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Kamala Harris to attend Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee's funeral in Texas

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Kamala Harris to attend Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee's funeral in Texas

Vice President Kamala Harris is slated to attend the funeral service for her “dear friend,” the late U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, in Houston later this week.

The “Celebration of Life” is scheduled for Thursday at Fallbrook Church, according to Jackson Lee’s office.  

Other elected officials in the U.S. and abroad are also expected to attend the service, according to Fox 26.

Jackson Lee died on July 19 at the age of 74 following a battle with pancreatic cancer. She is survived by her husband, Elwyn Lee, and her two children, Jason and Erica.

REP. SHEILA JACKSON LEE HAS PASSED AWAY AFTER BATTLE WITH PANCREATIC CANCER

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Sheila Jackson Lee attends the UNCF A Mind Is…Gala at Hilton Americas-Houston on November 18, 2023, in Houston, Texas.  (Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)

She also previously battled breast cancer, having been diagnosed in 2011, before announcing the following year she was cancer free.

The congresswoman had represented Texas’ 18th congressional district for 30 years. Prior to her time in Congress, Jackson Lee served as a judge before she was elected to an at-large Houston City Council seat in 1989.

Last year, she ran an unsuccessful campaign for Houston mayor, losing by a wide margin to then-state Sen. John Whitmire, also a Democrat, before announcing she would seek re-election to Congress.

Harris said after Jackson Lee’s death that the congresswoman was a “tenacious advocate for justice and a tireless fighter for the people of Houston and the people of America.” The vice president also remembered her as a “dear friend for many years, and a fellow member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.”

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REP. SHEILA JACKSON LEE SAYS SHE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH PANCREATIC CANCER

Vice President Kamala Harris was tasked early on in the Biden administration with addressing the root causes of mass migration from Central and South America.  (REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt/Pool)

“As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, I had the opportunity to work closely with her on many issues and to observe her leadership firsthand. She was relentless — one of our nation’s fiercest, smartest, and most strategic leaders in the way she thought about how to make progress happen,” Harris said in a July 20 statement. “There was never a trite or trivial conversation with the Congresswoman. She was always fighting for the people of Houston and the people of America.”

Jackson Lee, Harris’ statement said, was “first and foremost, a leader dedicated to serving the people of her beloved city.”

“Congresswoman Jackson Lee was also a national leader,” Harris’ statement added. “As a champion for women’s rights, she played a vital role in reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, landmark legislation that improved the lives of millions of women and girls across the country. She also authored the law that made Juneteenth a national holiday, a law I was proud to co-sponsor as a United States Senator. She saw what could be — a nation that is more equal, more fair, and more free — and she dedicated her life to realizing that vision.”

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Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee attends “The Big Payback” Premiere during the 2022 Tribeca Festival at Village East Cinema on June 11, 2022, in New York City.  (John Lamparski/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival)

This is the vice president’s third visit to Texas in the last month and second since she became the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee, including a trip to Houston last week.

Harris visited Houston’s Emergency Operations Center on Wednesday to receive a briefing on the recovery efforts following Hurricane Beryl. The next day, she delivered remarks at the American Federation of Teachers’ 88th national convention.

Earlier this month, she was in Dallas to give a speech at an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. convention.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Pasadena motorist knocked unconscious in unprovoked assault after other driver flashes high beams at him

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Pasadena motorist knocked unconscious in unprovoked assault after other driver flashes high beams at him

A motorist was rendered unconscious after what authorities are calling an unprovoked attack that occurred after another driver flashed their high beams at him, authorities say.

According to the Pasadena Police Department, the victim, a 63-year-old man, was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue near Washington Boulevard when a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction flashed him around 1 a.m. Saturday. 

“The victim reported that he was driving northbound on Raymond Avenue from Washington Boulevard when he observed a vehicle traveling southbound flashing its high beams at him,” a Pasadena Police Department spokesperson confirmed to KTLA. “The victim stated he stopped his vehicle and exited. He was then assaulted by an unknown suspect. The assault was unprovoked.” 

The attack left the man unconscious and with a three-inch deep laceration to his head, police added. Upon regaining consciousness, the man transported himself to Huntington Hospital, and it was around 1:20 a.m. when police responded there to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon and began their investigation.

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Upon arriving at the hospital, the victim told police that, due to his injuries, he was not able to provide a description of a suspect, vehicle or the weapon used, nor was he able to tell police the exact location where the assault occurred, although it was confirmed to be somewhere near Raymond Avenue and Washington Boulevard. La Pintoresca Park is located near that intersection.

No further details were immediately available.

Anyone with any information on the incident is asked to contact the Pasadena Police Department right away. 

Sofia Pop Perez contributed to this report.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Woman killed by driver while crossing PCH in Long Beach

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Woman killed by driver while crossing PCH in Long Beach

A woman was struck and killed by a driver while crossing the street on Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach.

On June 3, the female pedestrian was using the crosswalk at Pacific Coast Highway and Pacific Avenue around 4:50 a.m.

She had walked against a red light and was hit by a 19-year-old driver in a Chevy sedan, Long Beach police said.

Despite lifesaving efforts, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation.

A woman was struck and killed by a driver while crossing Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach on June 3, 2026. (Long Beach Police Department)

“At this time, impaired driving, distracted driving and excessive speed are not believed to be a factor in this collision,” police said.

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The woman’s name is being withheld pending identification by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information on the incident is asked to call Detective Joseph Johnson at 562-570-7355. 

Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Man wanted for deadly Los Angeles road rage shooting extradited from Mexico

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Man wanted for deadly Los Angeles road rage shooting extradited from Mexico

A man wanted for a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles was arrested and extradited from Mexico after fleeing the U.S. in 2024.

The suspect was identified as Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Authorities had been searching for him since the deadly incident on October 10, 2024. 

Rojas and a second suspect, Joshua Rojas Sr., 47, of Downey, were driving on the northbound 5 Freeway in Boyle Heights around 4 p.m. when they became involved in an altercation with another driver that escalated into a shooting.

  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Video obtained exclusively by KTLA shows the terrifying moment a road rage suspect opened fire the driver of another car on the 5 Freeway in Los Angeles, fatally wounding him and seriously injuring a passenger, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Credit: @hugoboss01)
  • Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, was arrested and extradited to the U.S. from Mexico on June 2, 2026, in connection with a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles. (California Highway Patrol)

Video of the tense confrontation showed the suspects, who were driving a Dodge Durango SUV, opening fire on two men in a Cadillac sedan. 

The shooting forced the victim to pull over abruptly. That’s when a suspect ran up to the Cadillac, opened the passenger-side door and fired several shots at close range.

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In a panic, the Cadillac driver tried to escape by making a sudden U-turn and driving against oncoming traffic. He eventually crashed head-on into several vehicles.

The suspects ditched their SUV and fled toward a freeway exit on foot. The Cadillac driver was left with serious injuries and his passenger was killed. Their identities were not released.

The incident caused a miles-long backup that left thousands of motorists stranded on the freeway for hours and authorities worked to clear the scene.

Following an extensive investigation, detectives identified the two men as the suspects involved. 

Joshua Rojas Sr. was arrested in San Bernardino on October 22, 2024, on a murder charge. He remains in custody awaiting trial.

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Meanwhile, Christian Rojas had fled the U.S. and was hiding in Mexico, detectives said. A $4.3 million bail warrant was issued for his arrest. 

“Through a coordinated international effort, investigators determined that Rojas was living in Palomo de Arriba, Mexico,” CHP officials said. “The U.S. Marshals Service worked with Mexican state police to locate and arrest him on the outstanding warrant.”

On June 2, 2026, Christian was arrested and extradited to the U.S. to face a murder charge. 

“This arrest demonstrates that time and distance will not shield violent offenders from justice,” said CHP Southern Division Chief Chris Margaris. “For nearly two years, our detectives remained relentless in their pursuit of those responsible for this senseless act of violence. Through exceptional collaboration with the United States Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners in Mexico, we located and apprehended this suspect and brought him back to face the charges. We remain committed to protecting the public, supporting victims and their families, and holding violent criminals accountable wherever they may try to hide.”

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