latimes--2020-09-16--Sheriff's combative response to shocking deputy attack sparks new alarms, criticism

The attack was every police officer ’ s worst nightmare : A gunman walks up to a marked patrol car , shooting the two people inside at close range because of the uniforms on their backs .
Surveillance video of the brazen deed near a Compton Metro station provoked wide outrage , from presidential candidates to ordinary citizens .
But the agency ’ s response to the attack has raised alarms among some activists , lawmakers and Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department watchdogs , who question whether the aggressive rhetoric is inflaming rather than easing tensions at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controversial shootings by deputies amid a national discussion over policing and race .
Within 24 hours , a longtime Sheriff ’ s Department spokeswoman posted tweets about the attack that employed racist stereotypes in reference to a reward for information leading to the arrest of the shooter .
In one post accompanied by a GIF of a Black man shuffling bills , she wrote : “ And here ’ s the neighborhood homies and enemies ‘ bout to come up ’ on that $ 100,000 # REWARD because $ 100,000 dollas is $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Juanita Navarro-Suarez , later deleted the posts .
When asked to respond , she said : “ Everyone has an opinion , and that ’ s it.
” Deputies also arrested a public radio reporter covering the aftermath of the shooting , offering a narrative of the incident that was refuted by videos the reporter had recorded on her phone .
Sheriff Alex Villanueva then doubled down , defending the arrest while accusing politicians and athletes of “ fanning the flames of hatred ” during this time of unrest over police brutality .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ LeBron James — who has been vocal about systemic racism in America — and challenged him to match what was a $ 175,000 reward offered to help find the gunman who shot the deputies .
James hasn ’ t responded to Villanueva ’ s request .
But Vanessa Bryant — the agency after The Times reported deputies shared photos from the site of the helicopter crash in January , Lakers legend Kobe Bryant , their daughter Gianna and seven others — quickly fired back .
She reposted another social media user ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he talk about trusting the system ?
” L.A. County Inspector General Max Huntsman is now investigating the reporter ’ s arrest .
A spokesman for the department said the offensive tweets were being reviewed internally as well .
“ We are aware of the posts in question and have concerns .
A full supervisory inquiry is being conducted , and depending on the findings , this may lead to an internal affairs investigation .
We are unable to comment further at this stage of the inquiry , ” Lt. John Satterfield said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requests for comment .
Policing experts said the emotional reaction to officers shot in the line of duty might be expected , but that cooler heads should prevail .
“ Certainly the Sheriff ’ s Department being aggressive and indignant doesn ’ t help the larger issue , because there ’ s a conflict , and being antagonistic doesn ’ t help in a conflict , ” said Jack Glaser , professor at Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley .
“ On the other hand it ’ s really understandable that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — they ’ ve had their own people attacked in cold blood.
” “ In a way , ” he added , “ reacting so strongly and with such sort of emphasis on retribution just highlights the Black lives , blue lives matter breach.
” But others see something larger at play .
Since taking office in 2018 , Villanueva has clashed repeatedly with civilian overseers and the Board of Supervisors , who have accused him of rehiring officials with tainted backgrounds and unraveling policing reforms instituted after a massive corruption scandal that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baca and other commanders .
Priscilla Ocen , a member of the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission , said she was particularly alarmed by the racist tweets , which she described as “ insulting to the residents of Compton and the surrounding areas ” at a time when the department needed to build trust and relationships in those communities .
“ Although the statements are racist and reprehensible , they are not surprising , ” she added , saying Villanueva “ set the example for this kind of rhetoric ” when he recently used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supervisor Hilda Solis .
“ What else would we expect from his staff ?
” she said .
Now , as the two deputies are recovering from gunshot wounds , to the head and face , the Sheriff ’ s Department once again finds itself under investigation by the Office of Inspector General , which is reviewing its handling of KPCC and LAist reporter Josie Huang ’ s arrest , as well as deputies ’ actions during a news conference held Friday by activists in South L.A .
The Sheriff ’ s Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a member of the media and lacked “ proper ” press credentials during a confrontation in which a protester was arrested outside St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood , where the two wounded deputies were being treated .
That account was directly contradicted by videos Huang shared on Twitter , which showed that she did not intervene in the man ’ s arrest but instead was filming from a distance .
As deputies take her to the ground , she can clearly be heard identifying herself as a reporter with KPCC and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Villanueva told the Associated Press that Huang “ crossed the line from journalism to activism ” in getting too close to the deputies during the episode .
“ All I can say is , in the heat of the moment when these protesters are calling or chanting for the death of the deputies in the emergency room , she picked the worst time possible to try to get an up-close of the deputies making an arrest , ” Villanueva said .
“ That ’ s on her.
” Solis called the footage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and requested an outside investigation by Huntsman .
Huang “ was simply doing her job and clearly identified herself , ” Solis said in a statement .
“ Journalists are critical in safeguarding our democracy and they should not be treated this way.
” The reporter ’ s arrest came a day after sheriff ’ s deputies in riot gear surrounded a news conference hosted by activists near the South L.A. sheriff ’ s station .
Speakers condemned the department ’ s use of pepper balls and rubber bullets against demonstrators gathering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of bicyclist Dijon Kizzee by deputies in the Westmont neighborhood of South Los Angeles .
In interviews , protesters have challenged the Sheriff ’ s Department ’ s narrative that they instigated the confrontations by throwing bottles and rocks at deputies .
At Friday ’ s event , a deputy grabbed a legal observer who had been filming him .
When the news conference ended , the deputies ordered those attending , including reporters , to leave the area .
“ Those two incidents are of concern to us because First Amendment rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s respect of law enforcement , ” Huntsman said .
“ And so we feel that requires immediate investigation.
” Huntsman and other public officials have long criticized the department for resisting oversight and accountability .
And a string of controversial police shootings and beatings caught on camera in Compton and South L.A. , along with allegations of misconduct , have intensified mistrust of the department among residents in the community .
After the killing of Andres Guardado , who was shot five times in the back by a deputy in June , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on social media that the 18-year-old “ chose his fate.
” “ At the end of the day , we ’ re not against the Sheriff ’ s Department .
We ’ re not against law enforcement , ” Najee Ali , a longtime activist who has been protesting Kizzee ‘ s fatal shooting , said Monday outside St. Francis Medical Center .
“ We are simply against police abuse , police racial profiling , police mistreatment of Black and brown residents within the city.
” He showed up to deliver a reconciliatory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anderson Hooker , a professor at the University of Notre Dame who is an expert in social justice and community building after conflict , said if an agency ’ s primary way of engaging was through force , the threat of force or attempts to silence , “ all of those efforts at force create a hardened , rigid understanding of who law enforcement is.
” Then there was a series of bizarre tweets by Navarro-Suarez , after officials announced a $ 100,000 reward for information to help find the attacker .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side pieces , friends , wifey , ol ’ lady , dime , queen , baby momma who know the # ComptonAmbush shooter of 2 LA Sheriff ’ s about getting that $ 100,000 # REWARD ... , ” Navarro-Suarez wrote next to an image of a Black woman saying , “ Make that money girl.
” The tweets were quickly condemned as unprofessional , perpetuating offensive stereotypes of Black communities and exacerbating already deep tensions with law enforcement .
Within about two hours , they were deleted .
She would not say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reporter to others in the Sheriff ’ s Information Bureau .
Rod Brunson , a professor at Northeastern University ’ s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice , said the tweets reflected a “ missed opportunity to demonstrate to the community the interest in repairing the relationship.
” Times staff writers Leila Miller and Alex Wiggelsworth contributed to this report .

Sheriff Alex Villanueva outside the emergency room of St. Francis Medical Center, where two L.A. County sheriff’s deputies were being treated for gunshot wounds.
The attack was every police officer’s worst nightmare: A gunman walks up to a marked patrol car, shooting the two people inside at close range because of the uniforms on their backs.
Surveillance video of the brazen deed near a Compton Metro station provoked wide outrage, from presidential candidates to ordinary citizens.
But the agency’s response to the attack has raised alarms among some activists, lawmakers and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department watchdogs, who question whether the aggressive rhetoric is inflaming rather than easing tensions at a moment when community groups are protesting several controversial shootings by deputies amid a national discussion over policing and race.
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Within 24 hours, a longtime Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman posted tweets about the attack that employed racist stereotypes in reference to a reward for information leading to the arrest of the shooter. In one post accompanied by a GIF of a Black man shuffling bills, she wrote: “And here’s the neighborhood homies and enemies ‘bout to come up’ on that $100,000 #REWARD because $100,000 dollas is $100,000 dollas.”
The spokeswoman, Deputy Juanita Navarro-Suarez, later deleted the posts. When asked to respond, she said: “Everyone has an opinion, and that’s it.”
Deputies also arrested a public radio reporter covering the aftermath of the shooting, offering a narrative of the incident that was refuted by videos the reporter had recorded on her phone.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva then doubled down, defending the arrest while accusing politicians and athletes of “fanning the flames of hatred” during this time of unrest over police brutality.
The sheriff also singled out Lakers star LeBron James — who has been vocal about systemic racism in America — and challenged him to match what was a $175,000 reward offered to help find the gunman who shot the deputies.
James hasn’t responded to Villanueva’s request. But Vanessa Bryant — who filed a claim against the agency after The Times reported deputies shared photos from the site of the helicopter crash in January that killed her husband , Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, their daughter Gianna and seven others — quickly fired back.
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She reposted another social media user’s remarks about Villanueva: “How can he talk about trusting the system?”
California Shooting of L.A. County deputies new flashpoint in a ‘tinderbox moment’ The shooting of two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies in their patrol car has become the latest flashpoint in a roiling debate around the troubled agency and American policing more generally.
L.A. County Inspector General Max Huntsman is now investigating the reporter’s arrest. A spokesman for the department said the offensive tweets were being reviewed internally as well.
“We are aware of the posts in question and have concerns. A full supervisory inquiry is being conducted, and depending on the findings, this may lead to an internal affairs investigation. We are unable to comment further at this stage of the inquiry,” Lt. John Satterfield said.
Villanueva did not respond Tuesday to requests for comment.
Policing experts said the emotional reaction to officers shot in the line of duty might be expected, but that cooler heads should prevail.
“Certainly the Sheriff’s Department being aggressive and indignant doesn’t help the larger issue, because there’s a conflict, and being antagonistic doesn’t help in a conflict,” said Jack Glaser, professor at Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley. “On the other hand it’s really understandable that the Sheriff’s Department is upset — they’ve had their own people attacked in cold blood.”
“In a way,” he added, “reacting so strongly and with such sort of emphasis on retribution just highlights the Black lives, blue lives matter breach.”
But others see something larger at play. Since taking office in 2018, Villanueva has clashed repeatedly with civilian overseers and the Board of Supervisors, who have accused him of rehiring officials with tainted backgrounds and unraveling policing reforms instituted after a massive corruption scandal that brought criminal convictions against former Sheriff Lee Baca and other commanders.
Priscilla Ocen, a member of the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission, said she was particularly alarmed by the racist tweets, which she described as “insulting to the residents of Compton and the surrounding areas” at a time when the department needed to build trust and relationships in those communities.
“Although the statements are racist and reprehensible, they are not surprising,” she added, saying Villanueva “set the example for this kind of rhetoric” when he recently used a derogatory term in reference to County Supervisor Hilda Solis.
“What else would we expect from his staff?” she said.
Now, as the two deputies are recovering from gunshot wounds, to the head and face, the Sheriff’s Department once again finds itself under investigation by the Office of Inspector General, which is reviewing its handling of KPCC and LAist reporter Josie Huang’s arrest, as well as deputies’ actions during a news conference held Friday by activists in South L.A.
The Sheriff’s Department said that Huang did not identify herself as a member of the media and lacked “proper” press credentials during a confrontation in which a protester was arrested outside St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, where the two wounded deputies were being treated.
That account was directly contradicted by videos Huang shared on Twitter, which showed that she did not intervene in the man’s arrest but instead was filming from a distance. As deputies take her to the ground, she can clearly be heard identifying herself as a reporter with KPCC and screaming for help.
Despite that, Villanueva told the Associated Press that Huang “crossed the line from journalism to activism” in getting too close to the deputies during the episode.
“All I can say is, in the heat of the moment when these protesters are calling or chanting for the death of the deputies in the emergency room, she picked the worst time possible to try to get an up-close of the deputies making an arrest,” Villanueva said. “That’s on her.”
This is extremely disturbing. The Inspector General must launch an immediate investigation into the arrest of @josie_huang, who was simply doing her job & clearly identified herself.
Journalists are critical in safeguarding our democracy and they should not be treated this way. https://t.co/RPRmBgneUD — Hilda Solis (@HildaSolis) September 15, 2020
Solis called the footage of Huang’s arrest “extremely disturbing” and requested an outside investigation by Huntsman.
Huang “was simply doing her job and clearly identified herself,” Solis said in a statement. “Journalists are critical in safeguarding our democracy and they should not be treated this way.”
The reporter’s arrest came a day after sheriff’s deputies in riot gear surrounded a news conference hosted by activists near the South L.A. sheriff’s station. Speakers condemned the department’s use of pepper balls and rubber bullets against demonstrators gathering regularly to protest the Aug. 31 killing of bicyclist Dijon Kizzee by deputies in the Westmont neighborhood of South Los Angeles. In interviews, protesters have challenged the Sheriff’s Department’s narrative that they instigated the confrontations by throwing bottles and rocks at deputies.
At Friday’s event, a deputy grabbed a legal observer who had been filming him. When the news conference ended, the deputies ordered those attending, including reporters, to leave the area.
“Those two incidents are of concern to us because First Amendment rights are absolutely critical to the public’s respect of law enforcement,” Huntsman said. “And so we feel that requires immediate investigation.”
Huntsman and other public officials have long criticized the department for resisting oversight and accountability. And a string of controversial police shootings and beatings caught on camera in Compton and South L.A., along with allegations of misconduct, have intensified mistrust of the department among residents in the community.
After the killing of Andres Guardado, who was shot five times in the back by a deputy in June, Villanueva’s chief of staff posted on social media that the 18-year-old “chose his fate.”
“At the end of the day, we’re not against the Sheriff’s Department. We’re not against law enforcement,” Najee Ali, a longtime activist who has been protesting Kizzee‘s fatal shooting, said Monday outside St. Francis Medical Center. “We are simply against police abuse, police racial profiling, police mistreatment of Black and brown residents within the city.”
He showed up to deliver a reconciliatory message and denounce the violence.
David Anderson Hooker, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who is an expert in social justice and community building after conflict, said if an agency’s primary way of engaging was through force, the threat of force or attempts to silence, “all of those efforts at force create a hardened, rigid understanding of who law enforcement is.”
Then there was a series of bizarre tweets by Navarro-Suarez, after officials announced a $100,000 reward for information to help find the attacker.
“My advice to all the ex-girlfriends, side pieces, friends, wifey, ol’ lady, dime, queen, baby momma who know the #ComptonAmbush shooter of 2 LA Sheriff’s about getting that $100,000 #REWARD...,” Navarro-Suarez wrote next to an image of a Black woman saying, “Make that money girl.”
The tweets were quickly condemned as unprofessional, perpetuating offensive stereotypes of Black communities and exacerbating already deep tensions with law enforcement.
Within about two hours, they were deleted.
She would not say why she deleted the tweets, referring a reporter to others in the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.
Rod Brunson, a professor at Northeastern University’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, said the tweets reflected a “missed opportunity to demonstrate to the community the interest in repairing the relationship.”
Times staff writers Leila Miller and Alex Wiggelsworth contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-16--Social media accused him of ambushing two deputies. It was fake news, but he's paid a steep price

Less than a day after two Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies were shot and wounded as they sat in their police cruiser outside a transit station in Compton , Darnell Hicks ’ cellphone began to light up with messages from friends : He was identified as the alleged gunman in an alert circulated on social media .
Hicks , 33 , a father of two and youth football coach from Compton who lives with his 93-year-old grandmother , then saw screenshots of something that seemed to be an official “ be on the lookout ” alert .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , name and address and associated him with a Los Angeles gang .
A Twitter post characterized Hicks as “ wanted for attempted murder ” in connection with the shooting Saturday evening .
“ The suspect has vowed to shoot more law enforcement officers , ” the fake alert added .
At first , Hicks said , he thought it was a prank .
But then threats starting coming in as the post spread on social media .
“ It was terrible , ” he said .
“ I feared for my family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was dirt-biking in Compton all day Saturday , but that didn ’ t stop people from questioning him .
“ I got so worried , I called in to the sheriff ’ s station , ” he said .
Hicks said he didn ’ t know who was behind the accusation and had no connection whatsoever to the shooting .
The post was retweeted and shared by bloggers .
One Malaysia-based , conservative , self-styled independent journalist with more than 250,000 followers claimed he learned from sources that Hicks was the prime suspect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24-year-old male deputy were on patrol Saturday evening , sitting in their SUV , when a man walked up to the vehicle , pointed a gun at the passenger window and fired multiple times .
The deputies were hit in the face , head and arms .
The suspect fled on foot and remains at large .
Hicks ’ attorney , Brian Dunn , said the false accusation couldn ’ t get much worse .
“ It is a sign of the times .
We have drifted far away from rational thought , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people were willing to make such accusations without a thought to the consequences and that he was still investigating the origins of the false report .
The original poster removed it from Twitter .
But others also claimed to have heard the information .
The Sheriff ’ s Department took to Twitter on Sunday , calling the report erroneous and saying , “ There are no named or wanted suspects at this time.
” Sheriff Alex Villaneuva said that his department never issued an alert and that the one on social media was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some bad information floating around yesterday about a suspect , ” he added in a briefing Monday .
“ All that information is false.
” Dunn said that it was impossible to undo the damage and that “ nobody has taken responsibility for it.
” Hicks said he wanted to “ send my prayers to the two deputies.
” But he also worried about other young Black men , with such a generic description of the perpetrator floating around .
Community activist Jasmyne Cannick said the department ’ s initial description of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a Black male , age 28 to 30 , opened the door to profiling .
Cannick , who works as a political strategist , became involved after she received calls from a friend of Hicks asking for her help .
“ What if he would have been killed ?
What if anybody would have thought he was the wanted suspect ?
” she said .
“ His kids , his 93-year-old grandmother could have got hurt .
”

Falsely accused on social media of being the gunman who ambushed deputies, Darnell Hicks says he fears for his family.
Less than a day after two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were shot and wounded as they sat in their police cruiser outside a transit station in Compton, Darnell Hicks’ cellphone began to light up with messages from friends: He was identified as the alleged gunman in an alert circulated on social media.
Hicks, 33, a father of two and youth football coach from Compton who lives with his 93-year-old grandmother, then saw screenshots of something that seemed to be an official “be on the lookout” alert. It included his driver’s license photograph, name and address and associated him with a Los Angeles gang.
A Twitter post characterized Hicks as “wanted for attempted murder” in connection with the shooting Saturday evening. “The suspect has vowed to shoot more law enforcement officers,” the fake alert added.
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At first, Hicks said, he thought it was a prank. But then threats starting coming in as the post spread on social media.
“It was terrible,” he said. “I feared for my family’s safety.”
He said he was dirt-biking in Compton all day Saturday, but that didn’t stop people from questioning him.
“I got so worried, I called in to the sheriff’s station,” he said.
Hicks said he didn’t know who was behind the accusation and had no connection whatsoever to the shooting.
The post was retweeted and shared by bloggers. One Malaysia-based, conservative, self-styled independent journalist with more than 250,000 followers claimed he learned from sources that Hicks was the prime suspect.
The wounded 31-year-old female deputy and 24-year-old male deputy were on patrol Saturday evening, sitting in their SUV, when a man walked up to the vehicle, pointed a gun at the passenger window and fired multiple times. The deputies were hit in the face, head and arms. The suspect fled on foot and remains at large.
Hicks’ attorney, Brian Dunn, said the false accusation couldn’t get much worse.
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“It is a sign of the times. We have drifted far away from rational thought,” Dunn said.
He said that people were willing to make such accusations without a thought to the consequences and that he was still investigating the origins of the false report. The original poster removed it from Twitter. But others also claimed to have heard the information.
The Sheriff’s Department took to Twitter on Sunday, calling the report erroneous and saying, “There are no named or wanted suspects at this time.”
Sheriff Alex Villaneuva said that his department never issued an alert and that the one on social media was “fake news.”
“There was some bad information floating around yesterday about a suspect,” he added in a briefing Monday. “All that information is false.”
Dunn said that it was impossible to undo the damage and that “nobody has taken responsibility for it.”
Hicks said he wanted to “send my prayers to the two deputies.” But he also worried about other young Black men, with such a generic description of the perpetrator floating around.
Community activist Jasmyne Cannick said the department’s initial description of the suspect as dark-skinned and, then, as a Black male, age 28 to 30, opened the door to profiling.
Cannick, who works as a political strategist, became involved after she received calls from a friend of Hicks asking for her help.
“What if he would have been killed? What if anybody would have thought he was the wanted suspect?” she said. “His kids, his 93-year-old grandmother could have got hurt.”


latimes--2020-09-16--Grocery stores are pushing California to be tougher on crime. Here's why

In 2003 , Brian Beinlich stood before a judge in an Orange County courtroom , barely comprehending what had happened .
The judge had just told Beinlich he was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences in prison .
He would not be eligible for parole for 81 years .
His crime ?
Stealing two bottles of Hennessy from a Costco in Fountain Valley , Calif. , and waving a box cutter at the security guards who chased him down .
A wave of criminal justice reforms in California in recent years sought to ease thousands of harsh sentences like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s bloated prison populations and create more opportunities for parole and rehabilitation .
But if several large grocery store chains have their way , a measure on the ballot this fall will roll back some of these reforms , increasing penalties for shoplifting and making it harder for those convicted of certain non-violent property and drug crimes to get early parole .
While Proposition 20 was launched and financed primarily by law enforcement groups , grocery outlets served as early partners in the effort .
They are taking a controversial stance at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when companies of every stripe have taken pains to demonstrate support for the Black Lives Matter movement and its goals of tearing down racist systems of policing and mass incarceration .
Albertsons and Kroger — the grocers with the biggest financial contributions to Prop .
20 — and the California Grocers Association said in statements they supported the measure because shoplifting and organized retail crime have been on the rise , amounting to significant losses , and threatening the safety of employees and customers .
They say that previous reforms went too far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address this type of crime .
“ People are stealing , and there are no consequences , ” said Richard Temple , a spokesman for the Yes on Prop .
20 campaign .
Experts said theft is a big problem for retailers , especially for grocery stores , which have high foot traffic .
A 2020 survey by the National Retail Federation found that theft — which the industry calls “ shrink ” — was at an all-time high , costing the industry $ 61.7 billion in fiscal year 2019 , or 1.62 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole niche industry around battling retail theft , through cameras , locked display cases and undercover security guards has sprung up .
The landscape of shoplifting and petty theft jurisprudence in California has shifted dramatically in recent years , largely due to , which voters approved in 2014 .
That measure raised the bar for grand theft and downgraded the classification of most shoplifting crimes to a misdemeanor .
Whereas before , property theft of above $ 450 could be charged as a felony , now that limit is $ 950 .
Proposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hastened the release of some nonviolent offenders from prisons .
But after it was implemented , retailers and law enforcement officials blamed Prop .
47 for a spike in shoplifting ; they said organized retail theft rings were taking advantage of reduced penalties .
Safeway , Target , Rite Aid and CVS pharmacies that shoplifting had increased at least 15 % .
( Though experts say there is not sufficient evidence linking an increase in theft to the measure . )
L.A. County prosecutors , police union political action committees and other law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launched a campaign in early 2018 to collect signatures for the ballot initiative that would undo some reforms .
While the initiative failed to secure a spot to go before voters in 2018 , it later acquired enough signatures to make the 2020 ballot .
In 2018 , major grocery chains Safeway and Ralphs contributed $ 100,000 and $ 91,800 respectively to the campaign .
Regional chains including upscale Bristol Farms , Southern California-based Gelson ’ s , and Raley ’ s , a family-owned line in California and Nevada , donated about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finance disclosures .
A number of smaller grocers made contributions as well .
Mar Val Food Stores , with nine locations scattered across California , donated $ 600 , and Super A Foods , which caters to Latino and Asian consumers in the Los Angeles area , donated $ 3,900 .
At least one major company has since withdrawn its support .
Costco , which donated $ 50,000 to the Yes on 20 campaign in early 2018 , said in a statement it no longer supports the measure and that it previously requested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Costco spokeswoman Muriel Cooper declined to provide further details on when and why the company changed course . )
Dan Seeman , with the No on Prop .
20 campaign and a former public safety advisor to Gov .
Gavin Newsom , said the changes proposed are unnecessary , given that law enforcement officials already possess an arsenal of tools to prosecute theft with greater penalties , if they so choose .
Prosecutors could aggregate the value of multiple thefts and stack charges if they wanted to put someone in jail for several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not in an environment where you would imagine grocers ’ top priority would be to lock people up , when essential workers are in danger every day from coronavirus , ” Seeman said .
In 2018 , to deter an attack on Prop .
47 , legislators created “ organized retail theft ” as a new category of crime that would allow prosecutors to charge shoplifting as a felony if two or more people act together .
Temple , with the Yes on 20 campaign , said this rule places too high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conspiracy , and more harsh measures are needed .
Proposition 20 would allow thefts of property worth more than $ 250 to be punished as felonies , which could increase the amount of time people convicted of shoplifting crimes serve .
It would also create two new crimes : serial theft and organized retail theft , which could also be charged as felonies and result in time of up to three years .
Prop .
20 ’ s opponents have made efforts to connect grocers ’ support of the measure to the broader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Safety and Justice , a group that opposes the measure , called out Safeway and Ralphs in an ad in June .
Over grainy Black Lives Matter protest footage , a narrator pilloried the grocers for supporting a law that would put more people behind bars and increase prison spending at the expense of investing in community programs .
( The Yes on 20 campaign countered with an for their support of crime victims . )
It ’ s unclear why grocery chains have been more active in their support than other types @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Association is listed as a member of the Yes on 20 coalition alongside California Grocers Association , major retailers other than grocers do not seem to have made direct monetary contributions to the campaign , according to campaign finance disclosures .
The retailers association said its president , Rachel Michelin , was out of town and unavailable to comment .
Other major companies including Target declined to comment about their position on the measure .
Neil Saunders , an analyst at GlobalData Retail , said the high level of unionization among grocery workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ active role in politics .
Legal and academic experts said that while grocers and other retailers ’ concerns about organized retail crime are legitimate , on the whole , studies show reforms did not exacerbate public safety risks in California .
Two studies — one by UC Irvine criminologist Charis Kubrin and another by the Public Policy Institute of California — found no connection between Prop .
47 and increases in violent crime .
However , both noted slight increases in larceny , particularly thefts from motor vehicles .
Kubrin said she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increases were caused by Prop .
47 , though there are “ still some question marks ” around its effect on theft that warrant further research .
“ We went to assess , ‘ did we get a lot more crime , did we get a lot more recidivism ?
’ And as best we can see , that did not happen .
We didn ’ t get those spikes in crime rates people were afraid of , ” said Mia Bird , an assistant adjunct professor at the Goldman School of Public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute of California ’ s study of the effects of Prop .
47 .
Shoplifting cases are currently treated as low priority in the broader criminal justice system .
Big retailers send letters with boilerplate legal language asking for restitution to be paid for their losses .
The cases are usually settled on the first day with a mandated rehabilitation program , probation or community service .
That ’ s how it should be , said Ambrosio Rodriguez , a Los Angeles-based criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor .
It ’ s true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent years as California has softened its laws , he said , but sending more people to prison is not the answer .
“ Plenty of people spent decades in prison for simple shoplifting because they had a prior , ” he said .
“ We made a decision as a state that nonviolent crimes were not going to be ones that were going to land people in prison .
...
This proposition is tone deaf in terms of where we are in reforming the criminal justice system.
” Rodriguez said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cognac , he had been struggling with addiction after being prescribed painkillers for surgeries he underwent .
“ It turned my life into a state of chaos , ” he said .
He had prior offenses , having served time for a series of robberies in the early 1990s .
Still , he did not expect to be put in prison for life .
After 18 years in prison , Beinlich is out .
A judge recalled his sentence on the recommendation of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation , granting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died while he was behind bars .
His sister died three months after he got out .
Now he ’ s sober , lives in a transitory facility , volunteers at a church and takes classes at L.A. Trade Technical College .
In August , he visited Redondo Beach , where he saw the ocean for the first time in decades .

In 2003, Brian Beinlich stood before a judge in an Orange County courtroom, barely comprehending what had happened.
The judge had just told Beinlich he was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences in prison. He would not be eligible for parole for 81 years. His crime? Stealing two bottles of Hennessy from a Costco in Fountain Valley and waving a box cutter at the security guards who chased him down.
A wave of criminal justice reforms in California in recent years sought to ease thousands of harsh sentences like the one Beinlich received, reduce the state’s bloated prison populations and create more opportunities for parole and rehabilitation. But if several large grocery store chains have their way, a measure on the ballot this fall will roll back some of these reforms, increasing penalties for shoplifting and making it harder for those convicted of certain nonviolent property and drug crimes to get early parole.
While Proposition 20 was launched and financed primarily by law enforcement groups, grocery outlets served as early partners in the effort. They are taking a controversial stance at a sensitive time for corporate America, when companies of every stripe have taken pains to demonstrate support for the Black Lives Matter movement and its goals of tearing down racist systems of policing and mass incarceration.
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Albertsons and Kroger — the grocers with the biggest financial contributions to Proposition 20 — and the California Grocers Assn. said in statements that they supported the measure because shoplifting and organized retail crime have been on the rise, amounting to significant losses and threatening the safety of employees and customers. They say that previous reforms went too far in removing teeth from laws meant to address this type of crime.
“People are stealing, and there are no consequences,” said Richard Temple, a spokesman for the Yes on Prop. 20 campaign.
Experts said theft is a big problem for retailers, especially for grocery stores, which have high foot traffic. A 2020 survey by the National Retail Federation found that theft — which the industry calls “shrink” — was at an all-time high, costing the industry $61.7 billion in fiscal year 2019, or 1.62% of retailers’ profits. A whole niche industry around battling retail theft, through cameras, locked display cases and undercover security guards, has sprung up.
The landscape of shoplifting and petty theft jurisprudence in California has shifted dramatically in recent years, largely due to Proposition 47 , which voters approved in 2014. That measure raised the bar for grand theft and downgraded the classification of most shoplifting crimes to a misdemeanor. Whereas before, property theft of above $450 could be charged as a felony, now that threshold is $950. Proposition 57, approved two years later, hastened the release of some nonviolent offenders from prisons.
But after it was implemented, retailers and law enforcement officials blamed Proposition 47 for a spike in shoplifting; they said organized retail theft rings were taking advantage of reduced penalties. Safeway, Target, Rite Aid and CVS pharmacies said in 2016 that shoplifting had increased at least 15%. (Though experts say there is not sufficient evidence linking an increase in theft to the measure.)
L.A. County prosecutors, police union political action committees and other law enforcement groups — joined by grocers — launched a campaign in early 2018 to collect signatures for the ballot initiative that would undo some reforms. Although the initiative failed to secure a spot to go before voters in 2018, it later acquired enough signatures to make the 2020 ballot.
In 2018, major grocery chains Safeway and Ralphs contributed $100,000 and $91,800, respectively, to the campaign. Regional chains including upscale Bristol Farms, Southern California-based Gelson’s, and Raley’s, a family-owned line in California and Nevada, donated about $30,000 total, according to campaign finance disclosures.
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A number of smaller grocers made contributions as well. Mar Val Food Stores, with nine locations scattered across California, donated $600, and Super A Foods, which caters to Latino and Asian consumers in the Los Angeles area, donated $3,900.
At least one major company has since withdrawn its support. Costco, which donated $50,000 to the Yes on 20 campaign in early 2018, said in a statement it no longer supports the measure and that it previously requested a return of its contributions. (Costco spokeswoman Muriel Cooper declined to provide further details on when and why the company changed course.)
Dan Seeman, with the No on Prop. 20 campaign and a former public safety advisor to Gov. Gavin Newsom, said the changes proposed are unnecessary, given that law enforcement officials already possess an arsenal of tools to prosecute theft with greater penalties, if they so choose. Prosecutors could aggregate the value of multiple thefts and stack charges if they wanted to put someone in jail for several years, he said.
“We are not in an environment where you would imagine grocers’ top priority would be to lock people up, when essential workers are in danger every day from coronavirus,” Seeman said.
In 2018, to deter an attack on Proposition 47, legislators created “organized retail theft” as a new category of crime that would allow prosecutors to charge shoplifting as a felony if two or more people act together.
Temple, with the Yes on 20 campaign, said this rule places too high a burden on prosecutors to prove a conspiracy, and more harsh measures are needed.
Proposition 20 would allow thefts of property worth more than $250 to be punished as felonies, which could increase the amount of time people convicted of shoplifting crimes serve. It would also create two new crimes: serial theft and organized retail theft, which could also be charged as felonies and result in time of up to three years.
Proposition 20’s opponents have made efforts to connect grocers’ support of the measure to the broader national dialogue on racist policing. California Safety and Justice, a group that opposes the measure, called out Safeway and Ralphs in an ad in June. Over grainy Black Lives Matter protest footage, a narrator pilloried the grocers for supporting a law that would put more people behind bars and increase prison spending at the expense of investing in community programs. (The Yes on 20 campaign countered with an ad thanking the corporations for their support of crime victims.)
It’s unclear why grocery chains have been more active in their support than other types of retailers. While the California Retailers Assn. is listed as a member of the Yes on 20 coalition alongside California Grocers Assn., major retailers other than grocers do not seem to have made direct monetary contributions to the campaign, according to campaign finance disclosures. The retailers association said its president, Rachel Michelin, was out of town and unavailable to comment. Other major companies including Target declined to comment about their position on the measure.
Neil Saunders, an analyst at GlobalData Retail, said the high level of unionization among grocery workers has led to grocers taking a more active role in politics.
Legal and academic experts said that while grocers and other retailers’ concerns about organized retail crime are legitimate, on the whole, studies show reforms did not exacerbate public safety risks in California.
Two studies — one by UC Irvine criminologist Charis Kubrin and another by the Public Policy Institute of California — found no connection between Proposition 47 and increases in violent crime. However, both noted slight increases in larceny, particularly thefts from motor vehicles. Kubrin said she was not able to find sufficient evidence these increases were caused by Proposition 47, though there are “still some question marks” around its effect on theft that warrant further research.
“We went to assess: ‘Did we get a lot more crime? Did we get a lot more recidivism?’ And as best we can see, that did not happen. We didn’t get those spikes in crime rates people were afraid of,” said Mia Bird, an assistant adjunct professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy who worked on the Public Policy Institute of California’s study of the effects of Proposition 47.
Shoplifting cases are currently treated as low priority in the broader criminal justice system. Big retailers send letters with boilerplate legal language asking for restitution to be paid for their losses. The cases are usually settled on the first day with a mandated rehabilitation program, probation or community service.
That’s how it should be, said Ambrosio Rodriguez, a Los Angeles-based criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor. It’s true that organized retail crime rings have emerged in recent years as California has softened its laws, he said, but sending more people to prison is not the answer.
“Plenty of people spent decades in prison for simple shoplifting because they had a prior,” he said. “We made a decision as a state that nonviolent crimes were not going to be ones that were going to land people in prison. ... This proposition is tone-deaf in terms of where we are in reforming the criminal justice system.”
When Beinlich stole those two bottles of Cognac, he had been struggling with addiction after being prescribed painkillers for surgeries he underwent.
“It turned my life into a state of chaos,” he said.
He had prior offenses, having served time for a series of robberies in the early 1990s. Still, he did not expect to be put in prison for life.
After 18 years in prison, Beinlich is out. A judge recalled his sentence on the recommendation of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, granting a rare reprieve. Both of his parents died while he was behind bars. His sister died three months after he got out.
Now he’s sober, lives in a transitory facility, volunteers at a church and takes classes at L.A. Trade-Technical College. In August, he visited Redondo Beach, where he saw the ocean for the first time in decades.
VIDEO | 05:45 LA Times Today: Why grocery stores back Prop 20 Watch L.A. Times Today at 7 p.m. on Spectrum News 1 on Channel 1 or live stream on the Spectrum News App. Palos Verdes Peninsula and Orange County viewers can watch on Cox Systems on channel 99.
Times staff writer Ryan Menezes contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-16--'Nobody wanted to look at them' — but this photographer insists that we do

Last fall , I found myself sitting on a trash-strewn couch tucked under the elevated Orange Line busway in the Sepulveda Basin with a man who was heating a meth pipe .
He goes by Rabbit and described years spent in and out of prison , falling in with a gang , and his life on the streets of the San Fernando Valley .
His bracing honesty and entrenched hopelessness were startling .
I had heard many stories like his but few in such vivid detail and in such a short period of time .
I kept wanting to hear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for himself in the basin , where the concrete-covered Los Angeles River runs right into a densely overgrown riverbed .
“ Talk to Ivan .
He knows the story , ” Rabbit said .
Ivan is Ivan Kashinsky — an award-winning documentary photographer , Los Angeles native and the man who first brought me to this hidden home for some of the city ’ s most vulnerable residents .
They live in large tents along riverbanks and under overpasses .
They run generators and cart in water .
They share food and drugs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came here in 2016 after returning from Ecuador , where he lived for more than a decade .
When he encountered Rabbit and his cohort living near the river , he was completely absorbed and kept returning .
His visits turned into a years-long effort to document the lives of homeless people in the Sepulveda Basin in a project titled “ Where the Concrete Meets the Jungle.
” With time , Kashinsky began to realize that many of these people easily blended into society , that they were easy to overlook .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of showed that somebody cared about their situation , ” Kashinsky said .
“ It almost felt like they wanted to be documented because they ’ re almost invisible .
Nobody wanted to look at them .
Everybody turns their heads when they ’ re walking down the street .
They ’ re kind of like these untouchables almost.
” Kashinsky introduced me to people whose lives had been turned upside down by financial distress , mental tumult and addiction .
He also ensured that I heard stories of resilience : the man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and move to Arizona to be with his newborn child and wife , and the people who came together to support one another after a fire ripped through their encampment , destroying many of their belongings .
Through the years , in between assignments that took him all across the world , Kashinsky kept coming back to the basin .
He kept listening and he kept taking photos .
These pictures juxtapose the stillness you might see in an image of a remote vista with the jarringly raw social commentary that is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the largest homeless populations in the United States .
“ I documented tribes in the Amazon , but these are people that were born in the same valley as me , ” Kashinsky , 42 , said .
“ Maybe this is even more appropriate for me to be documenting .
Like we come from similar roots in a way .
This could be somebody I went to high school with.
” Kashinsky followed his subjects into hotels that the county had secured for them at the outset of the pandemic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Although he ’ d dreamed of walking the whole Los Angeles River , taking photos along the way , to reacquaint himself with his home , it turned out meeting people like Rabbit provided a deeper understanding of how many Angelenos now live — and a series of indelible images .

Last fall, I found myself sitting on a trash-strewn couch tucked under the elevated Orange Line busway in the Sepulveda Basin with a man who was heating a meth pipe. He goes by Rabbit and described years spent in and out of prison, falling in with a gang, and his life on the streets of the San Fernando Valley.
His bracing honesty and entrenched hopelessness were startling. I had heard many stories like his but few in such vivid detail and in such a short period of time.
I kept wanting to hear more about how he made a home for himself in the basin, where the concrete-covered Los Angeles River runs right into a densely overgrown riverbed.
“Talk to Ivan. He knows the story,” Rabbit said.
Ivan is Ivan Kashinsky — an award-winning documentary photographer, Los Angeles native and the man who first brought me to this hidden home for some of the city’s most vulnerable residents.
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Holding a BB rifle, Ron Clark, 53, gets animated during a discussion about Jesus Christ with two other people at a Sepulveda Basin homeless encampment in February 2017. Clark, who came to Los Angeles from Chicago, said he was psychologically and sexually abused as a child and became homeless when he ran away at 14. He was eventually kicked out of the encampment. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times)
They live in large tents along riverbanks and under overpasses. They run generators and cart in water. They share food and drugs, friendship and heartbreak.
Kashinsky first came here in 2016 after returning from Ecuador, where he lived for more than a decade. When he encountered Rabbit and his cohort living near the river, he was completely absorbed and kept returning.
His visits turned into a years-long effort to document the lives of homeless people in the Sepulveda Basin in a project titled “Where the Concrete Meets the Jungle.”
With time, Kashinsky began to realize that many of these people easily blended into society, that they were easy to overlook.
“I felt like me being there kind of showed that somebody cared about their situation,” Kashinsky said.
Alan Fagerson, 54, cleans the floor of his home, dubbed the “homeless mansion,” in Lake Balboa in November 2016. Fagerson, originally from San Bernardino, moved to the San Fernando Valley when he was 19 and had recently finished a 15-year prison sentence. A leader of a nearby homeless encampment later evicted him from the structure, which Fagerson had made out of wood and found materials and had a guest room and a bathroom. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times)
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“It almost felt like they wanted to be documented because they’re almost invisible. Nobody wanted to look at them. Everybody turns their heads when they’re walking down the street. They’re kind of like these untouchables almost.”
Kashinsky introduced me to people whose lives had been turned upside down by financial distress, mental tumult and addiction. He also ensured that I heard stories of resilience: the man who managed to shake a meth addiction and move to Arizona to be with his newborn child and wife, and the people who came together to support one another after a fire ripped through their encampment, destroying many of their belongings.
Through the years, in between assignments that took him all across the world, Kashinsky kept coming back to the basin. He kept listening and he kept taking photos. These pictures juxtapose the stillness you might see in an image of a remote vista with the jarringly raw social commentary that is a sad reality in the city with one of the largest homeless populations in the United States.
“I documented tribes in the Amazon, but these are people that were born in the same valley as me,” Kashinsky, 42, said. “Maybe this is even more appropriate for me to be documenting. Like we come from similar roots in a way. This could be somebody I went to high school with.”
Kashinsky followed his subjects into hotels that the county had secured for them at the outset of the pandemic and documented how the coronavirus changed their lives.
Although he’d dreamed of walking the whole Los Angeles River, taking photos along the way, to reacquaint himself with his home, it turned out meeting people like Rabbit provided a deeper understanding of how many Angelenos now live — and a series of indelible images.
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Kenneth Colato, 49, known as Rabbit, stands with Lauren, 33, then his girlfriend, in front of his home underneath a bridge over the L.A. River in Encino in March 2017. Lauren said she was an only child from a wealthy family in Connecticut, where she used to sell insurance, and had been homeless for five years. Rabbit, who said he had spent about half his life in jail or prison, was addicted to heroin and crystal meth and was a member of a white supremacist gang. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times)
“I started doing heroin at 17. I did it enough so I fell in love with it. And it’s been goddamn curse ever since.” — Kenneth Colato
Kenneth Colato washes off at a baseball field near his home under the L.A. River in Encino in October 2019. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times)
“To live is to struggle … financially, mentally, emotionally.” — Jesus Saavadera
Jesus Saavadera, 32, known as Danger, gets his infant son’s name tattooed on his shoulder at a homeless encampment on the L.A. River in March 2019. Saavadera said he was introduced to gangs when he was in the fourth grade and spent many years incarcerated. He had been homeless on and off for nine years, and had been separated from his wife and son for six months. But he was determined to reunite with them and now lives with his family in Arizona. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times)
“I made some mistakes in my life I regret. Can I change them? I can’t. What is done is done. I just got to learn how to accept it and revise it. We’re only human. We make mistakes.” — Jesus Saavadera
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Jesus Saavadera in the structure where he was staying in Encino in March 2019. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times)
Elizabeth Bolton, 43, known as Alabama, packs her bags to leave the homeless encampment in Encino where she had been living in May 2019. An assistance organization had bought her a bus ticket home to reunite with her family, including her three children. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times)
“I try to tell them that we’re homeless and we need to help each other. But no, they’ll come steal your bike at night and then come the next day and sit at your breakfast table.” — Elizabeth Bolton
Pablo “Paul” Mawyin is comforted by his girlfriend, Elizabeth Bolton, as she prepared to leave the Encino encampment in May 2019. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times)
Ron Clark rides his bike to his friend Eric’s place under a bridge along the L.A. River in May 2018. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times)
Elizabeth Bolton looks for food in a dumpster in Van Nuys in April 2019. Bolton said she came to Los Angeles with a traveling circus, split up with the man she came with and ended up living in a homeless community beside the L.A. River, addicted to crystal meth. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times)
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Elizabeth Bolton puts candles on a birthday cake for her boyfriend, Pablo Mawyin, in May 2019, but they were fighting and nobody showed up to the party and the food was never eaten. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times)
Kenneth Colato looks in a mirror in his home under a bridge along the L.A. River in the Sepulveda Basin in April 2017. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times)
“I ended up down here at this river. This place is something else. You stay down here long enough, dude, and you turn mean and angry. It holds you here, there’s a serenity to it.” — Kenneth Colato
Kenneth Colato takes firewood back to his home under a bridge in the Sepulveda Basin in November 2019. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times)
Elizabeth Bolton looks for a new place to stay in Lake Balboa in November 2019. Even though an assistance organization bought her a ticket home, she got off the bus at the first stop and came back to the homeless encampment. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times)
Ashley Heldman, 29, opens a suitcase she found along the L.A. River near a homeless encampment in Encino in November 2016. Heldman, who was struggling with alcoholism, came to the community with her boyfriend, who then left her for another woman. She eventually left the encampment and sobered up. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times )
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“Over there it was just us. Everyone had each other’s back over there. Yeah, we had our differences, we’re people, but when it came down to it we were all there for each other, for the most part.” — Lauren
Lauren, who did not provide her last name, talks on the phone in her hotel room in Van Nuys on June 15. She moved into the hotel from a homeless encampment in Encino in April under a program called Project Roomkey, which provides shelter for homeless people who are vulnerable to the coronavirus. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times)
“Love is one of the only emotions that will not die. That’s what everybody searches for, to be loved.” — Kenneth Colato
Kenneth Colato looks out of the peephole in Lauren’s hotel room in Van Nuys on June 15. He also moved into the hotel under the Project Roomkey program. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times)
A man from a homeless encampment in Encino smokes crystal meth in his hotel room in Van Nuys on June 15. He moved into the hotel in May under the Project Roomkey program. (Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times )
Kenneth Colato prepares to leave Lauren’s hotel room in Van Nuys. (Ivan Kashinksy / For The Times)


latimes--2020-09-16--Standoff in Lynwood ends with carjacking suspect in custody, not gunman in deputy ambush

Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies took into custody a carjacking suspect late Tuesday , ending a nearly nine-hour standoff in Lynwood rife with speculation that the Sheriff ’ s Department had cornered the gunman who shot two deputies at point-blank range four days earlier .
Sheriff ’ s Sgt .
Bob Boese skewered that theory Tuesday night , telling reporters that the man in custody , Deonte Murray , was suspected not of ambushing the sheriff ’ s deputies but of shooting a man and stealing his car two weeks earlier .
The massive police presence in Lynwood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 36 , had shot his carjacking victim with a “ high-powered rifle , ” Boese said , as well as a “ heightened sense of awareness ” after the attack on the deputies Saturday .
The deputies , a 31-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man , were sitting in a patrol car outside a Metro station in Compton when a gunman approached and fired multiple rounds into their bodies .
They survived and are recovering .
Sheriff Alex Villanueva promised an exhaustive search for the gunman .
When the department said Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Enforcement Bureau — the sheriff ’ s shock troops — to deal with a barricaded suspect in Lynwood , social media hummed with speculation that they had cornered the shooter .
“ At this time , ” he said in announcing Murray ’ s arrest , “ there is no information that would lead us to believe that he is involved in the shooting of our deputies .
“ He is a carjacking suspect and he will be booked for carjacking and assault with a deadly weapon , ” Boese said .
Two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stationed in Compton responded to a carjacking in the 500 block of Essey Avenue and found a 51-year-old whose car had been stolen and who had been shot in the leg .
Gang investigators obtained an arrest warrant and began searching for Murray , who was spotted Tuesday near the intersection of Alondra Boulevard and Bradfield Avenue , Boese said .
Deputies attempted to stop him in his Toyota Solara , Boese said , but Murray took off , with the deputies in pursuit .
Murray ditched the car in the 3000 block @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a home , Boese said .
Into the evening , deputies blocked residents from entering or leaving a taped-off area .
Helicopters buzzed overhead .
Christina Carrillo , 30 , waited Tuesday night with her wife outside the area , hoping to reach their two children soon .
Carrillo , who has lived in the area for about 10 years , said she worried that the shooting of the two deputies in nearby Compton would increase mistrust between the community and law enforcement .
“ It came close to home , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something we don ’ t need.
” After nearly nine hours , deputies used tear gas and a police dog to flush Murray from the property .
They found him hiding inside a trash bin behind the property , Boese said .

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies took into custody a carjacking suspect late Tuesday, ending a nearly nine-hour standoff in Lynwood rife with speculation that the Sheriff’s Department had cornered the gunman who shot two deputies at point-blank range four days earlier.
Sheriff’s Sgt. Bob Boese skewered that theory Tuesday night, telling reporters that the man in custody, Deonte Murray, was suspected not of ambushing the sheriff’s deputies but of shooting a man and stealing his car two weeks earlier.
The massive police presence in Lynwood was prompted by the fact that Murray, 36, had shot his carjacking victim with a “high-powered rifle,” Boese said, as well as a “heightened sense of awareness” after the attack on the deputies Saturday.
The deputies, a 31-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man, were sitting in a patrol car outside a Metro station in Compton when a gunman approached and fired multiple rounds into their bodies. They survived and are recovering.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva promised an exhaustive search for the gunman. When the department said Tuesday afternoon that it had dispatched its Special Enforcement Bureau — the sheriff’s shock troops — to deal with a barricaded suspect in Lynwood, social media hummed with speculation that they had cornered the shooter.
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Boese poured cold water on the theory.
“At this time,” he said in announcing Murray’s arrest, “there is no information that would lead us to believe that he is involved in the shooting of our deputies.
“He is a carjacking suspect and he will be booked for carjacking and assault with a deadly weapon,” Boese said.
Two weeks ago, Boese said, deputies stationed in Compton responded to a carjacking in the 500 block of Essey Avenue and found a 51-year-old whose car had been stolen and who had been shot in the leg.
Gang investigators obtained an arrest warrant and began searching for Murray, who was spotted Tuesday near the intersection of Alondra Boulevard and Bradfield Avenue, Boese said. Deputies attempted to stop him in his Toyota Solara, Boese said, but Murray took off, with the deputies in pursuit.
Murray ditched the car in the 3000 block of Carlin Avenue in Lynwood and hid in a home, Boese said.
Into the evening, deputies blocked residents from entering or leaving a taped-off area. Helicopters buzzed overhead.
Christina Carrillo, 30, waited Tuesday night with her wife outside the area, hoping to reach their two children soon.
Carrillo, who has lived in the area for about 10 years, said she worried that the shooting of the two deputies in nearby Compton would increase mistrust between the community and law enforcement.
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“It came close to home,” she said. “The tension is something we don’t need.”
After nearly nine hours, deputies used tear gas and a police dog to flush Murray from the property. They found him hiding inside a trash bin behind the property, Boese said.


latimes--2020-09-15--How smoke from California wildfires turns the sky red

Smoke from California ’ s current unprecedented siege of deadly , destructive wildfires is giving skies in the Golden State a Martian look .
The unhealthy atmosphere is enough to make California residents gasp , if not scream , like the agonized figure in Norwegian artist Edvard Munch ’ s iconic 1893 painting .
The red skies in California and the blood-red sunset in Munch ’ s painting , “ The Scream , ” may have something in common .
One theory is that Munch ’ s sunset was inspired by the eruption of the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa in August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunda Strait spewed particles into the atmosphere that spectacularly colored sunsets around the globe for months .
The airborne ash particles caused “ such vivid red sunsets that fire engines were called out in New York , Poughkeepsie , and New Haven to quench the apparent conflagration , ” according to volcanologist Scott Rowland of the University of Hawaii , quoted on the NASA Science website .
Like light-scattering particles from volcanic eruptions , smoke particles from California ’ s numerous fires are producing red skies .
How does this happen ?
Only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spectrum is visible to the human eye .
There are seven colors in the visible spectrum : red , orange , yellow , green , blue , indigo and violet .
When sunlight enters the atmosphere , much of the violet and indigo light waves scatter at such high altitudes they are not readily seen .
Next comes blue light , which has a short wavelength , so it is scattered efficiently by small objects such as molecules of nitrogen and oxygen .
When rays from the sun hit these particles , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blue cast in daytime .
This is called Rayleigh scattering , the dominant type of light scattering in Earth ’ s atmosphere .
But the smoke particles that are clogging the air over California and the West are much bigger than particles of nitrogen and oxygen .
The same is true of water droplets that make up clouds and particles from volcanic eruptions .
But they ’ re similar in size to the light waves .
They scatter red light — the part of the visible spectrum with the longest wavelengths .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particle concentrations are high enough , Mie scattering will overwhelm Rayleigh scattering , resulting in a red sky during the day , rather than the typical blue .
In addition to scattering , smoke particles also absorb light , which plays a role in darkening the sky .
Smoke from West Coast wildfires has been detected in the atmosphere around the globe , much as particles from Krakatoa were seen in the skies of Europe and North America after the 1883 eruption .
Smoke and haze from California fires were reported on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the jet stream , and forecasters there suggested the smoke would keep temperatures a few degrees cooler .
Smoke from U.S. fires was also reported over Northern Europe .
A larger catastrophe than the volcanic eruption at Krakatoa occurred at Mt .
Tambora , also in present-day Indonesia , in April 1815 .
Its aftermath is depicted in the tinted skies of paintings by earlier 19th century artists such as J.M.W .
Turner , for example .
That volcanic blast was 100 times larger than that of Mt .
St. Helens , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerful volcanic eruption in recorded history .
That event , like Krakatoa , produced a cloud of material that encircled the globe , but this time it blocked sunlight , leading to three years of planetary cooling , including “ the year without a summer ” in 1816 .
The eruption gave rise to freakishly unseasonable cold weather , crop failures and global pandemics .
Munch is said to have sensed an “ infinite scream passing through nature ” when he created his famous painting .
Whether his blood-red sky was inspired by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phenomenon , many Californians probably sense a similar scream coursing through the natural world as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic , global climate change and record , apocalyptic fires up and down the West Coast .
Unhealthy , smoky conditions are likely to persist this week in California , so experts recommend staying indoors and using air conditioning or other air filtering devices .
Avoid strenuous outdoor activity and keep informed about changing air quality .
Generally speaking , if you smell smoke or the air looks smoky , air quality probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ check your local air quality at AirNow.gov .

San Francisco looks like a scene out of “Blade Runner 2049” as a result of smoke from Northern California fires.
Smoke from California’s current unprecedented siege of deadly, destructive wildfires is giving skies in the Golden State a Martian look. The unhealthy atmosphere is enough to make California residents gasp, if not scream, like the agonized figure in Norwegian artist Edvard Munch’s iconic 1893 painting.
The red skies in California and the blood-red sunset in Munch’s painting, “The Scream,” may have something in common.
One theory is that Munch’s sunset was inspired by the eruption of the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa in August 1883. The massive eruption in the Sunda Strait spewed particles into the atmosphere that spectacularly colored sunsets around the globe for months.
The airborne ash particles caused “such vivid red sunsets that fire engines were called out in New York, Poughkeepsie, and New Haven to quench the apparent conflagration,” according to volcanologist Scott Rowland of the University of Hawaii, quoted on the NASA Science website.
“The Scream” by Edvard Munch, 1893. (National Gallery of Norway)
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Like light-scattering particles from volcanic eruptions, smoke particles from California’s numerous fires are producing red skies.
How does this happen?
Only a small portion of the full electromagnetic spectrum is visible to the human eye. There are seven colors in the visible spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
When sunlight enters the atmosphere, much of the violet and indigo light waves scatter at such high altitudes they are not readily seen.
Next comes blue light, which has a short wavelength, so it is scattered efficiently by small particles such as molecules of nitrogen and oxygen. When rays from the sun scatter off these particles, they give the sky its blue cast in daytime. This is called Rayleigh scattering, the dominant type of light scattering in Earth’s atmosphere.
Red and orange light have the longest wavelengths. (Paul Duginski / Los Angeles Times)
But the smoke particles that are clogging the air over California and the West — like the water droplets that make up clouds and particles from volcanic eruptions — are much bigger than molecules and similar in size to visible light. Such particles scatter colors uniformly, but preferentially absorb the blue and green, yielding a reddish hue to the sky, especially when the concentration is high. This is known as Mie scattering.
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In addition to scattering, smoke particles’ absorption of light plays a role in darkening the sky.
Smoke from West Coast wildfires has been detected in the atmosphere around the globe, much as particles from Krakatoa were seen in the skies of Europe and North America after the 1883 eruption. Smoke and haze from California fires were reported on the East Coast this week, carried there by the jet stream, and forecasters there suggested the smoke would keep temperatures a few degrees cooler. Smoke from U.S. fires was also reported over Northern Europe.
A larger catastrophe than the volcanic eruption at Krakatoa occurred at Mt. Tambora, also in present-day Indonesia, in April 1815. Its aftermath is depicted in the tinted skies of paintings by earlier 19th century artists such as J.M.W. Turner, for example. That volcanic blast was 100 times larger than that of Mt. St. Helens, and is considered to be the most powerful volcanic eruption in recorded history.
Catastrophic volcanic eruptions affected skies and the climate throughout the world. (Paul Duginski / Los Angeles Times)
That event, like Krakatoa, produced a cloud of material that encircled the globe, but this time it blocked sunlight, leading to three years of planetary cooling, including “the year without a summer” in 1816. The eruption gave rise to freakishly unseasonable cold weather, crop failures and global pandemics.
Munch is said to have sensed an “infinite scream passing through nature” when he created his famous painting. Whether his blood-red sky was inspired by the eruption of Krakatoa or some other phenomenon, many Californians probably sense a similar scream coursing through the natural world as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, global climate change and record, apocalyptic fires up and down the West Coast.
Unhealthy, smoky conditions are likely to persist this week in California, so experts recommend staying indoors and using air conditioning or other air filtering devices. Avoid strenuous outdoor activity and keep informed about changing air quality. Generally speaking, if you smell smoke or the air looks smoky, air quality probably isn’t good. You can check your local air quality at AirNow.gov.


latimes--2020-09-15--Photos:Manhunt continues for suspect in Sheriff shootings

Two Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies were out of surgery and recovering after being shot Saturday evening in @ @ @ @ @ as an “ ambush ” that was captured on surveillance video .
The video , @ @ @ @ @ s Department , shows a man walking up to the deputies ’ parked patrol car @ @ @ @ @ and firing several times into the front seat area from the passenger side .
The @ @ @ @ @ from the scene .
On Sunday , officials asked for the public ’ s help @ @ @ @ @ opened fire .

Two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were out of surgery and recovering after being shot Saturday evening in Compton in what authorities described as an “ambush” that was captured on surveillance video.
The video, released by the Sheriff’s Department, shows a man walking up to the deputies’ parked patrol car, pulling out a gun and firing several times into the front seat area from the passenger side. The assailant is then seen running from the scene. On Sunday, officials asked for the public’s help to locate the person who opened fire.
L.A. County sheriff’s deputies converge near St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, where two deputies are being treated for gunshot wounds after an attack in Compton. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. sheriff’s deputies stand guard outside St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, where two sheriff’s deputies are being treated after a gunman open fire on them in Compton. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
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L.A. sheriff’s deputies keep watch outside St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. County sheriff’s deputies patrol outside St. Francis Medical Center, where two deputies are being treated for gunshot wounds. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. County sheriff’s deputies gather outside St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. County sheriff’s deputies assemble outside St. Francis Medical Center. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. County sheriff’s deputies mount a vehicle outside St. Francis Medical Center. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. County sheriff’s deputies walk near St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
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A group of L.A. County sheriff’s deputies walk near St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva exits a news conference in Lynwood outside the emergency room of St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva address the media during a news conference. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Detectives arrive in Compton where two L.A. County sheriff’s deputies were shot and wounded by a gunman who opened fire on their patrol car near the Compton Metro station. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Detectives comb the area where two L.A. County sheriff’s deputies were shot in Compton. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. County sheriff’s deputies block off streets in Compton surrounding the bus station where two deputies were shot. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
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latimes--2020-09-15--Former gun store manager at LAPD Academy charged with stealing more than 20 guns

A former manager of the gun store at the Los Angeles Police Academy has been charged with stealing more than 20 guns and illegally selling them to several officers .
Archi Duenas , 34 , pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges including grand theft of a firearm , grand theft by embezzlement and illegal possession of an assault weapon , according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney ’ s Office .
Duenas also pleaded not guilty to 22 misdemeanor counts of unlawfully selling or transferring a firearm without a license and one misdemeanor count of carrying a loaded and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the police officers and a deputy sheriff who bought guns from him have been charged .
According to law enforcement sources not authorized to discuss the investigation , one of the buyers was an LAPD captain .
In February , the LAPD commercial crimes division began investigating the disappearance of at least 35 firearms from the Los Angeles Police Revolver and Athletic Club gun store , a private organization whose members are law enforcement , after a discrepancy was found in the inventory .
Investigators a month later arrested Duenas .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking at least 21 guns during a two-year period beginning in early 2018 , then selling the guns , according to the District Attorney ’ s Office .
LAPD detectives have determined that of the 35 stolen firearms , 24 have been recovered .
Several LAPD officers were placed on administrative assignment during the investigation after it was determined they acquired the firearms , but later returned to work .
According to sources , Duenas allegedly sold the firearms at a considerably discounted price that law enforcement sources said should have alerted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Duenas could face up to 12 1/2 years behind bars .

A former manager of the gun store at the Los Angeles Police Academy has been charged with stealing more than 20 guns and illegally selling them to several officers.
Archi Duenas, 34, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges including grand theft of a firearm, grand theft by embezzlement and illegal possession of an assault weapon, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Duenas also pleaded not guilty to 22 misdemeanor counts of unlawfully selling or transferring a firearm without a license and one misdemeanor count of carrying a loaded and concealed firearm in a vehicle.
None of the police officers and a deputy sheriff who bought guns from him have been charged. According to law enforcement sources not authorized to discuss the investigation, one of the buyers was an LAPD captain.
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In February, the LAPD commercial crimes division began investigating the disappearance of at least 35 firearms from the Los Angeles Police Revolver and Athletic Club gun store, a private organization whose members are law enforcement, after a discrepancy was found in the inventory.
Investigators a month later arrested Duenas. In the charges, Duenas is accused of taking at least 21 guns during a two-year period beginning in early 2018, then selling the guns, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
LAPD detectives have determined that of the 35 stolen firearms, 24 have been recovered.
Several LAPD officers were placed on administrative assignment during the investigation after it was determined they acquired the firearms, but later returned to work. According to sources, Duenas allegedly sold the firearms at a considerably discounted price that law enforcement sources said should have alerted the buyers.
If convicted as charged, Duenas could face up to 12 1/2 years behind bars.


latimes--2020-09-15--3 deaths in L.A. County linked to Labor Day weekend heat wave

Heat exposure contributed to the deaths of at least three people who perished in Los Angeles County as a heat wave broiled the region over the Labor Day weekend , according to the county coroner .
All three people were believed to be unsheltered , underscoring the dangers homeless people face when temperatures soar .
They died the same day , Sept. 6 , when Los Angeles County recorded its highest-ever temperature : 121 degrees Fahrenheit , registered at a weather station in Woodland Hills .
Holland Harmond , a 60-year-old man , died at 3:30 p.m. on the sidewalk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Street in downtown Los Angeles , according to the medical examiner-coroner ’ s office .
Holland died from heart disease , with heat exposure and chronic alcohol abuse as contributing factors , coroner ’ s records say .
A septuagenarian whose name wasn ’ t disclosed because his family has yet to be informed of his death died at 7:20 p.m. in the 6900 block of Denver Avenue in South L.A. , according to coroner ’ s records .
He too died from heart disease , with heat exposure a contributing factor .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ identified died at 6:10 p.m. in the 900 block of Meridian Avenue in South Pasadena , near the city ’ s Metro Gold Line stop , according to coroner ’ s records .
She died of hyperthermia .

A man sits on the San Gabriel River jetty in Long Beach during Labor Day weekend, when at least three people suffered heat-related deaths.
Heat exposure contributed to the deaths of at least three people who perished in Los Angeles County as a heat wave broiled the region over the Labor Day weekend, according to the county coroner.
All three people were believed to be unsheltered, underscoring the dangers homeless people face when temperatures soar. They died the same day, Sept. 6, when Los Angeles County recorded its highest-ever temperature: 121 degrees Fahrenheit, registered at a weather station in Woodland Hills.
Holland Harmond, a 60-year-old man, died at 3:30 p.m. on the sidewalk in the 600 block of San Pedro Street in downtown Los Angeles, according to the medical examiner-coroner’s office. Holland died from heart disease, with heat exposure and chronic alcohol abuse as contributing factors, coroner’s records say.
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A septuagenarian whose name wasn’t disclosed because his family has yet to be informed of his death died at 7:20 p.m. in the 6900 block of Denver Avenue in South L.A., according to coroner’s records. He too died from heart disease, with heat exposure a contributing factor.
A woman who has yet to be identified died at 6:10 p.m. in the 900 block of Meridian Avenue in South Pasadena, near the city’s Metro Gold Line stop, according to coroner’s records. She died of hyperthermia.
Times staff writer Tony Barboza contributed reporting to this story.


latimes--2020-09-15--Ransomware attack hits Newhall schools, halting online classes

A different sort of virus — ransomware — has taken down the computer system at the Newhall School District , forcing a shutdown of distance learning for some 6,000 elementary school students , officials said .
The weekend attack disabled the district ’ s server and email , which affected all online learning in the district ’ s 10 elementary schools .
The Los Angeles County Office of Education defines a ransomware attack “ as a form of malware that often targets both human and technical weaknesses by attempting to deny an organization the availability of its most sensitive data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came at a difficult time for us since we ’ re 100 % digital learning , ” Newhall Supt .
Jeff Pelzel said Tuesday .
Pelzel believes the attack took place between the late hours of Sunday and early Monday morning .
When Pelzel arrived at the district office Monday morning , he noticed that no emails were being pushed to his smartphone .
He then received error messages when he attempted to log into the district ’ s email server through Outlook and then through a web browser .
According to Pelzel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of IT and the assistant superintendent of business to confirm the attack .
“ We noticed there were some error messages on the server and then at the same time we were receiving messages from [ schools ] saying , ‘ hey my screen has this bitlocker , ’ ” said Pelzel , referring to staff members being locked out of their own computers .
At about 7:30 a.m. Monday , the district shut down its servers and sent messages to parents via an emergency notification system and on Instagram that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and even emails .
Pelzel informed parents that Monday would be treated as “ a non-instructional day for all students ” and that the district was working on a resolution .
Later that evening , the district used Instagram to announce a return to pencil , paper and textbook learning that included 180 minutes of activities for preschoolers and kindergartners , 230 minutes for first- through third-graders and 240 minutes for fourth- through sixth-graders .
The youngest students were asked to spend 30 minutes reading with their family as one exercise , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slated to spend 30 minutes handwriting a letter to a friend and fourth- through sixth-graders were to participate in 30 minutes of step-counting , marching in place or dancing .
Pelzel said similar instruction was being developed between the administration and teachers union for Wednesday , but he was uncertain how long the independent learning would continue .
The district has hired an outside forensics team to investigate the cause of the attack , survey the damage and offer an estimate of when normal online learning could resume .
Pelzel said he hoped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Greg Lindner , the county Office of Education ’ s chief technology officer , believes this is the first such ransomware attack of a county school district this year , although that ’ s with a disclaimer .
“ County districts are not obligated to tell us , ” Lindner said of cyberattacks .
“ If they need help , they ’ ll ask us or , in this case , if we hear about something , we ’ ll contact them.
” Last month , the Rialto Unified School District in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack .
Lindner said four Los Angeles County districts reported attacks to the Office of Education last school year , which pushed the governing body to create a county cybersecurity committee in March .
The group ’ s goal is to provide training in cyberattack prevention .
“ We have to be prepared because these attackers want money , ” Lindner said .
“ It ’ s big business.
” Lindner said about two-thirds of attacks take place through email and phishing scams , while downloads and hacking are also involved .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not been any monetary demands .
While the district backed up its server , Pelzel said it ’ s uncertain if it , too , was compromised .
“ There ’ s a lot more information we need to find out before we can move forward , ” he said .

A computer damaged by a ransomware attack at a public library in Wilmer, Texas. A ransomware attack hit the Newhall School District over the weekend, forcing the district to disable its server and email.
A different sort of virus — ransomware — has taken down the computer system at the Newhall School District, forcing a shutdown of distance learning for some 6,000 elementary school students, officials said.
The weekend attack disabled the district’s server and email, which affected all online learning in the district’s 10 elementary schools.
The Los Angeles County Office of Education defines a ransomware attack “as a form of malware that often targets both human and technical weaknesses by attempting to deny an organization the availability of its most sensitive data and or system.”
“This obviously came at a difficult time for us since we’re 100% digital learning,” Newhall Supt. Jeff Pelzel said Tuesday.
Pelzel believes the attack took place between the late hours of Sunday and early Monday morning.
When Pelzel arrived at the district office Monday morning, he noticed that no emails were being pushed to his smartphone. He then received error messages when he attempted to log into the district’s email server through Outlook and then through a web browser.
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According to Pelzel, he consulted the district’s director of IT and the assistant superintendent of business to confirm the attack.
“We noticed there were some error messages on the server and then at the same time we were receiving messages from [schools] saying, ‘hey my screen has this bitlocker,’” said Pelzel, referring to staff members being locked out of their own computers.
At about 7:30 a.m. Monday, the district shut down its servers and sent messages to parents via an emergency notification system and on Instagram that they should avoid the district website, downloads and even emails.
Pelzel informed parents that Monday would be treated as “a non-instructional day for all students” and that the district was working on a resolution.
Later that evening, the district used Instagram to announce a return to pencil, paper and textbook learning that included 180 minutes of activities for preschoolers and kindergartners, 230 minutes for first- through third-graders and 240 minutes for fourth- through sixth-graders.
The youngest students were asked to spend 30 minutes reading with their family as one exercise, for instance, while first- through third-graders were slated to spend 30 minutes handwriting a letter to a friend and fourth- through sixth-graders were to participate in 30 minutes of step-counting, marching in place or dancing.
Pelzel said similar instruction was being developed between the administration and teachers union for Wednesday, but he was uncertain how long the independent learning would continue.
The district has hired an outside forensics team to investigate the cause of the attack, survey the damage and offer an estimate of when normal online learning could resume. Pelzel said he hoped to have more information by Wednesday evening.
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Greg Lindner, the county Office of Education’s chief technology officer, believes this is the first such ransomware attack of a county school district this year, although that’s with a disclaimer.
“County districts are not obligated to tell us,” Lindner said of cyberattacks. “If they need help, they’ll ask us or, in this case, if we hear about something, we’ll contact them.”
Last month, the Rialto Unified School District in San Bernardino County, suffered a malware attack.
Lindner said four Los Angeles County districts reported attacks to the Office of Education last school year, which pushed the governing body to create a county cybersecurity committee in March. The group’s goal is to provide training in cyberattack prevention.
“We have to be prepared because these attackers want money,” Lindner said. “It’s big business.”
Lindner said about two-thirds of attacks take place through email and phishing scams, while downloads and hacking are also involved.
As of Tuesday, Pelzel said there has not been any monetary demands.
While the district backed up its server, Pelzel said it’s uncertain if it, too, was compromised.
“There’s a lot more information we need to find out before we can move forward,” he said.