latimes--2020-02-24--Vanessa Bryant's tribute to Kobe, the father and husband, brings tears and smiles

Vanessa Bryant took the stage in front of about 20,000 people Monday in Staples Center to talk about two loves in her life , her 13-year-old daughter , Gianna , and her husband , Kobe , one of the greatest basketball players of all time .
With tears in her eyes , but a steadfast voice , she spoke of him as a fierce competitor on the basketball court .
He was the Black Mamba .
A Lakers legend .
A writer .
An Oscar winner .
A celebrity .
But to this young widow he was her “ Kobe-Kobe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my papi chulo , ” she said to the stage-side celebrities and everyday fans in seats high above .
“ I was his Vivi , his principessa , his reina , his Queen Mamba ... .
I couldn ’ t see him as a celebrity , nor just an incredible basketball player .
He was my sweet husband , and the beautiful father of our children .
He was mine.
” For more that two hours , his memory was alive in the arena revered as the “ House That Kobe Built.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ televised memorial was her first public address since the deaths last month of her daughter and husband .
Gianna and Bryant were among nine people killed when the helicopter they were taking to Bryant ’ s Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks for a youth basketball game slammed into a hillside in Calabasas .
In the audience , Jennifer Lopez and Michael Jordan wept .
Outside , just beyond the tight security and the barricades surrounding L.A. Live , fans honored Bryant in ways small and big , wearing jerseys with his No .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ off a custom purple Lamborghini featuring a mural of his face .
On the stage — surrounded by more than 33,000 red roses , one for each point Bryant , 41 , scored — speakers painted an intimate portrait of the man as a husband , father , friend and intense competitor .
Even the memorial ’ s date , Feb. 24 , or 2-24 , was a tribute to Bryant ’ s and Gianna ’ s jersey numbers .
She wore No .
2 , and he wore No .
24 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Lakers .
“ He wanted to be the best basketball player that he could be , ” Michael Jordan said .
“ And as I got to know him , I wanted to be the best big brother that I could be .
To do that , you had to put up with the aggravation , the late-night calls or the dumb questions .
I took great pride as I got to know Kobe Bryant that he was just trying to be a better person , a better basketball player.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked the crowd to greet each other — something that typically happens at church and at sporting events “ when perfect strangers who love the same team are suddenly hugging and high-fiving each other.
” In the stands , they yelled , “ Ko-be !
Ko-be !
Ko-be !
” Wearing a gold suit and backed by a choir dressed in white , Beyoncé sang what she said was one of Kobe ’ s favorite songs , titled “ XO.
” In the darkest night hour / I ’ ll search through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I see / I ’ ll give you everything / Baby , love me lights out .
But it was Vanessa whose words moved many to weep .
She described how she and Kobe dreamed of getting old together , of being “ the fun grandparents ” to their daughters ’ future children .
They had planned to renew their wedding vows , and he recently told her in a text that he wanted to spend more time alone together , just husband and wife .
“ We never got the chance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Bryants had been together since she was 17 , and she described their relationship as “ two perfectly imperfect people making a beautiful family.
” She said Kobe , the romantic , gave her the actual notebook and blue dress that actress Rachel McAdams wore in the movie “ The Notebook.
” He learned how to play Beethoven ’ s “ Moonlight Sonata ” on the piano for her .
He did carpool at his daughters ’ school , sang silly songs in the shower and never left the toilet seat up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kobe and 17-year-old daughter Natalia were movie buffs and he loved taking 3-year-old Bianka to Fashion Island shopping center in Newport Beach to see the koi pond , she said .
They had done that the night before his death .
And she was grateful that he had heard infant daughter Capri , who was born in June , say “ dada.
” Her daughter Gianna was a “ daddy ’ s girl , but I know she loves her mama , ” Vanessa said .
Gianna kissed her mom goodnight and good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ There were a few occasions where I was absolutely tired from being up with Bianca and Capri , ” Vanessa said .
“ And I thought she had left for school without saying goodbye .
I would text and say , “ No kiss ?
” And Gianna would reply with , “ Mama , I kissed you .
You were asleep , and I didn ’ t want to wake you.
’ ” The teenager was a budding basketball star , “ competitive like her daddy ” and “ confident but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the boys ’ basketball coaches at her school that she was willing to give the boys some pointers .
Gianna had an infectious smile , a sarcastic sense of humor .
She spoke Mandarin and Spanish .
She loved dancing on TikTok videos and had a signature style : white T-shirt , black leggings , denim jacket , white high-top Converse shoes and a flannel shirt tied around her waist .
Vanessa said she knew Kobe and Gianna were together in the afterlife .
“ We love and miss you , boo-boo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
“ May you both rest in peace , and have fun in heaven.
” During the memorial , video highlights of Bryant ’ s career played overhead and his voice resonated from the loudspeakers : “ Those times when you stay up late and you work hard , those times when you don ’ t feel like working , you ’ re too tired , you don ’ t want to push yourself but you do it anyway , that is actually the dream , ” he said .
Friends spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game — and in relationships .
Jordan said Bryant “ used to call me , text me , 11:30 , 2:30 , 3 in the morning ” to talk about different moves on the court .
At first , it was annoying , but eventually Jordan realized that “ this kid had passion that you would never know.
” Tears streamed down his face as he spoke .
He joked that he was going to have another “ crying meme , ” poking fun at the oft-used photo of himself , cheeks glistening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basketball ’ s Hall of Fame .
“ That is what Kobe Bryant does to me , ” he said of the fresh tears , adding that “ he knows how to get to you in a way that affects you personally , even though he ’ s being a pain in the ass .
But you have a sense of love for him in the way that he can bring out the best in you.
” Shaquille O ’ Neal recalled his complex relationship with his former teammate , comparing it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McCartney , “ whose creative rivalry led to some of the greatest music of all time.
” O ’ Neal said Bryant gained his respect after their teammates complained that Bryant wasn ’ t passing the ball .
O ’ Neal said he would talk to him .
“ I said , ‘ Kobe , there ’ s no ‘ I ’ in team , ’ ” O ’ Neal recalled .
“ He said , ‘ I know , but there ’ s an ‘ M-E ’ in that [ expletive ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his teammates and said , “ Just get the rebound .
He ’ s not passing it.
” Sabrina Ionescu , a star at the University of Oregon , told of how Bryant helped her improve her game , and of how she marveled at Gianna ’ s skill on the court .
Bryant , she said , kept in touch with her .
If she had a triple-double in a game , he texted her .
Another triple-double , he ’ d text again , sending the arm-flexing emoji .
Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Beast Mode !
” She still texts him , even after his death .
She says thank you .
She says to rest easy .
“ The texts go through , but no response , ” Ionescu said .
“ It still feels like he ’ s there on the other end , that the next time I pick up my phone , he would have hit me back .
Sometimes I find myself still waiting.
” More than 80,000 people applied for the lottery for tickets to the memorial , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 224 , with proceeds to be donated to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation .
The event sold out quickly .
Many standing outside Staples Center said Bryant ’ s death felt like the loss of a family member .
“ It ’ s so hard to explain why we are so emotional about someone we never knew personally , but he was a part of our family life , ” said Star Dodd of Rancho Palos Verdes .
Ozzie Arnold captured much of the crowd ’ s attention outside Staples Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a lift kit and large tires with purple and yellow rims .
The cart ’ s purple base had a Lakers logo and , on the hood , Nos .
32 and 24 , the jersey numbers of Magic Johnson and Bryant .
Arnold , 66 , said he was devastated the day Bryant died , but he hoped the spectacle would lighten the mood a bit .
“ It ’ s Kobe Day , ” he said .
“ It ’ s the last day we have to celebrate his life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it ’ s a happy day.
” Hannah Fry , Gale Holland and Ruben Vives contributed to this report .

Hailey Branson-Potts, Emmanuel Morgan, Richard Winton

Vanessa Bryant speaks at the Kobe & Gianna Bryant Celebration of Life on Monday at Staples Center.
Vanessa Bryant took the stage in front of about 20,000 people Monday in Staples Center to talk about two loves in her life, her 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and her husband, Kobe, one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
With tears in her eyes, but a steadfast voice, she spoke of him as a fierce competitor on the basketball court. He was the Black Mamba. A Lakers legend. A writer. An Oscar winner. A celebrity.
Sports Watch: Kobe Bryant memorial at Staples Center The Kobe Bryant memorial begins at 10 a.m. and is expected to conclude by 1 p.m.
But to this young widow he was her “Kobe-Kobe, my boo-boo, my bae-boo, my papi chulo,” she said to the stage-side celebrities and everyday fans in seats high above. “I was his Vivi, his principessa, his reina, his Queen Mamba.... I couldn’t see him as a celebrity, nor just an incredible basketball player. He was my sweet husband, and the beautiful father of our children. He was mine.”
For more that two hours, his memory was alive in the arena revered as the “House That Kobe Built.” Vanessa’s eulogy during the nationally televised memorial was her first public address since the deaths last month of her daughter and husband. Gianna and Bryant were among nine people killed when the helicopter they were taking to Bryant’s Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks for a youth basketball game slammed into a hillside in Calabasas.
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In the audience, Jennifer Lopez and Michael Jordan wept. Outside, just beyond the tight security and the barricades surrounding L.A. Live, fans honored Bryant in ways small and big, wearing jerseys with his No. 24, releasing doves, and showing off a custom purple Lamborghini featuring a mural of his face.
On the stage — surrounded by more than 33,000 red roses, one for each point Bryant, 41, scored — speakers painted an intimate portrait of the man as a husband, father, friend and intense competitor. Even the memorial’s date, Feb. 24, or 2-24, was a tribute to Bryant’s and Gianna’s jersey numbers. She wore No. 2, and he wore No. 24 in the latter portion of his 20-year career with the Lakers.
“He wanted to be the best basketball player that he could be,” Michael Jordan said. “And as I got to know him, I wanted to be the best big brother that I could be. To do that, you had to put up with the aggravation, the late-night calls or the dumb questions. I took great pride as I got to know Kobe Bryant that he was just trying to be a better person, a better basketball player.”
Jimmy Kimmel, his voice cracking, asked the crowd to greet each other — something that typically happens at church and at sporting events “when perfect strangers who love the same team are suddenly hugging and high-fiving each other.”
In the stands, they yelled, “Ko-be! Ko-be! Ko-be!”
Wearing a gold suit and backed by a choir dressed in white, Beyoncé sang what she said was one of Kobe’s favorite songs, titled “XO.”
In the darkest night hour / I’ll search through the crowd / Your face is all that I see / I’ll give you everything / Baby, love me lights out.
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1 / 18 Vanessa Bryant speaks at the memorial for her husband, Kobe Bryant, and daughter Gianna on Monday at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 18 Michael Jordan helps Vanessa Bryant off the stage after her speech. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 18 An emotional Michael Jordan speaks at Monday’s event. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 18 Alicia Keys performs at the Kobe & Gianna Bryant Celebration of Life. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 18 Shaquille O’Neal brought smiles to the crowd as he shared memories of Kobe. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 18 Phil Jackson, former coach of the Lakers, is among mourners at Monday’s event. (Wally Sklaij / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 18 Late-night TV talk show host Jimmy Kimmel opened Monday’s vigil. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 18 WNBA superstar Diana Taurasi, whom Kobe Bryant called the “White Mamba,” talked about the Lakers superstar and his influence. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images) 9 / 18 About 20,000 attended the sold-out memorial. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 18 Michael Jordan takes a moment after speaking. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 18 Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka spoke during the vigil of receiving a text from Kobe Bryant the morning of the crash, trying to arrange an internship for Lexi Altobelli, whose mother, father and sister died in the helicopter crash that also claimed the lives of Bryant and his daughter. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 18 UConn women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma, among the speakers, said, “I’m here as a father, not as a basketball coach.” (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 18 Mourners, many of them in Lakers jerseys, watch the proceedings. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 18 Oregon basketball star Sabrina Ionescu, whom Bryant mentored, spoke at Monday’s memorial. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 18 Christina Aguilera preforms at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 18 At Staples Center, center court featured roses and the overhead video board showed photos of the Bryant family. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 18 Beyoncé leaves Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 18 Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez leave Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
But it was Vanessa whose words moved many to weep.
She described how she and Kobe dreamed of getting old together, of being “the fun grandparents” to their daughters’ future children. They had planned to renew their wedding vows, and he recently told her in a text that he wanted to spend more time alone together, just husband and wife.
“We never got the chance to do it,” she said.
The Bryants had been together since she was 17, and she described their relationship as “two perfectly imperfect people making a beautiful family.”
She said Kobe, the romantic, gave her the actual notebook and blue dress that actress Rachel McAdams wore in the movie “The Notebook.” He learned how to play Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” on the piano for her. He did carpool at his daughters’ school, sang silly songs in the shower and never left the toilet seat up in his house full of ladies.
Kobe and 17-year-old daughter Natalia were movie buffs and he loved taking 3-year-old Bianka to Fashion Island shopping center in Newport Beach to see the koi pond, she said. They had done that the night before his death.
And she was grateful that he had heard infant daughter Capri, who was born in June, say “dada.”
Her daughter Gianna was a “daddy’s girl, but I know she loves her mama,” Vanessa said.
Gianna kissed her mom goodnight and good morning every day, without fail.
“There were a few occasions where I was absolutely tired from being up with Bianca and Capri,” Vanessa said. “And I thought she had left for school without saying goodbye. I would text and say, “No kiss?” And Gianna would reply with, “Mama, I kissed you. You were asleep, and I didn’t want to wake you.’”
The teenager was a budding basketball star, “competitive like her daddy” and “confident but not in an arrogant way.” She told the boys’ basketball coaches at her school that she was willing to give the boys some pointers.
Gianna had an infectious smile, a sarcastic sense of humor. She spoke Mandarin and Spanish. She loved dancing on TikTok videos and had a signature style: white T-shirt, black leggings, denim jacket, white high-top Converse shoes and a flannel shirt tied around her waist.
× Vanessa Bryant, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal were among the speakers at the Kobe and Gianna Bryant memorial.
Vanessa said she knew Kobe and Gianna were together in the afterlife.
“We love and miss you, boo-boo and Gigi,” she said to them. “May you both rest in peace, and have fun in heaven.”
During the memorial, video highlights of Bryant’s career played overhead and his voice resonated from the loudspeakers:
“Those times when you stay up late and you work hard, those times when you don’t feel like working, you’re too tired, you don’t want to push yourself but you do it anyway, that is actually the dream,” he said.
Friends spoke of Bryant’s intensity in the game — and in relationships.
Jordan said Bryant “used to call me, text me, 11:30, 2:30, 3 in the morning” to talk about different moves on the court. At first, it was annoying, but eventually Jordan realized that “this kid had passion that you would never know.”
Lakers Kobe Bryant memorial: Read all the speeches Vanessa Bryant, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal were among those who gave heartfelt tributes to Kobe and Gianna Bryant during their public memorial.
Tears streamed down his face as he spoke. He joked that he was going to have another “crying meme,” poking fun at the oft-used photo of himself, cheeks glistening, as he was being inducted into basketball’s Hall of Fame.
“That is what Kobe Bryant does to me,” he said of the fresh tears, adding that “he knows how to get to you in a way that affects you personally, even though he’s being a pain in the ass. But you have a sense of love for him in the way that he can bring out the best in you.”
Shaquille O’Neal recalled his complex relationship with his former teammate, comparing it to the Beatles’ John Lennon and Paul McCartney, “whose creative rivalry led to some of the greatest music of all time.”
O’Neal said Bryant gained his respect after their teammates complained that Bryant wasn’t passing the ball. O’Neal said he would talk to him.
“I said, ‘Kobe, there’s no ‘I’ in team,’” O’Neal recalled. “He said, ‘I know, but there’s an ‘M-E’ in that [expletive].”
O’Neal went back to his teammates and said, “Just get the rebound. He’s not passing it.”
1 / 30 Richard Miranda of Baldwin Park delivers a Kobe! chant as he views a diorama dedicated to the fallen Laker near Staples Center. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 30 Fans leave Staples Center following the the ‘Celebration of Life’ for Kobe and Gianna Bryant in Los Angeles. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 3 / 30 Fans leave Staples Center following the the ‘Celebration of Life’ for Kobe and Gianna Bryant in Los Angeles. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 4 / 30 Jaden, 10, with her father, Jay Calderon, outside Staples Center, where the ‘Celeration of Life,’ was being held. Jaden is an aspiring basketball player. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 30 Manuel Hernandez gets emotional listening to Vanessa Bryant’s words during the Kobe Bryant memorial outside Staples Center. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) 6 / 30 Fans who were not able to get tickets to the Kobe Bryant memorial gather outside Staples Center. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) 7 / 30 Michael Jordan helps Vanessa Bryant off the stage at the Kobe & Gianna Bryant Celebration of Life ceremony at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times/Los Angeles Times) 8 / 30 Vanessa Bryant speaks at the Kobe & Gianna Bryant Celebration of Life on Monday at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times/Los Angeles Times) 9 / 30 Crowds watch the memorial on a big screen TV near Staples Center, where the ‘Celebration of Life’ for Kobe and Gianna Bryant, is being held. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 10 / 30 Daniel Aragon and Janet Navia cry as they watch the Kobe memorial on a big screen TV near the Staples Center Center, where the ‘Celebration of Life’ for Kobe and Gianna Bryant, is being held. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 11 / 30 Jimmy Kimmel host the ‘Celebration of Life’ for Kobe and Gianna Bryant inside Staples Center. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 12 / 30 NBA players and coaches inside Staples Center for the ‘Celebration of Life’ for Kobe and Gianna Bryant. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 13 / 30 People outside Staples Center watch the ‘Celebration of Life’ for Kobe and Gianna Bryant on their phones. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 14 / 30 An image of Kobe and Vanessa Bryant is projected on the overhead screen inside Staples Center for the ‘Celebration of Life’ ceremony. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 15 / 30 A car honoring Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna pulls up outside the Staples Center area as fans line up for Monday’s memorial. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 16 / 30 A fan outside Staples Center where the the ‘Celebration of Life’ for Kobe and Gianna Bryant is being held. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 17 / 30 Fans queue outside Staples Center for the Bryant memorial. The NBA legend died along with his 13-year-old daughter and seven others in a helicopter crash in Calabasas last month. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 18 / 30 Mia Tervia takes a photo of a Kobe Bryant diorama outside Staples Center by Fletcher Collins. The artist drove the diorama to L.A. from his home in Elizabethtown, N.C. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) 19 / 30 Many of the fans wore Kobe Bryant gear for the memorial. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 20 / 30 People with tickets to the Kobe Bryant memorial line up along Olympic Boulevard. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) 21 / 30 A fan shows her Kobe Bryant T-shirt outside Staples Center before the “Celebration of Life” on Monday. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times) 22 / 30 Fans take photos at a new Kobe mural on Grand at Pico -- blocks from the Staples Center. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 23 / 30 Jazmine Jabi shows her nails, decorated in Lakers colors. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 24 / 30 Lindsey Nolan from San Diego takes a selfie at the Kobe Bryant mural on Lebanon Street near Staples Center. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 25 / 30 “I couldn’t get tickets for the memorial so I brought flowers,” said David Chen, at the Kobe Bryant mural on Lebanon Street. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 26 / 30 Oliver Higgins, from Jamaica, writes a condolence message at the Kobe Bryant mural on Lebanon Street. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 27 / 30 Fans gather outside Staples Center for the memorial; 20,000 bought tickets for the sold-out event. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 28 / 30 An aerial view shows Staples Center and fans. Police closed the area surrounding the venue and checked tickets carefully. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) 29 / 30 Security is tight as fans gather outside Staples Center for the “Celebration of Life” for Kobe and Gianna Bryant. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) 30 / 30 Mourning fans wait for the Staples Center doors to open for Bryant’s memorial. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
The crowd roared with laughter.
Sabrina Ionescu, a star at the University of Oregon, told of how Bryant helped her improve her game, and of how she marveled at Gianna’s skill on the court.
Bryant, she said, kept in touch with her. If she had a triple-double in a game, he texted her. Another triple-double, he’d text again, sending the arm-flexing emoji. Another game, another text: “Yo, Beast Mode!”
She still texts him, even after his death. She says thank you. She says to rest easy.
“The texts go through, but no response,” Ionescu said. “It still feels like he’s there on the other end, that the next time I pick up my phone, he would have hit me back. Sometimes I find myself still waiting.”
More than 80,000 people applied for the lottery for tickets to the memorial, which ranged in price from $24.02 to $224, with proceeds to be donated to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation. The event sold out quickly.
Many standing outside Staples Center said Bryant’s death felt like the loss of a family member.
“It’s so hard to explain why we are so emotional about someone we never knew personally, but he was a part of our family life,” said Star Dodd of Rancho Palos Verdes.
Ozzie Arnold captured much of the crowd’s attention outside Staples Center as he drove his personalized golf cart with a lift kit and large tires with purple and yellow rims. The cart’s purple base had a Lakers logo and, on the hood, Nos. 32 and 24, the jersey numbers of Magic Johnson and Bryant.
Arnold, 66, said he was devastated the day Bryant died, but he hoped the spectacle would lighten the mood a bit.
“It’s Kobe Day,” he said. “It’s the last day we have to celebrate his life. It’s a sad day, but it’s a happy day.”
Hannah Fry, Gale Holland and Ruben Vives contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-02-24--Weinstein accusers share relief, tears and hope after verdict

Women ’ s rights groups and actresses who have accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual abuse described feeling an overwhelming wave of relief and camaraderie on Monday after a jury found the producer guilty of one count of rape and one count of committing a criminal sexual act .
During an emotional news conference call hours after the verdict , women from the Silence Breakers , a group comprised of Weinstein ’ s accusers , expressed gratitude to those who testified in the trial and the dozens of others who have shared their stories .
Zoe Brock , a New Zealand-born @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women who filed a class-action suit against Weinstein and the studio he co-founded in 2017 , struggled to speak through her tears .
She recalled worrying that Weinstein would be exonerated .
“ This is a huge day , ” she said .
“ I ’ m crying right now because I expected the worst .
Because for us , the worst keeps happening .
In Hollywood , especially for sexual assault victims , the worst keeps happening.
” Actress Rose McGowan , who has alleged that Weinstein raped her in 1997 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would repeatedly hear stories of the producer abusing women .
For her , the verdict signified a massive change in the culture around sexual abuse .
“ For once , he won ’ t be sitting comfortably , ” she said .
“ For once , he will know what it ’ s like to have power wrapped around his neck.
” The two counts were connected to individual allegations made by Mimi Haley , a former Weinstein Co. production assistant , and Jessica Mann , a once-aspiring actress .
Many of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defense that sought to blame the accusers .
Weinstein ’ s attorneys asserted that alleged encounters with Weinstein were consensual and that they were part of efforts by the accusers to obtain favors from the producer .
Dawn Dunning , who testified that Weinstein slipped his hand up her skirt against her will in 2004 , said that “ the bottom line is you can be in a consensual relationship and still be raped .
I think that translated.
” Fatima Goss Graves , the president and CEO of the National Women ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ # MeToo movement , which stemmed from the accusations against Weinstein , has inspired countless people to tell their own stories of abuse .
“ I hope today that they know they made a difference , ” she said .
“ That our culture is changing and that really thanks to the many millions of silence breakers , institutions that really did not want to change are changing.
” Since the accusations against Weinstein came to national prominence in 2017 , 13 states have limited or prohibited employers from requiring employees to sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or as part of a settlement agreement .
Five states have also expanded workplace harassment protections to include independent contractors , interns or graduate students , according to the National Women ’ s Law Center .
“ It ’ s really important that we have laws and institutions that match their [ the accusers ’ ] energy , ” Goss Graves said .
Sasha Ahuja , the acting chief executive at Girls for Gender Equity , a Brooklyn-based organization , said that she hopes the verdict instills urgency to create supportive networks for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comfortable approaching law enforcement .
“ We are hoping that all survivors , regardless of their access to resources — whether it ’ s law enforcement or attorneys — that they always feel they can come forward too , ” she said .
That it ’ s not just folks in Hollywood , but everyday people , who have everyday experiences of sexual violence and harm.
” Weinstein was acquitted on the two most serious charges of predatory sexual assault , which each carried a potential life sentence .
In a written statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that although Weinstein was not convicted of all counts , he will now have to answer to his crimes .
“ This case reminds us that sexual violence thrives on unchecked power and privilege , ” she said .
“ The implications reverberate far beyond Hollywood and into the daily lives of all of us in the rest of the world .
”

Women’s rights groups and actresses who have accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual abuse described feeling an overwhelming wave of relief and camaraderie on Monday after a jury found the producer guilty of one count of rape and one count of committing a criminal sexual act.
During an emotional news conference call hours after the verdict, women from the Silence Breakers, a group comprised of Weinstein’s accusers, expressed gratitude to those who testified in the trial and the dozens of others who have shared their stories.
Zoe Brock, a New Zealand-born former model who was one of six women who filed a class-action suit against Weinstein and the studio he co-founded in 2017, struggled to speak through her tears. She recalled worrying that Weinstein would be exonerated.
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“This is a huge day,” she said. “I’m crying right now because I expected the worst. Because for us, the worst keeps happening. In Hollywood, especially for sexual assault victims, the worst keeps happening.”
Actress Rose McGowan, who has alleged that Weinstein raped her in 1997, recalled how over the years, she would repeatedly hear stories of the producer abusing women. For her, the verdict signified a massive change in the culture around sexual abuse.
“For once, he won’t be sitting comfortably,” she said. “For once, he will know what it’s like to have power wrapped around his neck.”
The two counts were connected to individual allegations made by Mimi Haley, a former Weinstein Co. production assistant, and Jessica Mann, a once-aspiring actress. Many of the women said the jury saw past a defense that sought to blame the accusers. Weinstein’s attorneys asserted that alleged encounters with Weinstein were consensual and that they were part of efforts by the accusers to obtain favors from the producer.
Dawn Dunning, who testified that Weinstein slipped his hand up her skirt against her will in 2004, said that “the bottom line is you can be in a consensual relationship and still be raped. I think that translated.”
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Fatima Goss Graves, the president and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center, said that the #MeToo movement, which stemmed from the accusations against Weinstein, has inspired countless people to tell their own stories of abuse.
“I hope today that they know they made a difference,” she said. “That our culture is changing and that really thanks to the many millions of silence breakers, institutions that really did not want to change are changing.”
Since the accusations against Weinstein came to national prominence in 2017, 13 states have limited or prohibited employers from requiring employees to sign nondisclosure agreements as a condition of employment or as part of a settlement agreement. Five states have also expanded workplace harassment protections to include independent contractors, interns or graduate students, according to the National Women’s Law Center.
“It’s really important that we have laws and institutions that match their [the accusers’] energy,” Goss Graves said.
Sasha Ahuja, the acting chief executive at Girls for Gender Equity, a Brooklyn-based organization, said that she hopes the verdict instills urgency to create supportive networks for victims of sexual violence who are not comfortable approaching law enforcement.
“We are hoping that all survivors, regardless of their access to resources — whether it’s law enforcement or attorneys — that they always feel they can come forward too,” she said. That it’s not just folks in Hollywood, but everyday people, who have everyday experiences of sexual violence and harm.”
Weinstein was acquitted on the two most serious charges of predatory sexual assault, which each carried a potential life sentence. In a written statement, #MeToo movement founder Tarana Burke said that although Weinstein was not convicted of all counts, he will now have to answer to his crimes.
“This case reminds us that sexual violence thrives on unchecked power and privilege,” she said. “The implications reverberate far beyond Hollywood and into the daily lives of all of us in the rest of the world.”


latimes--2020-02-24--U.S. court upholds Trump's rule involving abortion cases

A federal appeals court , divided along party lines , decided Monday to uphold a new Trump administration rule denying family planning grants to clinics that make referrals for abortion .
On a 7-4 vote , an en banc panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the 2019 rule , saying the family planning program was limited by similar abortion-related restrictions in the past , and the U.S. Supreme Court upheld them .
The decision overturned injunctions issued by different judges in three Western states , including California .
Monday ’ s ruling was a sign of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed since President Trump replaced 10 judges , more than one third of the active jurists .
Randomly drawn panels that decide challenges to Trump policies are now much more likely to have Republican majorities .
“ The Supreme Court has long recognized that abortion need not be treated the same as other medical procedures , ” Judge Sandra S. Ikuta , appointed by President George W. Bush , wrote for the majority .
The 9th Circuit , she said , should not “ second-guess ” how the Trump administration analyzed the risks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the judges who sided with Trump were appointed by Republicans , including two named by Trump .
The dissenters were appointed by Democrats .
Family planning organizations , the American Medical Assn.
, 22 states — including California — and the District of Columbia challenged the Trump rule .
It established new requirements for funds distributed under Title X , a 1970 federal law intended to help poor women and those in isolated , rural settings obtain family planning services .
In addition to banning abortion referrals , the rule requires recipients of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prenatal care , even if the patients want abortions .
Recipients also must encourage patients to discuss their situations with their families and to tell single women about the benefits of abstinence .
More than 4 million people in the U.S. , 1 million of them in California , rely on Title X funding to obtain contraception , cervical and breast cancer screenings , and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases .
Planned Parenthood determined it could not comply with the new rule , losing $ 60 million a year in federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judges said the rule gagged healthcare providers from fully counseling pregnant women about their options and required them instead to steer women toward childbirth .
The majority , the dissent said , upheld a “ gross overreach ” by the administration and put “ its own policy preferences before the law.
” “ Women and their families will suffer for it , ” Judge Richard Paez , a Clinton appointee , wrote for the dissenters .
The 9th Circuit majority “ would return us to an older world , one in which a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from informing a patient of the full range of healthcare options available to her , ” Paez wrote .
Julie Rabinovitz , president and CEO of Essential Access Health , called the ruling devastating for millions of low-income patients who rely on the federal funds for quality sexual and reproductive healthcare .
In California , she said , the rule already has triggered a 40 % cut in the number of in patients served by the program , with rural and minority communities affected disproportionately .
“ The federal government has no business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ability to make personal decisions about her health , ” said Rabinovitz , whose nonprofit group administers the federal family planning program in California .
A portion of the rule that will prohibit federal recipients from sharing office space with abortion providers could lead to further cutbacks when it takes effect next month , she said .
After a three-judge panel of Republican appointees ruled in favor of the rule last June , another 9th Circuit judge called internally for a larger , en banc panel to reconsider the case .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and program supporters expressed relief .
A random drawing of names for the 11-judge en banc panel then produced a Republican majority , which quickly decided on a divided vote to allow the rule to go forward .
Opponents of the new rule could seek review by the U.S. Supreme Court , which has a conservative majority that has largely sided with Trump .

A federal appeals court, divided along party lines, decided Monday to uphold a new Trump administration rule denying family planning grants to clinics that make referrals for abortion.
On a 7-4 vote, an en banc panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the 2019 rule, saying the family planning program was limited by similar abortion-related restrictions in the past, and the U.S. Supreme Court upheld them.
The decision overturned injunctions issued by different judges in three Western states, including California.
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Monday’s ruling was a sign of just how much the 9th Circuit has changed since President Trump replaced 10 judges, more than one third of the active jurists. Randomly drawn panels that decide challenges to Trump policies are now much more likely to have Republican majorities.
“The Supreme Court has long recognized that abortion need not be treated the same as other medical procedures,” Judge Sandra S. Ikuta, appointed by President George W. Bush, wrote for the majority.
The 9th Circuit , she said, should not “second-guess” how the Trump administration analyzed the risks and benefits of the rule.
All the judges who sided with Trump were appointed by Republicans, including two named by Trump. The dissenters were appointed by Democrats.
Family planning organizations, the American Medical Assn., 22 states — including California — and the District of Columbia challenged the Trump rule.
It established new requirements for funds distributed under Title X, a 1970 federal law intended to help poor women and those in isolated, rural settings obtain family planning services. In addition to banning abortion referrals, the rule requires recipients of the funds to refer pregnant women for prenatal care, even if the patients want abortions. Recipients also must encourage patients to discuss their situations with their families and to tell single women about the benefits of abstinence.
More than 4 million people in the U.S., 1 million of them in California, rely on Title X funding to obtain contraception, cervical and breast cancer screenings, and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases. Planned Parenthood determined it could not comply with the new rule, losing $60 million a year in federal funds as a result.
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The dissenting judges said the rule gagged healthcare providers from fully counseling pregnant women about their options and required them instead to steer women toward childbirth. The majority, the dissent said, upheld a “gross overreach” by the administration and put “its own policy preferences before the law.”
“Women and their families will suffer for it,” Judge Richard Paez, a Clinton appointee, wrote for the dissenters.
The 9th Circuit majority “would return us to an older world, one in which a government bureaucrat could restrict a medical professional from informing a patient of the full range of healthcare options available to her,” Paez wrote.
Julie Rabinovitz, president and CEO of Essential Access Health, called the ruling devastating for millions of low-income patients who rely on the federal funds for quality sexual and reproductive healthcare.
In California, she said, the rule already has triggered a 40% cut in the number of in patients served by the program, with rural and minority communities affected disproportionately.
“The federal government has no business getting in the way of a woman’s ability to make personal decisions about her health,” said Rabinovitz, whose nonprofit group administers the federal family planning program in California.
A portion of the rule that will prohibit federal recipients from sharing office space with abortion providers could lead to further cutbacks when it takes effect next month, she said.
After a three-judge panel of Republican appointees ruled in favor of the rule last June, another 9th Circuit judge called internally for a larger, en banc panel to reconsider the case. A majority of active judges agreed, and program supporters expressed relief.
A random drawing of names for the 11-judge en banc panel then produced a Republican majority, which quickly decided on a divided vote to allow the rule to go forward.
Opponents of the new rule could seek review by the U.S. Supreme Court, which has a conservative majority that has largely sided with Trump.


latimes--2020-02-28--Woman in Santa Clara County has coronavirus: What we know about the case

Santa Clara County is grappling with its third coronavirus case , and its first of unknown origin , meaning the patient was not connected to foreign travel or someone who was .
That raises the prospects that she might have contracted the virus through the community .
Such a scenario is already playing out in Solano County , where officials are searching for people who might have come in contact with a woman who is believed to be the country ’ s first novel coronavirus patient who did not recently travel outside the U.S. or come in contact with someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the Santa Clara County patient ?
She is an older adult woman with chronic health conditions who was hospitalized for a respiratory illness , officials said at a news conference Friday .
Her physician contacted the public health department this week to discuss the case and request testing for the novel coronavirus .
The department is working to identify contacts and understand the extent of exposure .
Do we know how she contracted the virus ?
No .
Officials have said that she does not appear to have connections to China or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some people from Asia were held .
What happens next ?
Authorities will be looking for people who were in contact with the patient and likely would consider placing them under quarantine while they test them for the virus .
“ Since the disease is here , an important priority for the department will be to conduct community surveillance to determine the extent of local transmission , ” the Santa Clara County Public Health Department said in a statement .
“ Since the County Public Health Laboratory has the ability to run the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what is happening in our community.
” “ This new case indicates that there is evidence of community transmission but the extent is still not clear , ” said Dr. Sara Cody , health officer for Santa Clara County and director of the Santa Clara County Public Health Department .
“ I understand this may be concerning to hear , but this is what we have been preparing for .
Now we need to start taking additional actions to slow down the spread of the disease .
”

Workers are briefed on the coronavirus Friday at the California Department of Public Health.
Santa Clara County is grappling with its third coronavirus case, and its first of unknown origin, meaning the patient was not connected to foreign travel or someone who was.
That raises the prospects that she might have contracted the virus through the community.
Such a scenario is already playing out in Solano County, where officials are searching for people who might have come in contact with a woman who is believed to be the country’s first novel coronavirus patient who did not recently travel outside the U.S. or come in contact with someone who did.
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What do we know about the Santa Clara County patient?
She is an older adult woman with chronic health conditions who was hospitalized for a respiratory illness, officials said at a news conference Friday.
Her physician contacted the public health department this week to discuss the case and request testing for the novel coronavirus. The department is working to identify contacts and understand the extent of exposure.
Do we know how she contracted the virus?
No. Officials have said that she does not appear to have connections to China or to the military bases in California where some people from Asia were held.
What happens next?
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Authorities will be looking for people who were in contact with the patient and likely would consider placing them under quarantine while they test them for the virus.
“Since the disease is here, an important priority for the department will be to conduct community surveillance to determine the extent of local transmission,” the Santa Clara County Public Health Department said in a statement. “Since the County Public Health Laboratory has the ability to run the test, the department can quickly evaluate what is happening in our community.”
But officials also urged caution.
“This new case indicates that there is evidence of community transmission but the extent is still not clear,” said Dr. Sara Cody, health officer for Santa Clara County and director of the Santa Clara County Public Health Department. “I understand this may be concerning to hear, but this is what we have been preparing for. Now we need to start taking additional actions to slow down the spread of the disease.”


latimes--2020-02-28--Searching for a mask? In coronavirus panic, L.A. stores are sold out

SOS Survival Products usually has a ready supply of eight types of filtration masks , including traditional surgical facewear and those that provide heavy duty protection against particulate pollution from wildfire smoke .
But SOS doesn ’ t have a single mask on its shelves right now .
In fact , it has been sold out since January .
That ’ s when fears over the respiratory virus in China called COVID-19 first surfaced and led to a run on every kind of mask .
Anyone visiting the Van Nuys store or looking to buy online is coming up short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jeff , founded SOS in 1989 , the year of the deadly Loma Prieta earthquake in Northern California .
The company won ’ t be getting a new supply of masks anytime soon .
” We just can ’ t find any more .
Our suppliers are telling us that they won ’ t have any until September , ” said Edelstein , who usually doesn ’ t work in the store but has been helping staffers serve a crush of customers because Jeff is out of town on a supply-buying trip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are experiencing a surge in demand for health gear , shelf-stable food and other supplies as people try to protect themselves from the virus and stock up in case of quarantine or scarcity .
The feeling of urgency rose Tuesday , when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised Americans to prepare for the virus to spread .
More than 84,000 cases of the coronavirus , named COVID-19 , have been reported worldwide , with more than 2,800 deaths .
The CDC has reported 62 cases in the United States , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it elsewhere .
Mina Arnao , owner of More Prepared , a store in Hawthorne specializing in disaster goods , said she has not been able to fill online orders as quickly as usual because her supplies are running low : Orders that normally take a day or two have been delayed up to a week , she said .
The most popular items include masks , food and hand sanitizer .
Manufacturers she works with are also running out of supplies , and some are raising prices , she said .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s inevitable that she will sell out .
Ryan Kuhlman and Lauren Tafuri , co-founders of Preppi , a disaster preparedness company in Los Angeles , said that since the CDC ’ s announcement Tuesday , they ’ ve seen online business soar more than 1,000 % .
The duo , who have operated the business for six years , said they ’ re relying on about 20 part-time workers to help their seven full-time staffers .
Last year ’ s magnitude 6.4 earthquake that stuck Southern California on July 4 caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
They said they see spikes in demand about three times a year .
Masks are a hot item — some can filter out germs , and most at least stop wearers from spreading infection by touching their own faces — but washing one ’ s hands thoroughly with soap and water is the best way to protect against the coronavirus , experts say .
People are advised not to buy masks if they are healthy ; that way they will be available if medical professionals need them .
Still , N95 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lower face , covering the mouth and nose — have been flying off the shelves .
Retail chains including Walgreens , Home Depot , Lowe ’ s and True Value Hardware are reporting a sharp uptick in sales of masks over the past several weeks and say they are scrambling to get more from suppliers .
Home Depot , the nation ’ s largest home improvement chain , has limited sales of N95 respirators to 10 per customer .
The government needs more too .
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a stockpile of 12 million N95 masks but may need as many as 300 million for healthcare workers .
Companies that make masks are struggling to keep up .
Medicom Group , a Montreal medical supply company , usually makes 150 million masks per year at its factory near Angers , France .
At the beginning of February , the factory had orders for 500 million masks .
Orders have only grown since then , the company said , and it has hired new workers and increased capacity at its plants , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ga. Mike Roman , chief executive of 3M Co. , said last month that the company is producing masks “ 24/7 '' at its plants in Asia , Europe and the United States .
Some sellers who have masks are asking steep prices .
On Amazon , a third-party seller listed a 20-pack of N95 respirators for $ 108.99 , plus a $ 50 shipping fee , as of Thursday afternoon .
Another kind of mask was priced at $ 99.99 for a 100-pack , plus a $ 70 shipping fee .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ monitoring the site and removing suspicious offers , and that it is “ disappointed that bad actors are attempting to artificially raise prices on basic need products during a global health crisis.
” Not all products for sale are even good anymore .
3M has established a five-year shelf life for its mask line , saying the rubber strap and foam strip can degrade , resulting in a loose seal around the nose and mouth , especially if the items are not stored in ideal conditions .
A doctor told The Times that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health System in Durham , N.C. , decided to buy 500 masks and ship them to “ physicians and nurses on the front line in this battle in Wuhan , China , ” where the coronavirus outbreak began .
They placed the order through Amazon ’ s marketplace , but masks that arrived were out of date and had to be thrown away .
In online reviews , more customers complained of expired masks .
Another mask ’ s reviews said customers received expired filters .
In response , Amazon wrote to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take appropriate action , ” and the seller halted its sales of the item .
Several retailers across the Los Angeles area , including some Target , Walmart , Rite Aid , CVS and Ralphs locations , were sold out of masks as of Thursday night .
Most shoppers there , picking up regular groceries , seemed unconcerned .
Others said they had already bought emergency items .
Eric Tew of Marina del Rey roamed the aisles of a Ralphs store Thursday searching for snacks .
He said he ’ d bought three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanitizer , totaling about $ 100 , awhile ago .
He mailed most of the masks to his wife ’ s family and friends in China , and for himself , he stocked up on preserved food at Costco .
Tew said he wanted to feel prepared , even if he overdid it .
The virus is “ probably not going to be that big of a deal ” in Los Angeles , said Tew , 27.
“ If it did break out , I could just wear a mask and walk back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I ’ m starting to realize that I ’ ve probably overreacted ... but here I am buying stuff.
” The Associated Press was used in compiling this report .

Emmanuel Morgan, Emily Baumgaertner, Ronald D. White

“Face masks and gloves may be temporarily unavailable due to high demand,” says a notice covering an empty spot on a shelf at an Oakland CVS store on Thursday.
SOS Survival Products usually has a ready supply of eight types of filtration masks, including traditional surgical facewear and those that provide heavy duty protection against particulate pollution from wildfire smoke.
But SOS doesn’t have a single mask on its shelves right now. In fact, it has been sold out since January. That’s when fears over the respiratory virus in China called COVID-19 first surfaced and led to a run on every kind of mask. Anyone visiting the Van Nuys store or looking to buy online is coming up short, said Stacy Edelstein, whose husband, Jeff, founded SOS in 1989, the year of the deadly Loma Prieta earthquake in Northern California.
The company won’t be getting a new supply of masks anytime soon.
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”We just can’t find any more. Our suppliers are telling us that they won’t have any until September,” said Edelstein, who usually doesn’t work in the store but has been helping staffers serve a crush of customers because Jeff is out of town on a supply-buying trip.
Science & Medicine How to prevent coronavirus: Wash your hands and ditch the mask A face mask won’t do much to protect you from the new coronavirus from China. If you want to reduce your risk of getting sick, focus on washing your hands.
Stores across Southern California and nationwide are experiencing a surge in demand for health gear, shelf-stable food and other supplies as people try to protect themselves from the virus and stock up in case of quarantine or scarcity.
The feeling of urgency rose Tuesday, when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised Americans to prepare for the virus to spread.
More than 84,000 cases of the coronavirus, named COVID-19, have been reported worldwide, with more than 2,800 deaths. The CDC has reported 62 cases in the United States, most of whom are people who caught it elsewhere.
Mina Arnao, owner of More Prepared, a store in Hawthorne specializing in disaster goods, said she has not been able to fill online orders as quickly as usual because her supplies are running low: Orders that normally take a day or two have been delayed up to a week, she said. The most popular items include masks, food and hand sanitizer. Manufacturers she works with are also running out of supplies, and some are raising prices, she said. At this rate, she said, it’s inevitable that she will sell out.
Advertisement
Ryan Kuhlman and Lauren Tafuri, co-founders of Preppi, a disaster preparedness company in Los Angeles, said that since the CDC’s announcement Tuesday, they’ve seen online business soar more than 1,000%. The duo, who have operated the business for six years, said they’re relying on about 20 part-time workers to help their seven full-time staffers.
Last year’s magnitude 6.4 earthquake that stuck Southern California on July 4 caused a similar panic among customers, Tafuri said. They said they see spikes in demand about three times a year.
Masks are a hot item — some can filter out germs, and most at least stop wearers from spreading infection by touching their own faces — but washing one’s hands thoroughly with soap and water is the best way to protect against the coronavirus, experts say.
People are advised not to buy masks if they are healthy; that way they will be available if medical professionals need them.
Still, N95 respirators — which fit tightly over the lower face, covering the mouth and nose — have been flying off the shelves.
Retail chains including Walgreens, Home Depot, Lowe’s and True Value Hardware are reporting a sharp uptick in sales of masks over the past several weeks and say they are scrambling to get more from suppliers. Home Depot, the nation’s largest home improvement chain, has limited sales of N95 respirators to 10 per customer.
The government needs more too. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told a Senate panel Tuesday that America has a stockpile of 12 million N95 masks but may need as many as 300 million for healthcare workers.
Companies that make masks are struggling to keep up.
Medicom Group, a Montreal medical supply company, usually makes 150 million masks per year at its factory near Angers, France. At the beginning of February, the factory had orders for 500 million masks. Orders have only grown since then, the company said, and it has hired new workers and increased capacity at its plants, including two in Shanghai and one in Augusta, Ga.
Mike Roman, chief executive of 3M Co., said last month that the company is producing masks “24/7” at its plants in Asia, Europe and the United States.
Some sellers who have masks are asking steep prices.
On Amazon, a third-party seller listed a 20-pack of N95 respirators for $108.99, plus a $50 shipping fee, as of Thursday afternoon. Another kind of mask was priced at $99.99 for a 100-pack, plus a $70 shipping fee.
An Amazon spokesperson said the company is monitoring the site and removing suspicious offers, and that it is “disappointed that bad actors are attempting to artificially raise prices on basic need products during a global health crisis.”
Not all products for sale are even good anymore. 3M has established a five-year shelf life for its mask line, saying the rubber strap and foam strip can degrade, resulting in a loose seal around the nose and mouth, especially if the items are not stored in ideal conditions.
A doctor told The Times that he and his colleagues at Duke University Health System in Durham, N.C., decided to buy 500 masks and ship them to “physicians and nurses on the front line in this battle in Wuhan, China,” where the coronavirus outbreak began. They placed the order through Amazon’s marketplace, but masks that arrived were out of date and had to be thrown away.
In online reviews, more customers complained of expired masks. Another mask’s reviews said customers received expired filters. In response, Amazon wrote to the customer that it would investigate and “take appropriate action,” and the seller halted its sales of the item.
Several retailers across the Los Angeles area, including some Target, Walmart, Rite Aid, CVS and Ralphs locations, were sold out of masks as of Thursday night. Most shoppers there, picking up regular groceries, seemed unconcerned. Others said they had already bought emergency items.
Eric Tew of Marina del Rey roamed the aisles of a Ralphs store Thursday searching for snacks. He said he’d bought three 100-count packs of masks and some hand sanitizer, totaling about $100, awhile ago. He mailed most of the masks to his wife’s family and friends in China, and for himself, he stocked up on preserved food at Costco.
Tew said he wanted to feel prepared, even if he overdid it.
The virus is “probably not going to be that big of a deal” in Los Angeles, said Tew, 27.“If it did break out, I could just wear a mask and walk back here in the middle of the night. I’m starting to realize that I’ve probably overreacted ... but here I am buying stuff.”
The Associated Press was used in compiling this report.


latimes--2020-02-28--UC Davis students quarantined as officials grapple with coronavirus danger

This section of Nothern California has become the center of the U.S. effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus , sparking concerns from some while others say they think it is important to go on with their lives .
Authorities are searching for people who might have come in contact with a woman believed to be the country ’ s first coronavirus patient who did not recently travel to China or have contact with someone who did .
The patient is from Solano County and was treated at two hospitals : UC Davis Medical Center and NorthBay VacaValley Hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as one awaits test results after showing mild coronavirus symptoms , officials said Thursday .
The students are roommates at Kearney Hall , UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May said .
Just outside the dormitory , freshman Dominic Alvarez sat on a concrete bench casually texting friends on Friday .
He was unfazed about reports of the students who were possibly exposed to the coronavirus .
Alvarez said some students are panicking unnecessarily , not realizing that the risk of getting the virus is very low .
“ Me and friends , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the situation is just people spreading rumors .
It ’ s pretty dumb , ” said Alvarez , a mechanical engineering student from Los Angeles .
“ We ’ re keeping up with the medical news .
For young healthy adults with healthy immune systems , it ’ s just like the flu .
Older people have to worry , and younger kids , though.
” Alvarez said he ’ s always been good about washing his hands often and covering his mouth and nose when he coughs or sneezes .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dorm was much more concerned .
The student , who asked only to be identified by his nickname , “ Vac , ” was wearing a protective mask over his mouth and nose and black medical gloves on his hands .
“ I ’ m super worried .
We ’ re in classes every day with other students who may have been exposed , ” said Vac , 21 , an environmental engineering student .
Students live all over the region , including in Solano County and Sacramento where there are people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
“ Students that go to restaurants in Sacramento and go to grocery stores in Solano County , it ’ s very likely that they could come back with the virus , ” Vac said .
Vac is from northern China and has been in constant contact with his family .
He says they are fine but that he , along with many other foreign students from all over Asia , are worried about their loved ones .
“ They ’ re hearing from families and friends who say it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s exactly how it ’ s been in China and Japan for the past month , ” he said .
Vac said he has seen plenty of vitriolic racism against Asians on the internet since the outbreak of the virus , but he hasn ’ t experienced any sort of discrimination at UC Davis .
“ We have a pretty strong Asian community on campus , ” he said .
Kearney Hall sits in the middle of the sprawling UC Davis campus , just across the street from a stable of cows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four-story dorm is part of a cluster of student housing and surrounded by rack after rack of bicycles , a preferred mode of transportation among students and around Davis .
One of The quarantined student who was experiencing symptoms has been off campus since Tuesday and has been tested for COVID-19 .
The student is in isolation at home , UC Davis spokeswoman Melissa Lutz Blouin said Friday .
The other two have not shown any symptoms and have therefore not been tested , but they have been isolated since Wednesday night as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vacant on-campus apartment and are in self-isolation for 14 days , the time symptoms would appear if they had the virus .
Blouin said the university is providing those students with food and the apartment is equipped with a kitchen and bathroom .
Yolo County Health Officer Dr. Ron Chapman said officials know the source of the possible exposure for the student who might have the virus , but could not disclose that information because of privacy rules .
When the university first learned about the exposure , officials alerted all students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dining services personnel also have increased cleaning rounds at those campus facilities , disinfecting doorknobs , tables and other areas with lots of student contact .

This section of Nothern California has become the center of the U.S. effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus, sparking concerns from some while others say they think it is important to go on with their lives.
Authorities are searching for people who might have come in contact with a woman believed to be the country’s first coronavirus patient who did not recently travel to China or have contact with someone who did. The patient is from Solano County and was treated at two hospitals: UC Davis Medical Center and NorthBay VacaValley Hospital in Vacaville,
Three UC Davis students are under 14-day isolation as one awaits test results after showing mild coronavirus symptoms, officials said Thursday.
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The students are roommates at Kearney Hall, UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May said.
Just outside the dormitory, freshman Dominic Alvarez sat on a concrete bench casually texting friends on Friday. He was unfazed about reports of the students who were possibly exposed to the coronavirus.
Alvarez said some students are panicking unnecessarily, not realizing that the risk of getting the virus is very low.
“Me and friends, we’re not gullible. We know the situation is just people spreading rumors. It’s pretty dumb,” said Alvarez, a mechanical engineering student from Los Angeles. “We’re keeping up with the medical news. For young healthy adults with healthy immune systems, it’s just like the flu. Older people have to worry, and younger kids, though.”
Alvarez said he’s always been good about washing his hands often and covering his mouth and nose when he coughs or sneezes.
However, another student parking his bike outside the dorm was much more concerned. The student, who asked only to be identified by his nickname, “Vac,” was wearing a protective mask over his mouth and nose and black medical gloves on his hands.
“I’m super worried. We’re in classes every day with other students who may have been exposed,” said Vac, 21, an environmental engineering student.
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Students live all over the region, including in Solano County and Sacramento where there are people who have been diagnosed with or exposed to the virus.
“Students that go to restaurants in Sacramento and go to grocery stores in Solano County, it’s very likely that they could come back with the virus,” Vac said.
Vac is from northern China and has been in constant contact with his family. He says they are fine but that he, along with many other foreign students from all over Asia, are worried about their loved ones.
“They’re hearing from families and friends who say it’s scary out there, because that’s exactly how it’s been in China and Japan for the past month,” he said.
Vac said he has seen plenty of vitriolic racism against Asians on the internet since the outbreak of the virus, but he hasn’t experienced any sort of discrimination at UC Davis.
“We have a pretty strong Asian community on campus,” he said.
Kearney Hall sits in the middle of the sprawling UC Davis campus, just across the street from a stable of cows at a dairy research center. The four-story dorm is part of a cluster of student housing and surrounded by rack after rack of bicycles, a preferred mode of transportation among students and around Davis.
One of The quarantined student who was experiencing symptoms has been off campus since Tuesday and has been tested for COVID-19. The student is in isolation at home, UC Davis spokeswoman Melissa Lutz Blouin said Friday.
The other two have not shown any symptoms and have therefore not been tested, but they have been isolated since Wednesday night as a precaution. They were moved to a vacant on-campus apartment and are in self-isolation for 14 days, the time symptoms would appear if they had the virus. Blouin said the university is providing those students with food and the apartment is equipped with a kitchen and bathroom.
Yolo County Health Officer Dr. Ron Chapman said officials know the source of the possible exposure for the student who might have the virus, but could not disclose that information because of privacy rules.
When the university first learned about the exposure, officials alerted all students, faculty and staff. Housing and dining services personnel also have increased cleaning rounds at those campus facilities, disinfecting doorknobs, tables and other areas with lots of student contact.


latimes--2020-02-28--Small brush fire in Bay Area punctuates Northern California's driest February on record

A six-acre brush fire slowly burned Friday at San Bruno State and County Park south of San Francisco — a blaze highly unusual for this time of year , in what should be the middle of the rainy season , officials said .
No evacuations were ordered , but the sight of a wildfire at this time of year in the Bay Area is extremely rare .
“ That we ’ re seeing *any* wildfire activity in northern California is extremely unusual — let alone this kind of very active fire behavior currently occurring < 10 miles from downtown San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climatologist with UCLA , the National Center for Atmospheric Research and the Nature Conservancy .
Northern California is facing its driest February on record , and areas of California already have relatively dry vegetation .
The Bay Area has also been remarkably warm in recent days , with San Francisco International Airport reaching 76 degrees on Thursday , breaking the record of 75 degrees for that date set in 1992 .
The fire , reported about 10 a.m. Friday , was burning near a picnic area and by the afternoon , firefighters had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection helicopter made water drops , and smoke was visible across San Mateo County , officials said .
“ This is an unusual time of year for a wildfire .
This is a STARK REMINDER that we need to be prepared !
, ” tweeted Cal Fire ’ s San Mateo-Santa Cruz unit .
The North County Fire Authority , which handles fires for Brisbane , Daly City and Pacifica , said 60 firefighters were on the scene .
A wet spell may soon come .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a slight to moderate chance of heavy precipitation across much of California during the second week of March .

A six-acre brush fire slowly burned Friday at San Bruno State and County Park south of San Francisco — a blaze highly unusual for this time of year, in what should be the middle of the rainy season, officials said.
No evacuations were ordered, but the sight of a wildfire at this time of year in the Bay Area is extremely rare.
“That we’re seeing *any* wildfire activity in northern California is extremely unusual — let alone this kind of very active fire behavior currently occurring <10 miles from downtown San Francisco,” tweeted Daniel Swain, climatologist with UCLA, the National Center for Atmospheric Research and the Nature Conservancy.
That we're seeing *any* wildfire activity in late February in northern California is extremely unusual--let alone this kind of very active fire behavior currently occurring <10 miles from downtown San Francisco. #SanBruno #CAwx #CAfire https://t.co/jysqwN3mnS — Daniel Swain (@Weather_West) February 28, 2020
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Northern California is facing its driest February on record, and areas of California already have relatively dry vegetation. The Bay Area has also been remarkably warm in recent days, with San Francisco International Airport reaching 76 degrees on Thursday, breaking the record of 75 degrees for that date set in 1992.
The fire, reported about 10 a.m. Friday, was burning near a picnic area and by the afternoon, firefighters had a control line surrounding the fire. A California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection helicopter made water drops, and smoke was visible across San Mateo County, officials said.
“This is an unusual time of year for a wildfire. This is a STARK REMINDER that we need to be prepared!,” tweeted Cal Fire’s San Mateo-Santa Cruz unit.
The North County Fire Authority, which handles fires for Brisbane, Daly City and Pacifica, said 60 firefighters were on the scene.
Smoke has been visible from across San Mateo County. Conditions are very dry. @CALFIRECZU There is a CAL FIRE helicopter making water drops. @sanmateoco pic.twitter.com/B39v756cvy — North County Fire Authority (@NoCoFire) February 28, 2020
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A wet spell may soon come. The National Weather Service said there’s a slight to moderate chance of heavy precipitation across much of California during the second week of March.


latimes--2020-02-28--4 teens ejected after crashing stolen car during police pursuit, authorities say

Four teenagers are recovering after they were ejected from a car that crashed during a vehicle pursuit on the 405 @ @ @ @ @ .
Los Angeles police were pursuing a possible stolen vehicle in Van Nuys about 10:20 @ @ @ @ @ clipped another vehicle , spun and wrapped around a pole on the side of the @ @ @ @ @ .
Two girls and two boys were ejected and transported to a local hospital , @ @ @ @ @ condition , authorities said .
A fifth occupant of the vehicle , 18-year-old Eddie Diaz @ @ @ @ @ evading .
A gun was recovered at the scene .
The driver of the vehicle @ @ @ @ @ outlets that he managed to get out of his car to comfort the victims of @ @ @ @ @ told them not to worry , ” Vikram Sanra said .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve been in .
I don ’ t even know how many times we @ @ @ @ @ into police custody and is being held in lieu of $ 100,000 bail .

Four teenagers are recovering after they were ejected from a car that crashed during a vehicle pursuit on the 405 Freeway, authorites said Friday.
Los Angeles police were pursuing a possible stolen vehicle in Van Nuys about 10:20 p.m. Thursday when the car clipped another vehicle, spun and wrapped around a pole on the side of the southbound 405 near Victory Boulevard.
Two girls and two boys were ejected and transported to a local hospital, where they were in stable condition, authorities said.
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A fifth occupant of the vehicle, 18-year-old Eddie Diaz, was arrested for felony evading. A gun was recovered at the scene.
The driver of the vehicle that was clipped told media outlets that he managed to get out of his car to comfort the victims of the crash.
“I told them not to worry,” Vikram Sanra said. “It’s probably the worst accident I’ve been in. I don’t even know how many times we spun.”
Diaz was booked into police custody and is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.


latimes--2020-02-28--Did government missteps worsen California's coronavirus danger? Here's what we know

As California officials race to identify people who might have come into contact with a woman who contracted coronavirus in Solano County , there are growing questions about whether government missteps might have made the problems worse .
They involve issues of virus testing as well as how the federal government handled the quarantining at two California bases of people coming from China .
A total of 33 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus in California , and five have since left the state .
Of the confirmed cases , 24 were either evacuated from or returned on repatriation flights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the coronavirus outbreak began .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom said more than 8,400 people are being monitored in 49 local jurisdictions .
Here is what we know : At the center of concern now is a woman who is believed to be this country ’ s first novel coronavirus patient who did not recently travel outside the country or come in contact with someone who did .
The Solano County woman was hospitalized more than a week ago but was not tested for several days because she did not fit screening criteria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Prevention , which include both symptoms of the virus and either a recent history of travel to China or close contact with another coronavirus patient .
Before she was transferred to UC Davis , the woman was hospitalized for three days at NorthBay VacaValley Hospital in Vacaville , Aimee Brewer , president of Northbay Healthcare Group , said in a statement .
She was taken by ambulance to the UC Davis facility in Sacramento once her condition worsened , Brewer said .
“ As for the patient ’ s care in NorthBay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the patient fit the existing CDC criteria for COVID-19 , and therefore a test was not immediately administered , ” she said .
The delay in testing has heightened concerns from critics about how the testing is going .
California Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Thursday called on the White House to start rapid testing of all suspected cases , saying the identification of coronavirus patients quickly is essential to limiting the spread .
Newsom said California needs more test kits .
The state has 200 kits for both diagnostic and surveillance purposes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the coming days , he said .
Some experts say rapid testing is essential to curtaining the spread of coronavirus .
“ When you miss cases , you can ’ t isolate them , test their families or get a hold on this before it keeps spreading , ” said Jennifer Nuzzo , an epidemiology expert at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security .
Critics have also raised concerns that officials did not adequately train or provide necessary protective gear to health workers sent to assist Americans flown back from coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month and quarantined at Travis Air Force Base and March Air Reserve Base in California .
The accusations of improper safety protocols , including allowing the health workers to leave the bases , were outlined in a whistleblower complaint from an unidentified official in the Health and Human Services Department .
In a statement , the department said it was “ evaluating the complaint.
” It ’ s unclear whether any workers contracted the virus .
Nearly 200 Americans were quarantined at March for two weeks .
They arrived at March Air Reserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and , after all testing negative for the virus , were released Feb. 11 .
The Times confirmed the outlines of the whistleblower complaint but has not directly reviewed it .
According to the Washington Post , the whistleblower said that “ appropriate steps were not taken to quarantine , monitor , or test [ the workers ] during their deployment and upon their return home.
” The workers , this person said , were “ in contact with passengers in an airplane hangar where evacuees were received and on two other occasions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room assignments and hand out colored ribbons for identification purposes , ” the Post reported .
Rep. Jimmy Gomez ( D-Los Angeles ) said his office was approached by the whistleblower and that he is concerned about the allegations .
“ My office was recently approached by a federal whistleblower who ’ s deeply concerned about @ HHSGov ’ s handling of the # coronavirusus .
Members of this person ’ s team were deployed to assist Americans who were exposed to # COVID2019 .
They did so WITHOUT proper training & hazmat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Alex Wigglesworth, Colleen Shalby, Noam N. Levey, Emily Baumgaertner

A shelf of sold-out protective masks and low supply of protective gloves at a CVS Pharmacy in Oakland on Thursday.
As California officials race to identify people who might have come into contact with a woman who contracted coronavirus in Solano County, there are growing questions about whether government missteps might have made the problems worse.
They involve issues of virus testing as well as how the federal government handled the quarantining at two California bases of people coming from China.
A total of 33 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus in California, and five have since left the state. Of the confirmed cases, 24 were either evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship or returned on repatriation flights from Wuhan, China, which is where the coronavirus outbreak began. Gov. Gavin Newsom said more than 8,400 people are being monitored in 49 local jurisdictions.
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Here is what we know:
Testing in Northern California
At the center of concern now is a woman who is believed to be this country’s first novel coronavirus patient who did not recently travel outside the country or come in contact with someone who did.
The Solano County woman was hospitalized more than a week ago but was not tested for several days because she did not fit screening criteria set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which include both symptoms of the virus and either a recent history of travel to China or close contact with another coronavirus patient.
Before she was transferred to UC Davis, the woman was hospitalized for three days at NorthBay VacaValley Hospital in Vacaville, Aimee Brewer, president of Northbay Healthcare Group, said in a statement.
She was taken by ambulance to the UC Davis facility in Sacramento once her condition worsened, Brewer said.
“As for the patient’s care in NorthBay VacaValley Hospital, at no time did the patient fit the existing CDC criteria for COVID-19, and therefore a test was not immediately administered,” she said.
The delay in testing has heightened concerns from critics about how the testing is going.
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California Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Thursday called on the White House to start rapid testing of all suspected cases, saying the identification of coronavirus patients quickly is essential to limiting the spread.
Newsom said California needs more test kits. The state has 200 kits for both diagnostic and surveillance purposes, but federal officials say more will arrive in the coming days, he said.
Some experts say rapid testing is essential to curtaining the spread of coronavirus.
“When you miss cases, you can’t isolate them, test their families or get a hold on this before it keeps spreading,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiology expert at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
California quarantine
Critics have also raised concerns that officials did not adequately train or provide necessary protective gear to health workers sent to assist Americans flown back from coronavirus hot zones in China and elsewhere last month and quarantined at Travis Air Force Base and March Air Reserve Base in California.
The accusations of improper safety protocols, including allowing the health workers to leave the bases, were outlined in a whistleblower complaint from an unidentified official in the Health and Human Services Department.
In a statement, the department said it was “evaluating the complaint.”
It’s unclear whether any workers contracted the virus. Nearly 200 Americans were quarantined at March for two weeks. They arrived at March Air Reserve Base on a chartered flight from China and, after all testing negative for the virus, were released Feb. 11.
The Times confirmed the outlines of the whistleblower complaint but has not directly reviewed it. According to the Washington Post, the whistleblower said that “appropriate steps were not taken to quarantine, monitor, or test [the workers] during their deployment and upon their return home.”
The workers, this person said, were “in contact with passengers in an airplane hangar where evacuees were received and on two other occasions: when they helped distribute keys for room assignments and hand out colored ribbons for identification purposes,” the Post reported.
Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles) said his office was approached by the whistleblower and that he is concerned about the allegations.
“My office was recently approached by a federal whistleblower who’s deeply concerned about @HHSGov’s handling of the #coronavirusus. Members of this person’s team were deployed to assist Americans who were exposed to #COVID2019. They did so WITHOUT proper training & hazmat gear,” he said on Twitter.


latimes--2020-02-28--Hate crime arrest made after elderly man is beaten and robbed of recyclables

San Francisco police have arrested a 20-year-old man they say recorded a viral video of an elderly man collecting recyclables being taunted , attacked and robbed .
Dwayne Grayson was booked Thursday on suspicion of robbery , elder abuse , a probation violation for a prior robbery conviction and a hate crime enhancement , according to the San Francisco Police Department .
He is being held without bond , custody records show .
The incident occurred about 5:30 p.m. Saturday in the Bayview neighborhood .
A video , which went viral after being posted to social media , shows a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 68-year-old Asian man , in the head with a metal pole .
Authorities did not sspecify what role Grayson played , but they say he recorded the encounter and posted it to social media .
On the profanity-laced video , at least one person can be heard taunting the victim , yelling at him to “ go get your ... cans.
” A person who is not seen in the video later says , “ I hate Asians , ” and mimics the crying man .
The victim complained of pain but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We ’ ve determined that he was involved in the incident , and he was arrested for his involvement , ” Officer Robert Rueca , a San Francisco police spokesman , said of Grayson .
Investigators have identified another suspect and are searching for him , police said .
Rueca said he could not provide additional information about the outstanding suspect .
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call San Francisco police at ( 415 ) 575-4444 .

San Francisco police have arrested a 20-year-old man they say recorded a viral video of an elderly man collecting recyclables being taunted, attacked and robbed.
Dwayne Grayson was booked Thursday on suspicion of robbery, elder abuse, a probation violation for a prior robbery conviction and a hate crime enhancement, according to the San Francisco Police Department. He is being held without bond, custody records show.
The incident occurred about 5:30 p.m. Saturday in the Bayview neighborhood. A video, which went viral after being posted to social media, shows a man striking the victim, identified as a 68-year-old Asian man, in the head with a metal pole.
Authorities did not sspecify what role Grayson played, but they say he recorded the encounter and posted it to social media.
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On the profanity-laced video, at least one person can be heard taunting the victim, yelling at him to “go get your ... cans.” A person who is not seen in the video later says, “I hate Asians,” and mimics the crying man.
The victim complained of pain but had no visible injuries, police said.
“We’ve determined that he was involved in the incident, and he was arrested for his involvement,” Officer Robert Rueca, a San Francisco police spokesman, said of Grayson.
Investigators have identified another suspect and are searching for him, police said. Rueca said he could not provide additional information about the outstanding suspect.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call San Francisco police at (415) 575-4444.
Times staff writer Hannah Fry contributed to this report.