NELA Crime Update

By Laura Brady-Allen

• The Los Angeles Police Department has put many detectives on uniformed patrol during the corornavirus emergency, said Laura McKinney, a spokesperson for Councilmember Jose Huizar, adding that Huizar’s office is working with LAPD to ensure that extra patrols are deployed to Council District 14, which includes Northeast Los Angeles.

• Two men were shot on the sidewalk at Avenue 50 and Monte Vista Street in Highland Park on Sunday, March 22, around 3:20 a.m. LAPD received a call that two male Hispanics in their 20s had been shot by two male Hispanics for unknown reasons, according to LAPD media relations. Also unknown is whether the incident was gang related, according to the medial relations officer. The victims were taken to the hospital in a private vehicle. They were in stable condition and expected to survive.

• LAPD reports that no arrests have been made amid ongoing investigations of two murders in NELA in February — of Alex Cornell Ramirez, 38, on February 11 in Highland Park and Arnold Aguirre, 54, at the Hermon dog park on February 13.

• A man was arrested in connection with the shooting death of Santiago Ornelas, 33, on February 1 in Highland Park, but no charges were filed because prosecutors determined that the shooter acted in self-defense, according to an LAPD briefing given at the Public Safety Committee of the Highland Park Neighborhood Council on March 2. The dispute that lead to the shooting was between two members of the Avenues gang, according to the briefing.

• The cause of death for Thomas Ian McMahan, 37, who had multiple lacerations when he died in Highland Park on February 18, is “deferred,” according to a spokesperson with the L.A. County coroner. Information originally provided by police said the man had been stabbed several times, indicating a homicide, but later reports called the wounds “lacerations.” Senior Lead Officer for Highland Park, Lloyd Chang, recently said the LAPD considers the cause of death “undetermined” pending the autopsy results.

• LAPD has made two arrests in connection with two separate robberies of Chase Bank in Eagle Rock:

          Frederick Brooks, 24, a resident of Winnetka, has been arrested and charged with five felony counts of second-degree robbery and two felony counts of attempted second-degree robbery in connection with the robbery on November 22, according to spokespersons for the L.A. County District Attorney and LAPD Media Relations. The complaint against Brooks also alleges he was previously convicted of robbery and grand theft, said the DA spokesperson. Inmate records show that Brooks is being held on $1.075 million bail and is due in court on May 14.

         Haig Zakaryan, 24, a resident of Los Angeles, has been arrested in connection with the Chase bank robbery on March 2, according to DA and LAPD spokespersons. He is being held on $50,000 bail and has a court date on April 30.

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