Los Angeles, Ca
Man, 19, dies days after violent, unprovoked attack in L.A.'s Koreatown
A family is reeling after their beloved 19-year-old son died days after he was randomly attacked last month in the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles.
The July 18 incident occurred near 7th Street and Serrano Avenue.
According to reporting from The Korea Daily, the victim, Joonhee Han, briefly made eye contact with his attacker as the man passed him on an electric scooter.
Han, who was wearing headphones, never saw the suspect turn around, approach from behind and throw him to the ground where he reportedly hit his head and face, and then endured a beating by the man while he was on the ground.
“I got jumped on the street. It did not hurt that much, it’s not that uncomfortable,” the 19-year-old told his father, Chris Han, who recalled the last conversation he had with his son. “I asked him, ‘Why not fight back?’ He said [it was] too dangerous, bigger than him.”
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Joonhee Han, 19, seen in this undated family photo. (viewer pic) -
Joonhee Han, 19, seen in the hospital after the July 18 attack. (viewer pic) -
Joonhee Han, 19, seen in this undated family photo. (Chris Han via GoFundMe)
Days later, on July 23 at around 2 a.m., The Korea Daily reports that Joonhe was with friends when he suddenly went pale, vomited, lost vision in one eye and collapsed as his breathing became irregular.
“He was walking down the street, he got dizzy. His heart stopped,” his father explained to KTLA.
Joonhee was in a coma for five days and, sadly, died before ever reporting the attack.
“The coroner’s office, after conducting an autopsy following the organ donation surgery, determined that Han’s death was due to brain damage caused by a blood clot resulting from the assault, rather than a naturally occurring stroke,” The Korea Daily reported.
Homicide detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department told KTLA that they are now searching for witnesses and possible security video of the unprovoked assault.
A spokesperson for the L.A. County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed to The Korea Daily that the autopsy performed on Joonhee was in concert with LAPD’s investigation, but did not disclose the 19-year-old’s exact cause of death.
A GoFundMe has been organized for the family, who described Joonhee as “vibrant and kindhearted.”
Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
Los Angeles, Ca
Boyle Heights warehouse cleanup begins as crews face 85 million pounds of spoiled food
Cleanup efforts are underway Thursday at the Boyle Heights cold-storage warehouse that burned for eight days after firefighters officially declared the massive blaze knocked down Wednesday evening. Los Angeles Fire Department crews remain at the Lineage warehouse near Union Pacific Avenue and South La Puente Street as they transition into the overhaul phase, searching for […]
A hospital needs help identifying a male patient who was found injured and unconscious in downtown Los Angeles.
The man is believed to be in his 30s, according to the Los Angeles General Medical Center.
He was found injured on the ground on Omar Street and has been hospitalized since June 22.
He stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 176 pounds. He has brown eyes, dark brown hair and tattoos across his upper body.
He did not have any personal belongings to help staff identify him or contact loved ones. Workers did not disclose the nature of his injuries.
Anyone who recognizes the man is asked to call clinical social worker Cesar Robles at 323-409-6885.
The public can also call the L.A. General Medical Center’s Department of Social Work at 323-409-5253 or, after hours from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., call 323-409-6883. On weekends, call 323-409-5254.
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