Connect with us

Los Angeles, Ca

51-year-old man dies while in custody of L.A. police

Published

on

51-year-old man dies while in custody of L.A. police

The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating after a 51-year-old man booked into the 77th Street Jail for outstanding warrants and a substance that appeared to be methamphetamine died while in custody, authorities announced on Monday.  

Plain clothes narcotics detectives from LAPD’s 77th Street Division detained Gardena resident Derrick Harden on July 14 near the intersection of Vermont Avenue and 71st Street. During their investigation, police said they discovered that Harden was in possession of “a crystalline substance resembling methamphetamine” and that he had two outstanding warrants for his arrest.  

He was booked into the 77th Street Jail and at around 5:30 p.m., was examined by medical staff at the facility’s dispensary, who determined that he would require medical treatment for exposure to meth and a preexisting condition, an LAPD news release stated. The 51-year-old was then taken to a local hospital and examined by emergency room physicians who medically cleared him for booking.  

Just after midnight on July 15, Harden was returned to the 77th Street Jail and put in a single-person cell. 

In video footage released by LAPD, Harden can be seen getting out of the bottom bunkbed at around 11:44 a.m. He’s then seen moving toward the cell’s toilet before collapsing backward and falling to the floor.  

Advertisement

He was later discovered by jail personnel who attempted life saving measures for more than 45 minutes, authorities said. Paramedics with the Los Angeles Fire Department also responded and later declared him dead.  

  • Derrick Harden
  • Derrick Harden
  • Derrick Harden

“Any death of a person in the custody of the Department is defined…as a Categorical Use of Force,” according to LAPD. “In accordance with that policy, LAPD’s Force Investigation Division assumed investigative responsibility of this incident upon learning that Harden had been pronounced deceased.” 

An autopsy by the L.A. County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner preliminarily attributed Harden’s death to his pre-existing condition, though a toxicology report is still pending.  

The investigation into Harden’s death is ongoing, police said.  

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Los Angeles, Ca

Two stabbed in another night of violence on L.A.'s Metro system

Published

on

Two stabbed in another night of violence on L.A.'s Metro system

A woman attacked at a subway station in the Athens area was just one of two people stabbed on the Los Angeles Metro system Monday night.

The first incident was reported around 9 p.m. as the woman was on an elevator that takes riders from the 105 Freeway median to the Vermont/Athens Station.

The suspect is believed to have boarded a train and fled the scene after slashing the woman’s arm.

  • Deputies investigate a stabbing on a Metro station in Athens on May 13, 2024.
  • Deputies investigate a stabbing on a Metro station in Athens on May 13, 2024.
  • A bloody shirt is seen during an investigation into a stabbing on a Metro station in Athens on May 13, 2024.

A blood-soaked shirt was seen lying on a sidewalk near the elevator, which was blocked off with crime scene tape while deputies investigated and took photos.

The unidentified victim was taken to a local hospital and has been released, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed.

The suspect was wearing all black and was last seen on a westbound train headed toward the Hawthorne/Lennox Station, the spokesperson said.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, another stabbing was reported around 7:30 p.m. Monday after a fight broke out aboard a Metro bus in Glendale.

The bus driver flagged down police who took two juveniles into custody.

The victim, also described by the spokesperson as a juvenile, was transported with a non-life-threatening injury.

One person involved in the incident remains outstanding.

Monday’s attacks come amid a series of violent incidents, including a stabbing that left one woman dead in Studio City and the stabbing of a bus driver in South Los Angeles that has plagued the Metro system this year.

Advertisement

The ongoing attacks led to Metro bus drivers staging a “sick out” and one Metro board member saying she was “afraid” and would not ride the system alone.

The board recently approved the acquisition of barriers to be placed between drivers and passengers on all Metro buses.

Continue Reading

Los Angeles, Ca

Man shot dead by Southern California deputies amid probation compliance check

Published

on

Man shot dead by Southern California deputies amid probation compliance check

Deputies with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department shot and killed a man Monday morning during a probation compliance check, officials announced.  

The incident unfolded just after 8 a.m. when Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies assigned to the Riverside Alternative Sentencing Program were conducting a compliance check in the 3300 block of Albillo Loop in Perris, a sheriff’s department news release stated.  

At the scene, authorities say there were multiple adults in the backyard of the residence and that one of the individuals provided false identifying information and attempted to walk away, refusing commands by deputies to stop.  

“Deputies deployed a taser to attempt to gain compliance, but it was ineffective, and the suspect continued to walk away,” the release stated. “The suspect then produced a handgun and a deputy-involved shooting occurred.” 

Advertisement

After the man was struck by gunfire, authorities say deputies rendered medical aid until paramedics arrived and took him to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.  

“The involved deputy will be placed on paid administrative leave according to Department policy. The name of the suspect and the involved deputy will not be released at this time,” authorities said. 

No further injuries to deputies or citizens were reported.  

The shooting will be investigated by a detective with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office assigned to the sheriff’s department’s Force Investigation Detail.  

Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact Riverside County Senior District Attorney Investigator JR Ferrer or Riverside County Sheriff’s Investigator Jason Letterly at 951-955-2777.  

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Los Angeles, Ca

One of Disneyland's oldest attractions is getting a $5 million makeover

Published

on

One of Disneyland's oldest attractions is getting a $5 million makeover

A classic Disneyland attraction, home to a standing President Abraham Lincoln audio-animatronic, has undergone an extensive $5 million refurbishment.

The attraction, which has been closed since April 16, is getting a much-needed facelift. The $5 million set aside for the refurbishment will be used to replace show elements, lighting, audio, show sounds and more, according to city records.

Scott Gustin, a digital team member at Nexstar Media Group Inc., shared some of the permit filings on X, formally known as Twitter.

Nexstar Media Group Inc. is the parent company of KTLA.

Advertisement

A re-opening date for the attraction has yet to be announced, but it is expected to remain closed at least through June 19, according to the Orange County Register, which first reported the news.  

Disneyland officials confirmed that the Lincoln audio-animatronic figure won’t be going anywhere, the publication reported.

Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln attraction first premiered at Disneyland in 1965. It was born after the animatronic Abraham Lincoln was a huge hit at the New York World’s Fair, according to its landing page on the Disneyland website.

The Mr. Lincoln audio-animatronic was widely popular among attendees. Audience members were convinced that the Lincoln figure was an actor rather than a robotic machine.

The latest refurbishment project at Disneyland comes as crews work on other projects, like Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Critter Country and the Haunted Mansion, around the park.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Trending