California

Shocking moment California cops tackle teens to the ground during massive 200-person brawl caused by two girls ‘fist fighting’ as local mall is shut down

Published

2 years ago

March 17, 2024

Shocking moment California cops tackle teens to the ground during massive 200-person brawl caused by two girls ‘fist fighting’ as local mall is shut down

A shopping mall in Southern California was forced to close early on Saturday evening after the venue became swamped by brawling teenagers.

Police in Long Beach were quickly on the scene of The Pike Outlets mall after a fight between two girls resulted in an all-out brawl.

Footage of the massive scuffle saw about 200 individuals all congregating at the mall after a social media post went viral suggesting there would be a fight between two females, one adult and one juvenile.

Officers were on standby ahead of the melee and were quickly able to identify the two females around which the fracas broke out.

The Pike Outlets in Long Beach, California closed early after a fight broke out between two girls which spilled over into an all-out brawl involving several hundred

A social media post led to a gathering of 200 people at the shopping center that hinted there was to be a fight between two females

Video footage from the scene sees the two girls engaged in a brawl

One of the girls approached the other and the fight immediately broke out with the pair jeered on by hundreds of teens, many of whom filmed the ruckus on their cellphones.

The fight between the two girls looked particularly violent as punches flew and the pair grabbed one another by each other’s hair and clothes.

The violence only seemed to grow as bystanders screamed and yelled as the fight spilled out into the mall.

Police were on the scene within 30 seconds having been tipped off well in advance, managing to lie in wait. Both participants were swiftly placed in handcuffs and taken into custody.

The identities of the two women who were arrested has not been disclosed and the motive behind the initial confrontation remains unclear.

A few police officers remained on-site to monitor the area, with a bus brought in to accommodate the possibility of several juveniles being detained.

The girls were surrounded by a large group of teens seen recording the incident on their cellphones

Both females were taken into custody by police although they have not been identified

The motive behind the brawl has not been revealed. The second of the two women is seen here

The two women are seen being arrested by police with one forced to the ground

Police were on the scene within 30 seconds of the brawl breaking out

There were hundreds of bystanders all capturing the fight on their phones

Tens of police were on the scene having been alerted to the potential of a brawl to break out

Police could be seen on standby in the mall in the moments before the fight broke out

The Pike Outlets decided to close the shops early by 6pm after being notified about the impending brawl with Long Beach Police warning anyone remaining in the area after a certain time would face trespassing charges.

‘Attention in the area, the property is now closed by management,’ Long Beach police said in a statement at the time. ‘Anyone who remains in the area in 10 minutes will be subject to arrest for trespassing.’

‘Last night, we had hundreds of juveniles come to The Pike as part of a viral social media meet up. Our officers were prepared and extremely visible throughout the downtown area.

‘In addition to spreading available resources throughout various other parts of the city, we found it necessary to declare a Stage 2 Tactical Alert, meaning we held over our day shift officers and deployed our afternoon shift officers quickly to ensure we were able to support the group activity in downtown, as well as respond to calls for service citywide,’ a statement by Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish explained.

Cops moved in quickly and promptly arrested the troublemakers

Long Beach Chief of Police, Wally Hebeish, released a statement on Sunday as to what had occurred

‘At one point, a fight broke out, and officers immediately intervened by running into a large crowd, taking control of the situation, and arresting both suspects involved.

‘Shortly thereafter, a shooting occurred outside of The Pike area – again, officers were almost immediately on scene and began providing medical aid to the victim. We’re actively investigating the incident and will hold the suspect responsible for their actions.

‘1 am incredibly proud of the efforts of our officers last night, and I want to reiterate that the Long Beach Police Department will not tolerate criminal acts or violence in our community,’ Chief Hebeish said.

Following the altercation, reports emerged of a nearby shooting involving a juvenile male, who was discovered nearby at The Promenade with a gunshot wound to his lower body.

Police patrol vehicles are seen on the roads outside of the shopping center on Saturday night

Police stayed until darkness fell to ensure everyone had left the mall following its early closure

Long Beach officers were on scene at The Pike Outlets well in advance of the brawl

The victim received medical treatment at a local hospital and was reported to be in stable condition.

It it not clear whether individuals present during fight a The Pike Outlets were connected to those involved in the shooting,

Long Beach residents of Long Beach say there is real concern within the community following a recent surge in violence within the community.

Several other disturbing incidents have occurred in the area in the last few weeks including the stabbing of a food truck vendor last week who nearby lost his life as he was intervening in a robbery of an elderly woman.

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California

California man arrested for impersonating bank official, coercing money from Colorado victim

Published

10 hours ago

June 21, 2026

Press Room

California man arrested for impersonating bank official, coercing money from Colorado victim

A 25-year-old California man is charged with three felonies after intercepting a package in Colorado containing $11,000 in cash he allegedly obtained via a computer scam.

Earlier this year, a Mesa County resident contacted authorities after receiving a message. The sender reportedly claimed to be an employee of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The FDIC is an independent agency created by the Congress that insures and oversees the banking industry.

The resident claimed the purported FDIC representative stated the resident’s bank account had been compromised and needed to be secured. The resident was instructed to send cash from the account to an address in southern California, according to the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office.

The resident later chose to stop the shipment. But, according to the sheriff’s office, the box containing the cash was already in the process of being shipped.

A man later identified as Youbin Huang of El Monte, Calif., a Los Angeles suburb, came to the package’s location in Grand Junction and picked it up using documents which contained the Colorado resident’s personal information, per the sheriff’s office.

Youbin Haung following his transfer to Colorado.

Mesa County Sheriff’s Office

A nationwide warrant for Haung’s arrest was issued by the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 25. Huang was arrested by the California State Patrol on April 13, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office. Huang was brought to Colorado and booked into the Mesa County Detention Facility on May 10.

Huang is charged with theft, identity theft, and computer fraud, all felonies, and all state charges. He was advised June 11 and posted an $11,000 cash bond to obtain his release from jail that day. He has another court hearing on July 9.

The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office stated in its press release that Huang was “intimately involved in the perpetration of the scam.” It did not specifically state that Huang acted alone, nor if he was the person who impersonated an FDIC employee and communicated with the Colorado resident online.

MCSO recommended Coloradans never give out their personal or financial information to an unsolicited caller, allow remote access to their phones or computers, send gift cards or crypto currency as a form of payment, or send cash in the mail. As well, if they are unsure about what they are being asked to do, call law enforcement, family members, or a trusted friend to get advice.

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California

Smoke advisory issued Saturday as Boyle Heights fire continues

Published

20 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Press Room

Smoke advisory issued Saturday as Boyle Heights fire continues

A smoke advisory remains in place across Boyle Heights after a flare-up at a cold-storage warehouse fire, with officials urging residents to limit outdoor exposure as smoky conditions spread.

Public health officials warned Saturday that smoke from the South Los Palos Street blaze had drifted into surrounding neighborhoods, advising people to stay indoors, close windows, and avoid breathing in the smoke.

The blaze began shortly after 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at 1400 S. Los Palos St., and rapidly spread across the solar panels on the roof of the 491,000-square-foot warehouse, while an ammonia leak developed inside the building and thick smoke billowed into the air, prompting shelter-in-place orders for nearby residents and businesses.

LAFD officials said Saturday that crews spent the night working to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby homes and other units in the complex, including an adjacent cold storage facility.

“The good news is, all of our air monitoring that has been done by our department, Hazmat, LA County Hazmat, as well as AQMD, has shown that there are no additional toxic chemicals or hazards within that smoke other than normal structure fire smoke,” LAFD Capt. Branden Silverman said. “That said, no smoke is good smoke. We know that people are being affected by this in our city as well as LA County’s jurisdiction, and we do want you to take precautions to avoid that smoke whenever possible.”

This is a breaking news story. Check back later for more details.

Smoke advisory in effect; residents urged to limit exposure

The South Coast Air Quality Management District has extended a particle pollution advisory through at least midday Saturday as smoke from the fire continues to drift across Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles and nearby communities.

While shelter-in-place orders issued earlier in the week have been lifted, officials emphasized that smoky air remains a concern.

Fire officials said visible smoke may increase at times as crews continue suppression efforts, though there is no additional hazard beyond the smoke itself.

Health guidance remains consistent:
Use air purifiers or air conditioning if available
Stay indoors with windows and doors closed
Avoid outdoor activity, especially for sensitive groups

Fire reignites after wind shift; crews brace for ongoing flare-ups

The fire, which began Wednesday afternoon at a roughly 500,000-square-foot cold-storage facility, flared up again Friday evening after a shift in wind conditions, sending black and white smoke billowing into the sky.

Los Angeles Fire Department officials have described the incident as complex, warning the fire will likely “ebb and flow” due to deep-seated flames inside the structure and difficult access conditions.

Firefighters remain largely limited to exterior operations due to safety concerns inside the building, continuing to pour water onto the structure and targeting hotspots.

No injuries have been reported.

Shelters open as precaution; officials stress safety

Although there are no evacuation orders, officials have opened temporary shelters for residents seeking relief from smoke or uncomfortable conditions, according to a statement by Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda Solis.

Shelters include:

City Terrace Park, 1126 N. Hazard Ave.
Pecan Recreation Center, 145 S. Pecan St.

Los Angeles County leaders said the sites were opened “out of an abundance of caution” as firefighting operations continue.

Residents are also being urged to:

Monitor air quality alerts
Keep pets indoors
Wear masks if going outside

What caused the Boyle Heights fire?

Officials and the facility operator, Lineage Logistics, say the blaze appears to be linked to rooftop solar panels on the warehouse, though the exact cause remains under investigation.

The blaze spread across rooftop solar panels before firefighters discovered flames burning deep inside the cold‑storage areas, complicating containment efforts.

Fire officials noted that the structure’s size and layout — along with hazards such as stored equipment and limited access — have required unusual tactics, including the use of water-dropping helicopters typically used on wildfires.

Where is Boyle Heights?

Boyle Heights is a densely populated neighborhood just east of downtown Los Angeles, bordered by major freeways including the 101 and 5. It sits near East Los Angeles and is home to residential communities, schools, and industrial sites, including the cold-storage warehouse where the fire is burning.

City News Service contributed to this report.

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California

California man arrested for alleged lewd acts, exploitation involving juveniles

Published

1 day ago

June 20, 2026

Press Room

California man arrested for alleged lewd acts, exploitation involving juveniles

A California man was arrested on suspicion of committing lewd acts and exploiting minors through online platforms.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as Edward “Eddie” Alessandro Zarate, 20, of Santa Maria.

On May 28, authorities began investigating Zarate over allegations that he was communicating with underage girls online and exchanging sexually explicit material with them.

Detectives later learned that Zarate allegedly communicated with minor victims through mobile phone apps such as Whipd, Purp, Wizz and Snapchat, along with exchanging text messages.

Edward “Eddie” Alessandro Zarate, 20, of Santa Maria, was arrested for alleged lewd acts and online exploitation of minors. (Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office)

Zarate’s profiles appeared to portray him as a juvenile.

“Once he established communication with minors, he would often encourage them to move conversations off the platform and continue communicating via text message,” the sheriff’s department said. “During these conversations, Zarate would disclose his true age and identity.”

So far, authorities are aware of two female juveniles who have met with Zarate in person and reportedly engaged in lewd acts.

He is accused of communicating with minors in multiple states including California, Florida and Illinois. In California alone, detectives believe Zarate contacted minors from Los Angeles, Oxnard, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Santa Maria, Lompoc, Paso Robles, Nipomo, Arroyo Grande and San Francisco.

“Based on the scope of the investigation, detectives believe there may be additional survivors who have not yet been identified,” authorities said.

On June 10, Zarate was arrested and booked on multiple felony charges including oral copulation with a person under 18 years of age, unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, sending harmful matter to a minor, and two counts of possession of obscene material depicting a minor.

Anyone who may be a victim, has communicated with Zarate online or through text or has information on the case is asked to call Sheriff’s Detectives at 805-681-4150. Anonymous tips can be provided to the SBSD’s tipline at 805-681-4171 or online at SBSheriff.org.

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