Los Angeles, Ca

Family speaks out after mother of 2 gunned down by L.A. County Deputy Sheriff

Published

2 years ago

January 10, 2024

Family speaks out after mother of 2 gunned down by L.A. County Deputy Sheriff

Family members of a woman shot and killed by an L.A. County Sheriff’s Deputy in Lancaster last month during a domestic dispute are speaking out about the beloved mother of 2 children and the $70 million wrongful death lawsuit filed against the sheriff’s department.

The incident occurred on Dec. 4 after the sheriff’s department received a call from 27-year-old Niani Finlayson, who reported being a victim of domestic violence at the hands of her boyfriend.

When deputies responded to the apartment in the 2100 block of East Avenue J-8, they heard an ongoing argument inside. Finlayson opened the front door “while armed with a large kitchen knife” as authorities approached the front door, LASD said.

In recently released body-worn camera footage, the 27-year-old is heard saying, “I’m going to stab him,” referring to her boyfriend, who she claimed had pushed her daughter.

She then moved to an area near where her boyfriend was sitting down. When deputies entered the home, they said, “Finlayson grabbed her boyfriend while holding the knife in an apparent attempt to stab him, and a deputy-involved shooting occurred.”

Deputy Ty Shelton opened fire on Finlayson, who was struck and collapsed to the floor, all of this while her 9-year-old daughter watched the shooting unfold.

The 27-year-old mother of two children later died at the hospital.

Niani Finlayson, 27, was killed during a domestic dispute in Lancaster, CA on Dec. 4, 2023. (Finlayson Family)
Authorities respond to a Lancaster apartment where Niani Finlayson was fatally shot on Dec. 4, 2023. (Don Luis Meza)
A vigil held on Dec. 23, 2023 to remember Niani Finlayson who was shot and killed by L.A. County deputies in Lancaster. (KTLA)
A vigil held on Dec. 23, 2023 to remember Niani Finlayson who was shot and killed by L.A. County deputies in Lancaster. (KTLA)

Reacting to the body-worn camera footage of the incident released late last month, the victim’s father, Lamont Finlayson, expressed dismay at the shooting.

“When you look at the bodycam, you just have to shake your head and say, ‘Oh my God, what happened? What happened?’” he told KTLA’s Lauren Lyster. “They’re supposed to be there to save her life, not to kill her. You throw the taser down and just automatically go for your weapon within one second. When I look at that, I’m saying, ‘Why is he still on the force?’ Where does this guy come from, where’s his training?”

In response to the case, the sheriff’s department said that with all deputy-involved shootings, there is a thorough review process, including by the Office of the Inspector General, the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office and more, where every aspect of the shooting is evaluated.

L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna stated in part:

“The department released the body-worn camera footage ahead of the legal timeframe to demonstrate a commitment to transparency and visual representation of the facts.”

Legally, the department is required to release the bodycam footage within 45 days of the shooting.

The family’s attorney, Bradley Gage, says the $70 million suit is for wrongful death and civil rights violations, arguing that the deputy should have avoided lethal force.

“They could’ve deescalated a number of ways,” Gage said. “Number one, they could have just used command presence and given clear instructions – ‘Come out now, drop the knife.’ They could’ve also used a taser if they thought it was a truly dangerous situation.”

Gage told KTLA that the family has filed a precursor to the lawsuit and that they then plan to sue L.A. County, the sheriff’s department and Deputy Ty Shelton.

Shelton, according to the sheriff’s department, has been removed from field duty pending the results of the investigation into the deadly force encounter.

Los Angeles, Ca

Ditch typing and note-taking – try these apps

Published

9 months ago

March 19, 2025

Press Room

Ditch typing and note-taking – try these apps

The future of voice to text is here.

I’ve been testing a variety of tools that make taking notes, transcribing audio, and even voice typing faster and easier than ever.

If you have a smartphone, you’re already halfway there!

Google’s Pixel Recorder app is free and built into their smartphone. It’s excellent for transcribing meetings, lectures, and conversations – all in real time.

Apple’s Voice Memos App recently added transcriptions if you’re upgraded to iOS 18.

Samsung’s Voice recorder app now offers transcripts too – as long as you’re on their latest One UI 7 software. (Check Settings > About Phone > Software Information)

Got an older phone? Try Otter.AI. It works great for transcriptions across devices and you get 300 minutes a month free.

Don’t want to tie up your phone?

I’ve been testing AI-powered digital audio recorders from a startup named Plaud.

The Plaud Note is thin, records for hours, and can even clip to the back of your phone to record calls. Just make sure you know your local laws before using that feature.

The Plaud Pin can be clipped to your shirt or worn on your wrist for hands-free recording.

Both devices sync audio to a companion app that auto transcribes and summarizes.

You get five hours of transcription a month included, with options to pay for more.

Pricing for each gadget starts around $160 dollars.

Want to transcribe audio files on your computer?

My favorite Mac app is MacWhisper. You can even get it completely free – although paid versions are avaialble with more features and options.

On Windows, check out Vibe Transcribe, also free.

And for a web-based option, Whisper Web gets the job done.

Finally, if you want to type less and talk more… there’s an excellent AI voice-to-text app called Wispr Flow. It was previously Mac only but just became avaialble for Windows, too.

One you install it, you pick a hotkey. Then, instead of typing just press and hold down that key and dictate what you want to write.

Since it uses the power of AI, you can even stumble or ramble and it will clean up your words and get the punctionation right.

It’s a gamechanger for responding to emails fast! You get 2,000 words free each week with options to pay for more.

Enjoy your newfound time!

Los Angeles, Ca

Prison officer survives alleged attack by inmate transferred from L.A. County

Published

9 months ago

March 18, 2025

Press Room

Prison officer survives alleged attack by inmate transferred from L.A. County

An alleged attack on a state prison officer by a 43-year-old inmate transferred from Los Angeles County is being investigated as attempted homicide, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials announced Tuesday.

The March 18 incident at Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad reportedly unfolded just before 9 a.m. on what authorities describe as a “dayroom floor.”

The inmate, Anthony G. Ramirez, is believed to have pulled an improvised weapon from his waistband before attempting to attack custody staff member, according to a CDCR news release.

“Staff immediately responded, disarming Ramirez and placing him in handcuffs without incident,” the release detailed.

Anthony G. Ramiez, 43, seen in this undated mug shot. (CDCR)

The 43-year-old, who was transferred to SVSP in 2008 after being sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for second-degree murder, with enhancements for the use of a firearm and causing great bodily injury or death, was placed in restrictive housing pending the investigation and possible felony prosecution by the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.

Both Ramirez and the custody staff member were examined by medical personnel who noted no serious injuries.

Officials said that the California Correctional Peace Officers Association was notified of the incident and prison staff were offered peer support services and employee assistance programs.

Salinas Valley State Prison, opened in 1996, houses more than 2,400 minimum, medium, maximum and high-security inmates. The facility also offers vocational programs and academic classes and employs some 1,800 people.

Los Angeles, Ca

Algal bloom sickening marine mammals off Southern California 'will only get worse'

Published

9 months ago

March 18, 2025

Press Room

Algal bloom sickening marine mammals off Southern California 'will only get worse'

A toxic algal bloom leaving an increasing number of marine mammals stranded along Southern California beaches shows no signs of subsiding and “will only get worse,” officials said Monday.

“This week, we saw more stranded dolphins (both alive and deceased) than we saw during the major domoic acid (DA) bloom in 2023,” Marine Mammal Care Center (MMCC) Los Angeles posted on Facebook.

Recent tests showed DA-producing algae levels have increased, and officials believe that trend will continue in the coming weeks. “We anticipate that it will only get worse,” the post read.

MMCC asked the public not to approach sick dolphins or sea lions on the beach because they can become aggressive upon awakening from a seizure.

A dolphin stranded at Dockweiler North is seen in an image posted on March 13, 2025. (L.A. County Fire Department, Lifeguard Division)

“This is a safety issue for people and their pets as much as it is for the marine mammals,” officials said.

Beachgoers were also urged not to push stranded dolphins back into the water, saying it can reduce their chances of survival.

More information about domoic-acid poisoning can be found at https://marinemammalcare.org/domoic-acid/.

The volume of sick marine mammals has also had a financial impact on the MMCC.

“Our team is working heroically to respond to every call and to rescue every animal they can. Please share this post and give now at marinemammalcare.org/donate to give these marine mammals a second chance at life!” the MMCC stated.

Anyone who encounters a sick or stranded marine mammal can alert the nearest lifeguard and call 1-800-39-WHALE to make a report.