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Hundreds attend emotional October 7 Memorials in Los Angeles

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Hundreds attend emotional October 7 Memorials in Los Angeles

Hundreds of people gathered in Los Angeles on Sunday for the first memorial commemorating the lives lost in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.

One year ago, Hamas infiltrated Southern Israel, killed 1,400 people, took over 100 hostages, and ultimately ignited the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

On Sunday night in Los Angeles, the Museum of Tolerance lit candles to represent the people killed that day and the hostages who remain in captivity in Gaza.

KTLA’s Rachel Menitoff visited different sites and memorials around the city to speak with those in attendance.

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At the Simon Wiesenthal Center, people of all religions and backgrounds gathered for a night of remembrance, reflection, and reconciliation.

“Our main focus tonight is really to celebrate the strength of our community, to celebrate that no matter what is thrown towards us we will persevere,” said Jim Burke, the CEO of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Artistry was displayed throughout the museum, telling the story of what happened one year ago through the eyes of survivors and first responders.

Tomer Peretz, one of the display creators, told KTLA he saw the destruction first-hand. 

“On October 7th, I was in Israel,” said Peretz. “I was volunteering to pick up dead bodies from the massacre for the entire week and when I got back to LA, the only thing I could create about was with other people who experienced a very similar experience as me.”

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A candle-lighting ceremony held at 8:29 p.m. coincided with the exact moment Hamas launched its first rockets into the Jewish State.

Members of the Los Angeles Jewish community also commemorated the occasion in conjunction with their Israeli counterparts abroad. 

At the same time, Israeli-Americans and Jews alike came together outside on Pico Boulevard in a display of optimism and solidarity. 

“What brings me here is there is still over 100 hostages that were stolen and kidnapped from Israel into Gaza on October 7, and that’s what I’m here for, trying to help get back these hostages,” said attendee Tuvia Kramer.

There will be several other commemoration ceremonies on Monday at synagogues and cultural institutions to mark the anniversary of October 7.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Hollywood Hills 'hot prowl' suspect armed with knife taken into custody

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Hollywood Hills 'hot prowl' suspect armed with knife taken into custody

Police said a man is in custody after he allegedly attempted a “hot prowl” burglary while armed with a knife in the Hollywood Hills.

Officers responded to the reported burglary at about 8:15 p.m. on Wednesday at 3140 Hollyridge Drive, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The residents of the home were there at the time of the attempted home invasion, police said, and were the ones that called police.

Upon arrival, officers found the male suspect, between the ages of 35 and 50, armed with a knife. He refused officers’ demands, resulting in a lengthy standoff.

SWAT teams and mental health professionals arrived at the scene at about 10:30 p.m.

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The man, who remains unidentified as of Thursday morning, was taken into custody without incident at about 2:20 a.m.

No additional details were immediately made available.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Family searching for at-risk 51-year-old man missing in Southern California

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Family searching for at-risk 51-year-old man missing in Southern California

Detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are asking for the public’s help in locating an at-risk 51-year-old man missing out of Compton.  

Richard Gillett was last seen in the 800 block of South Center Avenue at around 1 p.m. on Jan. 1, authorities said in a missing persons bulletin.  

The 51-year-old is described as a Black male standing just under 5 feet tall, weighing around 100 pounds with brown eyes, curly gray hair and has missing front teeth.  

Richard Gillett, 51, seen in this undated photo released by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Dept. on Jan. 1, 2025.

He was last seen wearing white pants, a white jacket with black markings, black shoes and a gold watch. 

“Mr. Gillett has a moderate intellectual disability and requires medication,” the bulletin noted. “His family is concerned for his wellbeing and asking for the public’s help.”  

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Anyone with information on his whereabouts or who may have seen him is urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Missing Persons Unit at 323-890-5500. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-222-8477 or leave tips online at www.lacrimestoppers.org.  

A “critically missing or at-risk person” is defined as: 

  • A person who has no pattern of running away or disappearing 
  • A person in critical need of medical attention 
  • The victim of a crime or foul play 
  • The victim of a kidnapping or parental abduction 
  • A person who is mentally impaired to the extent that such person is unable to care for him or herself or is an immediate danger to his or her own safety or the safety of others 
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Camarillo High School to honor NBA star alumnus with jersey retirement

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Camarillo High School to honor NBA star alumnus with jersey retirement

Camarillo High School will honor one of its most successful alumni when it retires the No. 24 jersey of Jaime Jaquez Jr. later this month.

Jaquez, who starred for the Scorpions before playing at UCLA and now the Miami Heat, will be in town for his squad’s matchups with the Los Angeles Clippers on Jan. 13 and Lakers on Jan. 15, bookending his Jan. 14 jersey retirement ceremony, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

Jaquez, 23, finished his Bruins career as one of the 10 best in school history in points, steals and games played, and he helped lead the team to a Final Four berth in 2021.

He left school in 2023 and was a first-round draft pick for the Heat, for whom he’s averaged 11 points, 4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1 steal per game up to this point in the 2024-25 season, his second as a pro.

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