 42, and Proctor, 51, both earned their seats on the flight through contests.

Recent well-publicized flights involving billionaires Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson reached only lower altitudes, no higher than about 65 miles. Inspiration4 is expected to soar to 575 kilometers, or roughly 357 miles.

The crew will also conduct some scientific work on the trip, “designed to advance human health on Earth and during future long-duration spaceflights,” SpaceX said.

Hawthorne Mother Ida Brockman, Boyfriend Malachi Whalen Face Child Abuse, Torture Charges In Death Of Her 7-Year-Old Daughter

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 15:41:32 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — A Hawthorne mother and her boyfriend will face a judge Friday on charges of murder, torture, and child abuse in the death of a 7-year-old girl.

Ida Brockman, 30, and Malachi Whalen, 29, each face murder and child abuse charges. Whalen faces an additional charge of torture, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which is assisting in the investigation.

The couple, who are each being held on $2.6 million each, are scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday at LAX Superior Court Wednesday.

The girl, who was not identified, died last Thursday after being taken to Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital. Hospital officials called Hawthorne police that day to report a possible child abuse-related death.

“Investigators learned the victim’s mother and her boyfriend brought her to the emergency room unresponsive by way of their personal vehicle,” authorities said. “The victim sustained multiple injuries that were inconsistent with statements made by the mother and her boyfriend.”

The apartment in the 3000 block of El Segundo Boulevard where Brockman lived with her boyfriend and the child was described as a “crime scene.

Authorities say the investigation is ongoing at this time. No further information was released.

Anyone with information about the child’s death can contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

Some Southern California Costco Warehouses Bring Back Purchase Limits

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 21:43:50 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — Pandemic hoarding ended with 2020 – or did it?

(credit: John Schreiber/CBS)

Some Costcos around Southern California have again started limiting the number of essential items that shoppers can buy. Those items may sound familiar – toilet paper, paper towels, and bottled water.

At the Costco in Hawthorne, there were signs Monday limiting the purchase of toilet paper and paper towels to one package each, and two cases of bottled water.

At the start of the pandemic, stores were cleared out of essential items, frozen food, and cleaning products as stay-at-home orders were enacted. Stores at that time were slow to enact purchase limits, leading to empty shelves at several retailers. Sparse store shelves are still a familiar sight due to global shipping problems and driver shortages.

It’s unclear why limits have made a comeback at some Costco warehouses, but could be a result of worsening coronavirus case rates due to the more contagious Delta variant.

Police Investigate After Man Fatally Shot In Hawthorne

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 05:07:57 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — A man was fatally shot Thursday afternoon while sitting inside of a car in Hawthorne.

A man in his 20s was shot and killed while sitting inside of a vehicle in Hawthorne. (CBSLA)

According to the Hawthorne Police Department, the shooting happened at about 4 p.m. in the 14100 block of Chadron Avenue.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department said the victim was a man in his 20s who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said officers from surrounding cities were assisting with crowd control. Chadron Avenue remained closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic during the investigation.

Tyrome Lewis Of Lynwood Found Guilty Of Leading ‘Oxy Bandits’ In 15 Armed Robberies Of Small Southern California Pharmacies

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 22:26:00 +0000

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A Lynwood man was found guilty Wednesday of organizing and leading more than a dozen armed robberies of small pharmacies across Southern California for prescription painkillers like oxycodone.

After a two-day bench trial in April, U.S. District Judge John A. Kronstandt issued his ruling Wednesday, finding 26-year-old Tyrome “Boobie” Lewis of eight felony charges, including conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, interference with commerce by robbery, possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and knowingly using and brandishing a firearm during a violent crime.

Federal prosecutors say Lewis conspired with a crew between May 2018 and July 2019 to pick independent “mom-and-pop” pharmacies to steal oxycodone and similar prescription medication. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Lewis assigned roles to the crew members and served as lookout during the robberies. The Lewis-led crew struck pharmacies in Glendale, Bellflower, Paramount, Cerritos, Hawthorne, South Los Angeles, Pico Rivera, Huntington Park, Claremont, Westminster, Fullerton, Anaheim, and Riverside, and came to be known as the “Oxy Bandits.”

Investigators determined the 15 robberies across Southern California shared similar characteristics – small pharmacies robbed for prescription drugs that were stuffed into trash bags or trash cans, while employees were threatened or intimidated with a black semi-automatic handgun to open the medication vault.

Federal prosecutors say Lewis is just one of 21 people charged in a larger, joint FBI and Los Angeles County sheriff’s investigation into a series of armed pharmacy robberies since 2019.

Lewis, who faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison, is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 23.

Brush Fire Burns Next To 105 Freeway In Hawthorne

Fri, 07 May 2021 00:46:25 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) – Los Angeles County Fire Department units are extinguishing a brush fire that erupted near the eastbound Century (105) Freeway in Hawthorne.

The fire broke out around 4:45 p.m. Thursday, as rush hour traffic was getting heavy.

The second, third, and fourth lanes and the Prairie Avenue offramp from the freeway were closed.

A SigAlert was sent out by the California Highway Patrol around 5 p.m. Traffic was backed up for miles.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

(This is a developing story. Check back for updates.)

Man Dies In Shooting, Crash In Hawthorne

Mon, 03 May 2021 13:17:46 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) – A gunshot victim died after crashing a car in Hawthorne late Sunday night.

May 3, 2021. (CBSLA)

The shooting occurred in the area of Crenshaw and El Segundo boulevards at approximately 10:45 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

At around the same time, Hawthorne police were called to a shooting in the 12000 block of Crenshaw Boulevard, as well as a nearby crash in the 3300 block of El Segundo Boulevard, the sheriff’s department said.

At the scene of the crash, they discovered a man with several gunshot wounds to his upper torso, Hawthorne police said.

He was taken to Harbor UCLA Medical Center, where he died of his wounds, the sheriff’s department said. He was not identified.

Deputies and police are investigating whether the original shooting call is linked to the gunshot victim in the car crash.

There was no word on a motive in the killing. There was no immediate suspect information.

Monica Krebs Faces Elder Abuse Charge For Allegedly Using Bank Accounts Of Elderly Woman With Dementia

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 20:52:35 +0000

FOUNTAIN VALLEY (CBSLA) — A Hawthorne woman faces charges of elder abuse for allegedly using the accounts of an elderly woman living at the Fountain Valley retirement where she was working at the time.

(credit: CBS)

Monica Krebs, 48, was arrested Wednesday, according to Fountain Valley police. Jail records show she is no longer in custody.

Krebs was arrested as the result of an investigation into the Wells Fargo account of a 79-year-old woman suffering from severe dementia. Investigators believe Krebs charged about $2,000 in unauthorized purchases over several weeks in 2019, police officials said.

Fountain Valley police say the elderly woman was a resident of the Seaside Terrace Retirement Community, where Krebs was employed at the time.

Anyone who believes they may also be a victim of Krebs can contact Fountain Valley police at (714) 593-4485.

Hawthorne Police Investigating Shooting Death Of Teenager Early Sunday Morning

Sat, 13 Mar 2021 16:13:19 +0000

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Police are investigating a double shooting in Hawthorne after a teenager was killed. It happened at around 12:30am on Cerise and Rosecrans Avenue.

Both teenagers were driven about a mile away to Crenshaw Blvd. where the driver flagged down a police officer and an ambulance was called. One teenager was pronounced dead and the other released after being shot in the leg.

The motive for the shooting remains under investigation, however, Joy Benedict says she spoke to eyewitnesses who said an argument broke out in front of a recording studio where the two were standing, which led to the shooting.

LA County Sheriff’s homicide investigators are assisting Hawthorne Police with the investigation, and anyone with any information is urged to contact ‘Crime Stoppers’ at (800)222-TIPS.

This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available.

Hawthorne Man Sentenced To 212 Years For Insurance Fraud After 2 Disabled Sons Drowned In 2015 Crash Off Port Of LA Pier

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 18:31:29 +0000

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A Hawthorne man was sentenced Thursday to 212 years in federal prison for intentionally driving his ex-wife and his two disabled sons off a wharf at the Port of Los Angeles so he could collect on the accidental death policies he had taken out on their lives.

Ali F. Elmezayen, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John F. Walter, who called the scheme “evil and diabolical.” Elmezayen was also ordered to pay $261,751 in restitution to the insurance companies he defrauded.

“He is the ultimate phony and a skillful liar…and is nothing more than a greedy and brutal killer,” the judge was quoted as saying in a Department of Justice news release. “The only regret that the defendant has is that he got caught.”

Elmezayen was found guilty of mail fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering at the end of a nine-day trial in October of 2019.

(credit: CBS)

The crash happened in April of 2015 at Berth 73 at the Port of Los Angeles. Elmezayan told police immediately after the crash he had accidentally hit the gas instead of braking. Elmezayen’s ex-wife, who did not know how to swim, was able to escape the car and survived thanks to a nearby fisherman who threw her a flotation device.

Elmezayen’s 13-year-old son, El Hassan, was pronounced dead at a hospital and his 8-year-old brother, Abdelkrim, died the day after the crash. Both boys had severe autism, federal prosecutors said. A third son was not in the car because he was away at camp at the time.

“Fathers are supposed to protect their children but instead, Elmezayen drove his boys straight to their certain death in exchange for cash,” Kristi Johnson, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, said in a statement. “The defendant maliciously planned the death of his autistic sons and gave them virtually no chance of survival.”

Prosecutors say Elmezayen bought more than $3 million in life and accidental death insurance policies on himself and his family from eight different insurance companies between July 2012 and March 2013. Even though Elmezayen reported income of less than $30,000 a year on his tax returns, prosecutors say he paid more than $6,000 a year in premiums for these policies.

After purchasing the policies, Elmezyen repeatedly called the insurance companies, sometimes posing as his ex-wife, to verify the policies were active and that they would pay benefits if she died in an accident, according to prosecutors. Elmezayen was also found to have called at least two of the insurance companies to confirm they would not investigate claims made two years after the policies were purchased – phone calls that were recorded and played for the jury.

The crash occurred just 12 days after the two-year contestability period on the last of his insurance policies expired, prosecutors said. Elmezayen went on to collect more than $260,000 in insurance proceeds from Mutual of Omaha Life Insurance and American General Life Insurance. According to prosecutors, Elmezayen used part of those insurance payouts to buy real estate in Egypt and a boat.

Elmezayen was arrested in November of 2018 – more than three years after the crash – and has been in federal custody since.

Prosecutors say Elmezayen repeatedly lied to law enforcement officers, insurance companies and in subsequent civil litigation he filed concerning the crash. He also tried to convince witnesses to lie to law enforcement officers about the crash, and say he gave the insurance proceeds to charity, according to the Department of Justice.

Falcon 9 Rocket Launches 60 Starlink Satellites, Just 27 Days After Last Mission

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 17:18:39 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — Sixty more Starlink internet satellites were successfully launched into orbit early Thursday via SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES – 2021/02/04: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying approximately 60 Starlink satellites lifts off from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The satellites are part of a constellation designed to provide broadband internet service around the globe. (Photo by Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 1:19 a.m. from Florida’s Cape Canaveral. Thursday’s launch was the fifth for this Falcon 9, which last flew just 27 days ago – the quickest turnaround between missions for any SpaceX rocket.

After delivering the satellites into space, the rocket came back to Earth and landed successfully on the ship “Of Course I Still Love You.”

This morning’s launch was also the first of two nearly back-to-bank Starlink liftoffs – another 60 satellites are scheduled to go up early Friday morning on a different Falcon 9 rocket.

The satellites are part of SpaceX’s endeavor to deliver high-speed internet across the globe.

SpaceX is based in Hawthorne.

Man Shot On Hawthorne Street, Shooter At Large

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 01:36:44 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) – A man was shot Sunday on a street in Hawthorne and police were searching for the shooter.

It happened at about 1:30 p.m. in the 12700 block of Fonthill Avenue, Hawthorne Police Sgt. Chris Wiley said.

Wiley said police did not yet know if the shooting was gang-related but it is under investigation.

The victim’s condition was not immediately known. Police added there is no suspect description at this time.

Man Shot And Killed In Hawthorne, Shooter At Large

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 03:47:55 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) – A man in his 30s was shot and killed Tuesday in the parking lot of a business in Hawthorne.

Officers were called about 4:10 p.m. to the 4700 block of Imperial Highway, near Inglewood Avenue and the 105 Freeway, where they found the victim suffering from a gunshot wound, said Lt. Robbie Williams of the Hawthorne Police Department.

The man was pronounced dead by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Williams said. His name has not been publicly released.

The shooter drove away from the scene in a four-door car and is still at large, Williams said. No other information was available about the suspect.

The investigation continued to impact traffic at 6 p.m. on east and westbound Imperial Highway between Inglewood Avenue and Ramona Avenue.

Skateboarder Found Unresponsive In Hawthorne On Christmas Eve Identified

Tue, 29 Dec 2020 23:45:05 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — A man found unresponsive in the street Thursday and admitted to a local hospital has been identified and reunited with loved ones, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services.

The man, whose name is not being publicly released, appeared to have been struck by a vehicle, according to health officials. He was found lying in the middle of the street at 118th Street and Hawthorne Boulevard with his skateboard nearby.

Officials circulated a photo of the man on Monday in an effort to help identify him since he did not have any ID on his person when he was found.

Photo provided by Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

The man was described as in his 20s, Latino, 5’4″ and 140 pounds with thin to regular build, black hair, brown eyes and a mustache.

He has tattoos of the words “love” and “justice” on his wrists and a dragon or serpent on his right arm.

He is being treated at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center for undisclosed injuries.

Hit-And-Run Driver Wanted After Seriously Injuring 14-Year-Old Boy On Bicycle In Hawthorne

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 15:35:57 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — A 14-year-old boy remains hospitalized Monday after being struck by a hit-and-run driver while riding his bicycle in Hawthorne.

Police asked for the public’s help to identify the driver involved in the crash, which happened at about 7:30 a.m. Friday at the intersection of Doty and Rosecrans avenues.

(credit: Hawthorne Police Department)

Investigators say the teen had just started riding his bike north across Rosecrans, in a marked crosswalk along Doty Avenue, when a car going east in the left lane of eastbound Rosecrans hit him at a high rate of speed. The boy suffered a major head injury and taken to a local hospital, where he remains in serious condition.

The driver did not stop. The vehicle was described as a white four-door Toyota, possibly a Camry. Police, who released an image of the suspect vehicle from a nearby security camera, say it likely has extensive front-end and front windshield damage.

Anyone with information about the identity or the whereabouts of the driver or the vehicle can call 911 or the Hawthorne Police Department at (310) 349-2700.

FAA Clears Harrison Ford In Hawthorne Runway Mishap

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 18:40:42 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) – Actor Harrison Ford has been cleared following an investigation into a piloting incident which occurred Hawthorne Municipal Airport in April.

Harrison Ford attends the premiere of “The Call of the Wild” at El Capitan Theatre on Feb. 13, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Getty Images)

The Federal Aviation Administration has closed the case after requiring that the 78-year-old Ford take a “remedial runway incursion training course,” an FAA spokesperson told CBSLA in a statement Thursday.

On the afternoon of April 24, the “Indiana Jones” star was landing a small plane known as an Aviat Husky when he crossed an airplane that was on the runway despite a tower operator telling him to hold short due to traffic.

Ford landed on the western end of the runway while another pilot, who was conducting touch-and-go landings, was taking off about 3,600 feet east, an FAA official said at the time.

According to audio of the exchange, Ford said he was “terribly sorry,” for the misunderstanding.

Ford has had several close calls in his piloting career. Back on Feb. 13, 2017, at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Ford mistakenly flew low over an airliner with 110 people aboard while it was taxiing on a runway.

Ford was supposed to have landed on a runway that runs parallel to the taxiway.

After an investigation, the FAA declined to punish Ford.

In March of 2015, Ford was injured when his World War II-era plane crashed on a golf course alongside the Santa Monica Airport. In 1999, Ford crashed a helicopter during a training session in Ventura County.

Investigators Find Signs Of Trauma After Woman Killed In Hawthorne Apartment

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 15:25:06 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) – Foul play is suspected in the death of a woman at a Hawthorne apartment complex Monday night.

The woman was discovered unresponsive by family members at about 8 p.m. at an apartment complex where she lived in the 14100 of South Cerise Avenue, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reports.

She died at the scene. Her name was not released.

Deputies discovered signs of trauma and believe that foul play may have been involved.

There was no word on a motive or any suspect information. No arrests have been made.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Astronauts Expected To Begin Return Trip To Earth Saturday

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 04:53:30 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — Two astronauts who were part of a historic launch to the International Space Station are expected to come home – as long as the weather cooperates.

Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken have been aboard the ISS since May 31, when they blasted off from Cape Canaveral in Hawthorne-based SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft.

It marked the first man-launch from U.S. soil since the space shuttle program was retired in 2011.

Behnken and Hurley are expected to go back inside the Crew Dragon Saturday afternoon to begin their 19-hour journey back to Earth.

The spacecraft is expected to splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean at 11:48 a.m. local time Sunday, according to SpaceX.

However, mission controllers are keeping a close eye on Hurricane Isaias to determine if that will affect the safety of the landing.

“We’re watching (forecasts) closely, mostly to maintain awareness and see the trends, and understand what the timeline would be if our recovery out of the water, for example, was delayed a little bit,” Behnken said Friday from the space station during a NASA news briefing. “But we have confidence that the teams on the ground are of course watching that much more closely than we are.”

“We don’t control the weather, and we know we can stay up here longer there’s more chow, and I know the space station program has more work that we can do for the (principal investigators) and other folks who have sent science up to the space station,” he said.

If things go well with this mission, SpaceX plans to move ahead with Crew Dragon’s first “operational mission” to launch four astronauts — Victor Glover, Mike Hopkins, Shannon Walker and Soichi Noguchi — to the space station, in late September.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Launches South Korean Satellite, Just 51 Days After Launching NASA Astronauts Into Space

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 23:29:03 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — SpaceX beat its own record Monday with the successful launch of a South Korean military communications satellite, just 51 days after using the rocket for a manned launch.

The Falcon 9 rocket launched at about 2:30 p.m. California time from Cape Canaveral in Florida. The launch was originally scheduled for last Tuesday, but was delayed due to a last-minute repair issue.

Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/Tn1kU6LtkB

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 20, 2020

The rocket, which was carrying the South Korean ANASIS-II satellite, was previously used in SpaceX’s historic May 30 launch of two astronauts to the International Space Station. The 51-day turnaround time broke the company’s previous record of 62 days for re-use of a rocket stage.

After the launch, first stage of the rocket was successfully landed on SpaceX’s floating drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. It has been named “Just Read The Instructions.”

SpaceX Successfully Launches Space Force GPS Satellite Into Orbit

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 20:17:32 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — SpaceX launched a U.S. Space Force global position satellite into orbit from Cape Canaveral in Florida Tuesday.

The Falcon 9 rocket carrying the GPS III SV03 satellite window launched at about 1:10 p.m. California time. The launch was livestreamed at www.spacex.com .

The launch was originally scheduled for April 29, but the mission was put on pause for 60 days to implement new health and safety measures amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our space systems division is filled with exceptional, highly talented team members focused on delivering the next generation of GPS satellites. They are extremely resourceful, and had to overcome numerous challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic to successfully get us into a position where we can safely launch,” Col. Edward Byrne, MEO Space Systems Division chief, said in a statement.

Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/E2xaQQNw1w

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 30, 2020

The satellite launched into space Tuesday will join the first two GPS III satellites, which are more accurate and powerful than previous generations and will provide improved performance for civilian and military users, according to the Air Force.

SpaceX has made it a practice to retrieve and reuse its rockets, but Tuesday’s mission will be the first National Security Space Launch in which the booster will be recovered.

SpaceX Scrubs Launch Of Starlink Satellites From Cape Canaveral

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 19:30:13 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — SpaceX had to scrub a launch attempt from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

The Falcon 9 rocket was scheduled to take off from Cape Canaveral at 1:18 p.m. Friday with 57 Starlink internet satellites. SpaceX announced they would delay the launch at 11 a.m.

Standing down from today’s Starlink mission; team needed additional time for pre-launch checkouts, but Falcon 9 and the satellites are healthy. Will announce new target launch date once confirmed on the Range

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 26, 2020

The Hawthorne company said the mission’s team needed more time for pre-launch checkouts.

Friday’s launch would have been the 10th in the effort to build the Starlink worldwide internet array, which would provide low-cost internet access to people around the globe, particularly in under-served areas.

In addition to the 57 Starlink satellites, the SpaceX rocket on Friday was set to carry a pair of satellites for Spaceflight Industries, on behalf of Earth-observation company BlackSky.

A new launch date will be announced later.

How To Watch SpaceX Launch Humans Into Space

Tue, 26 May 2020 14:29:47 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — SpaceX is preparing to blast off with humans on board for the first time, and the site will be must-see TV both online and over the air.

Weather permitting, Hawthorne-based SpaceX is scheduled to take astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station. It would be the first time SpaceX, or any private company, has launched humans into space.

The launch at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida is scheduled to take place at 1:33 p.m. PST. The launch will be broadcast live on CBS2 and online on CBSN.

However, skies at Cape Canaveral are currently overcast and could scrap Wednesday’s launch. If SpaceX does not take off Wednesday, the next launch window is Saturday.

SpaceX Releases ISS Docking Simulator Ahead Of First US Astronaut Launch In 9 Years

Wed, 13 May 2020 18:15:27 +0000

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Ahead of the first astronaut mission from U.S. soil in nearly a decade, Hawthorne-based SpaceX has created a docking simulator that gives you an idea of what it might be like to be an astronaut trying to dock a spacecraft onto the International Space Station.

(SpaceX)

The simulator, which was posted to the SpaceX website Tuesday, places you in the cockpit of the Dragon 2 vehicle, with your job to dock the vehicle on the ISS.

The simulator uses the exact interface that astronauts aboard the Dragon 2 would really use to manually dock.

It was released a few weeks before SpaceX’s first ever crewed mission – carrying two astronauts – is scheduled to launch to the ISS on May 27 from Florida. The astronauts will be aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft launched by a Falcon 9 rocket.

This will mark the first launch of astronauts from U.S. soil since 2011.

Last week, NASA and SpaceX also confirmed that Tom Cruise is planning to shoot a movie on the ISS.

Coronavirus Walk-In Testing Site To Open In Hawthorne

Tue, 05 May 2020 15:59:41 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) – The city of Hawthorne is set to open its first coronavirus testing center Wednesday.

A man walks into a tent to be tested for COVID-19 at a mobile testing station in a public school parking area in Compton, Calif., on April 28, 2020. (Getty Images)

The new walk-in testing center will open at the Ainsworth Sports Center, Hawthorne City Councilmember Haidar Awad announced Tuesday.

The site will offer free testing to residents of Hawthorne, Lawndale, Lennox, El Segundo and West Athens.

Residents must first make an appointment to get tested. To sign up, click here.

It’s one of 80 walk-in testing sites that were established as part of a state of California contract with OptumServe, a health services company.

There are 38 other testing sites across L.A. County, all but two of which are drive-thru only.

Last week, the county expanded free testing to all Angelenos, regardless of whether or not they are displaying symptoms. However, testing is prioritized to those displaying symptoms.

2 Wounded In Shooting During Robbery Of Hawthorne Cell Phone Store

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 06:02:22 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — Fire crews responded to the scene of a shooting Tuesday night in Hawthorne.

Two victims sustained gunshot wounds after a robbery at a cell phone store near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard at approximately 8:37 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department

The victims were taken to an area hospital in unknown condition.

1 Hurt After Ultralight Plane Crashes In Hawthorne

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 21:56:17 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) – One person suffered minor injuries when an ultralight plane went down at the Hawthorne Airport Monday afternoon.

A hang glider crashed at the Hawthorne Airport on Jan. 13, 2019. (CBS2)

The crash occurred a little before 1 p.m. on the runway of the Hawthorne Municipal Airport, located at 12101 Crenshaw Blvd. Los Angeles County Fire Department crews responded.

Aerial footage showed the crashed ultralight, which was initially reported to be a hang glider, sitting in a grassy area along the runway. The pilot was treated at the scene for minor injuries but was not taken to a hospital, the fire department said.

The exact circumstances of the crash were not confirmed.

2 Dead Bodies Discovered At Hotel In Hawthorne

Sat, 11 Jan 2020 02:36:06 +0000

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Two dead bodies were from an apparent murder-suicide inside of a hotel in Hawthorne on Friday, officials said.

At 3 p.m., officers responded to the Candlewood Suites located at 11410 block of Hawthorne Blvd.

The two bodies, belonging to a man and a woman, were found in a hotel suite.

Detectives are looking into what happened and the identities of the deceased are not being released at this time.

Los Angeles Man Killed In Crash That Shut Down Northbound 405 Freeway In Hawthorne

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 17:58:59 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — A Los Angeles man was killed in a crash that shut down all lanes of the northbound 405 Freeway in Hawthorne for hours, authorities said Wednesday.

The crash happened at 9:40 p.m. near the Rosecrans Avenue exit. All northbound lanes of the freeway at Inglewood Avenue were shut down and traffic was diverted off the freeway.

Adam Herrera, 35, was pronounced dead at the scene. According to the California Highway Patrol, he was driving at an unknown speed before he lost control and spun out, ending up in the carpool lane facing the wrong way. A 2017 Infiniti driven by a couple from Oak Park did not see Herrera’s 2009 Honda in the dark and struck the vehicle head on, the CHP said.

Herrera sustained fatal injuries, while the couple – Hark Jin Yoo and Kim Aeree, both 57 – received minor injuries.

Alcohol or drugs were not believed to be a factor in the crash and the lanes were reopened at 1:30 a.m.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Wants To Send People To Space As Soon As Next Year

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 18:58:12 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — Beam them up – Elon Musk wants to send humans into orbit within just a few months with the unveiling of a new rocket.

At a presentation in Texas Saturday night, the CEO of SpaceX unveiled the “Starship Mark One,” which Musk says will carry people and supplies into space.

“Mars could help Earth one day,” he said during the presentation. “And so, I think we should really do our very best to become a multi-planet species and to extend consciousness beyond earth and we should do it now.”

Starship, which also happens to be the name of the ships in the iconic TV series “Star Trek,” will be big enough to fit 100 passengers and has multiple missions – shuttling people on swift journeys across the earth, and carry them on long-haul flights to the moon and Mars.

Starship halves being joined pic.twitter.com/7pdxfh8e81

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 27, 2019

“This is gonna sound totally nuts, but I think we want to try to reach orbit in less than six months,” he said, according to The Atlantic. “I think we could potentially see people flying next year, if we get to orbit in about six months.

But, maybe space enthusiasts should not rush to pack their bags just yet. The presentation comes a day after NASA’s chief reminded SpaceX about delays in its multi-billion contract to fly astronauts to space.

My statement on @SpaceX's announcement tomorrow: pic.twitter.com/C67MhSeNsa

— Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) September 27, 2019

Family Of Barber Gunned Down Outside Shop Believe It’s Case Of Mistaken Identity

Sun, 30 Jun 2019 07:08:25 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — Paul “PJ” Foster had no enemies, he was a hard-working dad. He worked at a Hawthorne barber shop for more than a decade.

Friends and family — as well as police — are at a loss to explain why someone would shoot Foster and another man Friday outside that barbershop.

Foster, 51, was killed. The other victim — a customer — was also taken to a nearby hospital.

A deputy on scene at the County Sheriff’s office Saturday evening told CBS2/KCAL9’s Laurie Perez that investigators are trying to piece together what happened but so far, no suspects have emerged and there hasn’t been an arrest.

Perez said that is adding to the heartbreak that friends and family are feeling with Foster’s loss.

They stood outside the barbershop Foster worked. They shared hugs and tears. They also told stories about him as a leader. He was the older cousin who always set good examples.

“Work hard every day and what you work for, you earn what you work for,” said his cousin Chaz Foster.

He was the barber who before long also became a good friend.

“He would stand out here and say hi to anybody who passes by,” says friend Derrick Thomas.

Foster was also a father who picked his son up from school every day. His son sobbed at tonight’s vigil.

Perez also spoke to Foster’s shattered wife. She told Perez about the moment she had to tell her son his father was gone.

“It was the worst moment of my life. We’ll never be the same again,” says Vielka Bush Foster.

Some of the mourners told Perez they are tired of the memorial candles, the RIP posters, the T-shirt tributes — every loss hurts but what hurts more is seems is when the victim was as beloved as Foster was.

That is a reason friends and family believe the shooting has to be a case of mistaken identity.-

“Whoever they’re looking for, this is not him, it wasn’t him, it would never be him,” says friend Jean Paul.

Deputies said Foster and the customer were shot around 11 a.m. Friday. Foster was later declared dead at the hospital. The other victim remains hospitalized.

Foster’s wife says she is praying for justice for her husband and peace in the community.

“And I don’t want to see any other black boys growing up without a father,” Bush-Foster says, “and I’m so sad, I’m so sad for my son.”

The other victim has not been identified. He was last listed in stable condition.

Wild Pursuit With Suspect In Stolen Car Ends In Violent Hawthorne Crash

Thu, 27 Jun 2019 18:17:43 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) – There were no serious injuries after a police pursuit with a man in a stolen car resulted in two separate crashes in Hawthorne Thursday morning, prompting a brief standoff that forced officers to fire bean bags rounds.

(CBS2)

Police told CBS2 the incident began before 7 a.m. when the suspect called 911 to report that he had been drinking, was carrying a knife and might hurt himself.

When officers responded to his home, the suspect sped away in a Honda Accord, prompting a chase. The pursuit wound its way onto the westbound 105 Freeway before the suspect exited the freeway and drove onto surface streets.

Officers were on the phone with the man during the 25-minute chase, attempting to deescalate the situation, police said.

June 27, 2019. (CBS2)

The suspect crashed into a car at El Segundo and Crenshaw boulevards. He stopped momentarily, but then took off again.

The chase came to an end at 7:20 a.m. when the speeding suspect lost control, hit and curb and then slammed into the back of another car which was sitting at a red light at the intersection of El Segundo Boulevard and Prairie Avenue.

Following the collision, officers surrounded the vehicle and shot out the windows of the car with beanbags so they could ensure he wasn’t going to hurt himself.

“The officers and supervisors felt that they needed to get a picture of what the suspect was armed with. He did say he was armed with a knife,” LAPD Capt. Jon Pinto said. “So for the protection of himself and ourselves we elected to have a better view of inside the vehicle.”

The suspect initially holed up inside the car and refused to come out. Just before 7:30 a.m. he finally surrendered and was loaded onto a gurney and transported to a hospital for observation.

The woman behind the wheel of the car which the suspect rear-ended suffered only minor injuries. She told CBS2 she was on her way to school when she was struck. After her car was hit, Aerial footage from Sky2 showed her immediately jump out of the car and run to police. The innocent driver involved in the first collision also only suffered minor injuries.

The suspect will likely face charges of felony evading and driving under the influence once released from the hospital.

Baby Dies At Hawthorne Home Daycare Facility

Thu, 25 Apr 2019 13:57:36 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — The death of a baby boy at a Hawthorne in-home daycare is under investigation Thursday.

Officers were called out to Swoope Family Daycare at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday on a report of a child not breathing. By the time officers arrived at the home, the child had been pronounced dead by firefighters, according to Hawthorne Police.

The boy was identified by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office as Jack Johnson.

An investigation is underway. No arrests have been made.

Man Charged With Attempted Murder Of 4 Police Officers In Hawthorne Shootout

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 14:16:18 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — A man who exchanged gunfire with a Hawthorne police officer after fighting with his girlfriend has been charged with trying to kill four officers who were responding to the domestic dispute call.

James Louis Boyd III, 37, of Oceanside, was charged Monday with 10 felony counts – four each of attempted murder and assault on a peace officer with a semiautomatic firearm, and one count each of shooting an occupied motor vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.

Boyd was fighting with his girlfriend at a hotel in Hawthorne on the morning of April 7 and reported to be chasing her when he fired shots from a rifle into the air, prosecutors said. When officers responded to the scene, Boyd allegedly shot one of the patrol cars, shattering a window, prompting at least two officers to return fire.

One officer was hit in the leg, and Boyd was also wounded, having been hit in the torso.

The girlfriend was not injured.

If convicted as charged, Boyd faces a possible maximum sentence of 100 years to life in state prison. He is being held on $5 million bail.

Hawthorne, a city of just under 87,000, was rocked almost immediately after the shootout by the murder of a mother outside Hawthorne Police Department’s headquarters during a custody exchange.

Mother Shot And Killed In Front Of Police Station During Custody Exchange

Mon, 08 Apr 2019 03:17:47 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) – The mother of a 17-month-old child was fatally shot Sunday evening outside of the Hawthorne Police Department.

According to Hawthorne Police, the woman was shot and killed during a custody exchange and the child was reportedly safe and in police custody.

Police say the suspect dropped off his child inside the police station around 6 p.m. before grabbing a shotgun out of his vehicle and returning to shoot the victim as she went to retrieve the child.

Officers have since arrested the man suspected of shooting the victim near the 440 block of 134th Street, not far from where the shooting occurred.

The victim was reportedly afraid of the baby’s father and brought family members along with her to the police department to exchange custody of their daughter.

Los Angeles County Fire responded to reports of a shooting just before 6:30 p.m.

Hawthorne Police Department posted to Twitter confirming a female victim was killed in front of the Hawthorne Police Department station and that this is an officer-involved shooting.

Lt. Gary Tomatani told CBSLA, “The officer that was involved in this incident from the Hawthorne Police Department was in the station doing his regular duties and heard what he believed were gunshots. He went out to the front lobby, exited the front door, saw that somebody had been shot and killed directly outside the front door to our station. That person’s family and friends were pointing out a vehicle that was leaving the parking lot.”

Hawthorne Police later confirmed via Twitter that someone had in fact been shot in front of the station and that an officer was involved.

Female killed in front of the HPD station. Suspect vehicle located abandoned in the area of 133/Hawthorne. We are actively searching for the suspect. This is an officer involved shooting incident.

— Hawthorne Police (@HawthornePD) April 8, 2019

The suspect drove out of the parking lot and drove towards the area of 133 Street and Hawthorne Boulevard before abandoning his vehicle in a Denny’s parking lot.

In a press conference, Lt. Scott Hoaglund said, “I have 30 years with the department and I’ve never seen anything like this before…Typically a police station is a safe place for people to make a child exchange and I would still recommend that people do that.”

As of late Sunday evening, Police were still processing the scene at the entrance to the police department.

Suspect In Military Gear With High-Powered Rifle In Custody After Hawthorne Officer Is Shot

Sun, 07 Apr 2019 18:00:46 +0000

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — Authorities say an officer was in surgery Sunday after being wounded in a gunfire exchange with a suspect armed with a high-powered rifle in the Hawthorne area. The suspect was also wounded.

Police responded to a call of a domestic dispute with a report that a man armed with a gun was chasing a female. The incident was reported just after 9:20 a.m. in the area of Rosecrans Avenue and Aviation Boulevard.

Upon arriving on scene, authorities located a man who matched the suspect description who had fled into a shopping plaza.

Shortly after, an officer involved shooting occurred, immediately followed by a second officer involved shooting.

One officer, described as a veteran of the Hawthorne Police Department, was wounded in the leg. He was taken to the hospital. Police reported that the officer was “alert.”

At a news conference Sunday afternoon, Hawthorne Police Chief Michael Ishii said the officer had a non-life threatening wound.

The suspect, who was also wounded, was apprehended after fleeing following the officer-involved shooting. Police described the suspect as a man in military gear with a high-powered rifle. Authorities said he was shot in the torso.

The female who was being chased was said to be okay, and was being interviewed by authorities. Her relationship, if any, with the suspect was not clear.

Officer down. We had an officer involved shooting at Rosecrans and Aviation. Still working to secure the area we have possible 1 suspect detained. Media will be set up at 135 Aviation.

— Hawthorne Police (@HawthornePD) April 7, 2019

Streets surrounding the area were cordoned off. The public were urged to avoid the area.

#BREAKING @SouthLALASD deputies assisting with containment of @HawthornePD #OIS **Avoid Area** of Rosecrans Av/Aviation Bl

— LA County Sheriff's (@LASDHQ) April 7, 2019

Police tweeted out prayers for the injured officer following the news:

SMPD sends prayers and positive thoughts to @HawthornePD after an officer was injured this morning. pic.twitter.com/CZW4BIZYzz

— Santa Monica Police (@SantaMonicaPD) April 7, 2019