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Beloved Los Angeles bar found engulfed in flames

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Beloved Los Angeles bar found engulfed in flames

Locals are devastated after a beloved neighborhood bar in Beverly Grove was found engulfed in flames Thursday afternoon.

Crews responded to a fire at Molly Malone’s Irish Pub on the 500 block of South Fairfax Avenue at around 1:17 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Arriving crews found heavy smoke and flames billowing from the right-side entryway.

The iconic Irish pub has been serving patrons for nearly 60 years. The bar’s owner, Damien Hanlon, recalled the frenzy he felt when a neighbor alerted him that his bar was on fire.

“They were saying, ‘Hey man! Your place is on fire! Come back! Get up here!’” Hanlon recalled.

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By the time he arrived, firefighters had extinguished the flames and were able to stop the embers from threatening neighboring businesses.

  • Firefighters worked to extinguish a large blaze that had engulfed Molly Malone's Irish Pub on June 20, 2024. (Citizen)
  • Beloved local bar, Molly Malone's Irish Pub, was seen engulfed in flames on June 20, 2024. (Karyn Bryant @kbheat)
  • Firefighters worked to extinguish a large blaze that had engulfed Molly Malone's Irish Pub on June 20, 2024. (Citizen)
  • Beloved local bar, Molly Malone's Irish Pub, was seen engulfed in flames on June 20, 2024. (Karyn Bryant @kbheat)
  • The charred exterior of Molly Malone's Irish Pub is seen after a large fire on June 20, 2024. (KTLA)
  • The charred exterior of Molly Malone's Irish Pub is seen after a large fire on June 20, 2024. (KTLA)
  • The spot near the entrance where the fire started at Molly Malone's Irish Pub in Beverly Grove on June 20, 2024. (KTLA)
  • The interior of Molly Malone's Irish Pub in Beverly Grove was saved after a large fire erupted on June 20, 2024. (KTLA)
  • The charred exterior of Molly Malone's Irish Pub is seen after a large fire on June 20, 2024. (KTLA)
  • Molly Malone's Irish Pub is located in the Beverly Grove neighborhood of Central Los Angeles. (KTLA)
  • Beloved local bar, Molly Malone's Irish Pub, was seen engulfed in flames on June 20, 2024. (Karyn Bryant @kbheat / Citizen)
  • Firefighters worked to extinguish a large blaze that had engulfed Molly Malone's Irish Pub on June 20, 2024. (Citizen)

Hanlon said he was stunned the bar was still standing and grateful to the firefighters who rushed over to extinguish the blaze.

“It’s amazing the work the [firefighters] did,” Hanlon said. “What they saved is incredible. it’s just incredible.”

Hanon said he was especially thankful the firefighters had saved the historic artwork that decorated the walls of the bar.

No injuries to employees or firefighters were reported, however, the cause of the fire remains under investigation. 

“It started outside and it wasn’t electrical so that’s all we know,” Hanlon said. 

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Molly Malone’s is a popular local bar known for its live music, laid-back vibes, trivia nights and St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

The bar, though severely damaged, is still standing. Hanlon said he is now focused on rebuilding and reopening as soon as he can.

His message to loyal customers? “We’ll be back for you guys! Just hang in there with us. We can’t wait to see you. Thanks for all your support.”

Hanlon said he is forever thankful to the firefighters who saved his beloved bar.

 “Thank you to those firemen who saved something that has been in our family for 57 years,” he said. “That means a lot to many people in the community.”

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A reopening date has not been set, but Hanlon said he hopes to reopen within a few months. 

“It’s a family place,” he said. “We really are a family here.”

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Los Angeles, Ca

Suspect sought in fatal shooting of man in Los Angeles Co. neighborhood

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Suspect sought in fatal shooting of man in Los Angeles Co. neighborhood

Homicide detectives are searching for whoever shot and killed a man in Los Angeles County Wednesday night.

The incident was reported shortly before 11 p.m. in the 800 block of North Rose Avenue in the City of Compton.

Arriving deputies found a male victim at the scene suffering from at least one gunshot wound.

Detectives respond to a fatal shooting in Compton on June 26, 2024. (KTLA)

The victim, who has not been identified, was pronounced dead at the scene, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department stated in a news release.

Video showed caution tape blocking off the neighborhood street lined with parked cars as detectives investigated the crime scene.

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No information regarding the suspect, or suspects, has been released.

The motive for the shooting was also unknown.

Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to call the Sheriff’s Department at 323-890-5500. Those who prefer to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Man targeted by follow-home robbers who led pursuit across Southern California

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Man targeted by follow-home robbers who led pursuit across Southern California

Two suspects who led police on a lengthy pursuit through Orange and Los Angeles counties Wednesday are believed to be connected to a follow-home robbery in Rancho Cucamonga.

The male victim, who did not wish to be identified, visited a Chase bank on Tuesday and withdrew around $2,000 in cash from the ATM for a birthday party.

He drove to his parents’ Rancho Cucamonga home and entered the house, leaving the cash inside his car.

That’s when he suddenly heard his car alarm go off. 

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“He said, ‘As soon as I sat down [inside the home], I heard the alarm go off,’” the victim’s mother recalled. “He said, ‘My car was broken into! I ran out and saw no one was close to my car.’”

A nearby home doorbell camera captured the suspects’ white SUV speeding away before the victim could catch them.

“In looking at home video surveillance, they were able to piece together what had happened and they spotted a white SUV which happened to be the Audi,” explained Maria Rodriguez a spokesperson from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. 

Around 10 a.m. Wednesday morning, Costa Mesa police officers spotted the white Audi SUV with license plates that had been stolen in Riverside. 

The suspects refused to pull over and led officers on a lengthy pursuit. They reached speeds of over 100 miles per hour while dangerously weaving through freeway traffic and surface streets.

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Rancho Cucamonga officers noticed the SUV and immediately contacted Costa Mesa police, alerting them the car may be the same vehicle used in the follow-home theft. 

“Sure enough, it was determined that, yes, it was the car we had seen from [Rancho Cucamonga’s] case the day prior,” Rodriguez said.

At one point during the chase, the driver pulled over, stepped out and surrendered to police. However, the passenger suddenly jumped into the driver’s seat and sped off, continuing the chase.

The car was later abandoned in Hawthorne and was located by police. The suspect, however, was nowhere to be found.

The victims said they’re glad one suspect was caught, but are hoping the second suspect is located soon before another person is victimized.

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“We were fortunate because no one was hurt,” said the victim’s mother. “But the money was gone and it was not a happy day for all of us.”

Crime technicians are investigating the SUV hoping to find evidence that will lead detectives to the suspect at large.

Anyone with information on the incident can call Rancho Cucamonga police at 909-941-1488.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Another person fatally stabbed in latest Metro violence

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Another person fatally stabbed in latest Metro violence

A person was fatally stabbed just after getting off a Metro bus in South Los Angeles Tuesday afternoon.

At 2:10 p.m., Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to the Metro station at Slauson Avenue and the 110 Freeway, a spokesperson told KTLA 5 News.

Once the officers arrived, they found that the victim and assailant had exited the bus together before they got into an altercation. The assailant pulled out a blade and stabbed the victim multiple times before fleeing, police said.

That victim was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Footage shared to the Citizen app shows the aftermath of a fatal stabbing near a Metro bus on June 26, 2024.

The attacker, believed to be a white or Hispanic man about 30 years old, was still at large as of 3 p.m.

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In a statement, Metro noted that “violence in the communities we serve spilling over onto our public transit systems continues to be an issue in Greater Los Angeles.”

“Metro extends its condolences to the family and friends of the victim,” the statement added.

This was the latest violent incident in or near Metro stations and vehicles in recent months. Shootings and stabbings have left several people dead, and in response, Metro officials are exploring the possibility of creating their own police force. It would supplant the LAPD, L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and Long Beach Police Department, which are contracted to secure public transit for Metro.

Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

Nancy Fontan contributed to this report.

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