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FBI offering $10,000 reward for info leading to arrest of suspects in deadly New Mexico wildfires

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FBI offering ,000 reward for info leading to arrest of suspects in deadly New Mexico wildfires

The FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspects responsible for starting two New Mexico wildfires that killed two people and destroyed or damaged hundreds of structures. 

The South Fork and Salt Fires were discovered near Ruidoso, New Mexico on June 17. The FBI said the fires caused “significant damage.” 

The twin wildfires forced thousands to flee their homes. Full-time residents of Ruidoso will be allowed to return to their village Monday morning but were advised to bring drinking water, at least a week’s worth of food, and be prepared to be without gas, electricity or water. 

The FBI said it was seeking public assistance in identifying the cause of the fires, though a Sunday notice pointedly suggested humans were responsible. The $10,000 reward being offered by the bureau is for information “leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for starting the fires near Ruidoso, New Mexico.” 

Lincoln County Manager Randall Camp said Saturday that “we are approaching a thousand homes lost” in the fires.

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TANKER TRUCK EXPLODES ON TEXAS HIGHWAY LEAVING SEVERAL CRITICALLY INJURED

President Joe Biden has issued a disaster declaration for parts of southern New Mexico. The move freed up funding and more resources to help with recovery efforts including temporary housing, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property and other emergency work in Lincoln County and on lands belonging to the Mescalero Apache Tribe.

A charred car and the remains of the Swiss Chalet Hotel are pictured after being destroyed by the South Fork Fire in the mountain village of Ruidoso, N.M., Saturday, June 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)

More than 1,100 firefighters continued to fight the flames in steep and rocky terrain Sunday. The South Fork and Salt fires are still burning on both sides of Ruidoso and a threat of flash floods still looms over the village.

The National Interagency Fire Center said the South Fork Fire, which reached 26 square miles, was 31% contained Sunday. It said the Salt Fire that has spread over 12 square miles was now 7% contained. Full containment isn’t expected until July 15.

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Smoke rises off the remains of a house destroyed by the South Fork Fire in the mountain village of Ruidoso, N.M., Saturday, June 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)

Authorities said downed power lines, damaged water, sewer and gas lines plus flooding in burn scars continued to pose risks to firefighters and the public.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham toured some of the disaster area on Saturday with Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Deanne Criswell.

Even with federal and state assistance on the table, Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford estimates it could take at least five years for the area to fully recover.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Los Angeles High School locked down as police search for armed juvenile

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Los Angeles High School locked down as police search for armed juvenile

Los Angeles High School was placed on lockdown Wednesday morning as police searched for three juveniles, including one believed to be armed with a handgun.

Officers responded to the area of Olympic and West boulevards around 8:15 a.m. following a report of an assault with a deadly weapon involving four minors.

One of the minors involved in the assault was believed to be armed with a handgun, Los Angeles Police Department Officer Miller confirmed to KTLA.

Los Angeles High School was placed on lockdown as police responded to the incident.

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One suspect was taken into custody, but Miller said police are still searching for the three remaining juveniles and the handgun.

A perimeter has been set up around the school as officers search for the remaining suspects.

“Today, the school initiated a lockdown as we received reports of a possible weapon on campus,” a Los Angeles Unified School District spokesperson said. “We took immediate action, including notifying the Los Angeles School Police Department and Region West Operations for further investigation. The Los Angeles School Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department are conducting a search of the campus for weapons.  We will provide additional information once it is available.”

No information was provided about the assault victim or any injuries sustained in the incident.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

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Los Angeles, Ca

O.C. Uber customer says driver asleep in Tesla on 405 Freeway

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O.C. Uber customer says driver asleep in Tesla on 405 Freeway

An Orange County rideshare customer captured cellphone footage of his Uber driver seemingly asleep behind the wheel of a Tesla traveling along the 405 Freeway earlier this year.

The incident, according to the customer who reached out to KTLA, occurred March 24 while he was on a ride to Costa Mesa just before 7:30 p.m.

In the footage, the driver, wearing a coat and tie, is seen with his head resting against the headrest while remaining completely still, even as the customer moves closer with the camera.

Toward the end of the video, one of the driver’s hands appears to rest near his waist rather than on the steering wheel.

A rideshare customer captured cellphone footage of his Uber driver apparently sleeping while behind the wheel of a Tesla on the 405 Freeway in Orange County on March 24, 2026. (viewer image)

The customer told KTLA he filed a complaint with Uber but was informed he would not be able to find out whether any action was taken regarding the incident. He also said he contacted the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, which reportedly declined to accept the video evidence and told him deputies would have needed to witness the driver asleep themselves.

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Videos of Tesla drivers appearing to be asleep have become increasingly common.

More recently, footage of an apparently napping Tesla driver on the 5 Freeway was captured by witnesses in southbound lanes near Camp Pendleton.

As far back as February 2023, video obtained by KTLA showed two separate drivers appearing to be asleep behind the wheel in the span of a week, one in Los Angeles and the other in Temecula.

  • Uber driver apparently asleep behind wheel of Tesla

KTLA’s San Francisco sister station, KRON, also obtained footage of an East Bay driver apparently asleep behind the wheel of a Tesla Model 3 on Highway 4 in March.

According to Tesla’s guidelines, drivers using the vehicle’s Full Self-Driving mode are required to remain attentive and ready to take control of the car at any moment.

In past incidents, the California Highway Patrol has told KTLA that drivers must be awake, conscious and sober to legally operate a moving vehicle.

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The electric vehicle maker has been at the center of numerous controversies but remains the top-selling brand in California for the fourth year in a row. Tesla’s Model Y far outsold any other new vehicle in the state in 2025.

KTLA has reached out to Uber about the March 24 incident and is awaiting a response.

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Los Angeles, Ca

L.A. mayor, California governor races shift focus to November election; Republicans scrutinize process

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L.A. mayor, California governor races shift focus to November election; Republicans scrutinize process

The frontrunners in the California governor’s race and Los Angeles mayor’s race are looking ahead to the November general election, as some Republicans scrutinize the state’s ballot-counting process.

Votes continue to be counted, but with the majority of results in, news outlets are already calling clear winners in both races.

So are the candidates, with several making appearances Tuesday to officially kick off their general election campaigns.

Mayor Karen Bass led the mayoral primary race with 34% of the vote, and the Associated Press called Progressive City Councilmember Nithya Raman in second place Monday with 29%, overtaking Spencer Pratt.

Bass joined supporters in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday morning, saying she won Tuesday and will win again in November, despite challenges including the Palisades Fire and the city’s ongoing homelessness crisis during her first term.

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“It’s hard for me to express how much it means to me to have all of you here, to feel your embrace, to feel your power, and to feel your encouragement because we’re going to have four more years,” she said.

Meanwhile, there is no word on when Raman will make an appearance, but she took to social media to declare victory, saying she was incredibly proud and encouraging voters to join her movement.

“We got here because people across Los Angeles believe in something better: a city where Angelenos can afford to live, work, and build a future,” she said.

Raman had made a last-minute entry into the race, after she had endorsed Bass for reelection.

The mayoral race has historical markers, with Bass being the first Black woman to hold the post, and Raman could be the first South Asian woman on the job.

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The election will test whether voters in the heavily Democratic city want to move further to the political left to address long-running problems of homelessness, buckled streets and sidewalks and climbing rent and home prices.

Meanwhie, in the California gubernatorial primary, NewsNation’s Decision Desk called Steve Hilton a winner with 25% of the vote, behind Xavier Becerra’s almost 28% of the vote.

Hilton held a press conference Tuesday morning at the Registrar’s Office, kicking off his general election campaign ahead of the November runoff.

While Hilton said he is not officially declaring victory until the Associated Press calls the race, he used the opportunity to discuss voter reform.

“You can send in your mail-in ballot for a week after the election,” he said. “And here’s the theory. We have to really understand, this simple example shows you just how broken this system is.”

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Hilton called for California to limit mail ballots to those who request them, rather than sending them to all registered voters.

The President Donald Trump-backed candidate will face Democrat Xavier Becerra, who is also expected to kick off his campaign Tuesday.

Becerra leaned on his more than 35 years in public office, including as state attorney general and U.S. health secretary, and argued that he was the most qualified candidate in a crowded field.

From left to right: Los Angeles mayoral candidates Karen Bass and Nithya Raman, and California gubernatorial candidates Steve Hilton and Xavier Becerra. (AP)

Trump has condemned California’s elections, citing voter fraud. So far, the Registrar’s Office has defended the process, saying the allegations were made prior to the election.

In California, vote-by-mail ballots postmarked on or before Election Day and received within seven days after the election, as well as any provisional ballots cast, will be counted.

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KTLA’s Angeli Kakade and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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