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Residents of popular Southern California city on edge amid wave of violence

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Residents of popular Southern California city on edge amid wave of violence

After a wave of violent incidents in Santa Monica, residents and city officials are expressing some serious concerns, with the city’s mayor asking for emergency funds, more police and state assistance.  

“There’s beautiful things about the city, but we’re losing it,” Christina Tullock, who lives on the Santa Monica-Venice border, said.

Tullock told KTLA’s Rachel Menitoff that she regularly sees one violent attack after another and believes the issues causing the problems are mental health and drug related.

“You can have as much enforcement as possible, but the cops can’t do anything until something happens,” she explained. “What I’d like is to see something preemptively happen, which is help people who are sick, help people who are on drugs.”

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Still, as crowds flock to the Santa Monica Pier ahead of next weekend’s Fourth of July holiday, the city has been home to a string of violent attacks since the first of the year.  

Just this weekend, five men were arrested after a giant brawl broke out on the beach, leaving one person stabbed and another with a broken ankle. Both victims were hospitalized.  

Earlier in the week, 32-year-old Jawann Dwayne Garnett, who police say is homeless, was arrested after violent attacks on three female beachgoers. He has since been charged with attempted rape and attempted murder.  

On June 11, a 26-year-old man at Jameson’s Pub on Main Street in Santa Monica punched and killed the bar’s manager after he was one of several patrons asked to leave the establishment.  

Late in May, a 39-year-old man believed to be homeless was arrested after reportedly attacking a 73-year-old woman, leaving her with minor injuries. Bystanders also said the suspect had been seen trying to punch others in the area.  

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Almost a week and a half before that attack, 29-year-old Larry Ameyal Cedeno was arrested after what appears to be a entirely unprovoked assault near Parking Structure 7 in the 1500 block of 4th Street that left two people hospitalized with stab wounds, one who was listed in critical but stable condition.  

On May 16, a Venice resident who was jogging in the 2000 block of Ocean Front Walk in Santa Monica was violently dragged by the hair and pulled toward the restrooms. Police said 48-year-old Malcolm Ward, a parolee, intended to sexually assault the victim.  

He was arrested and has since been charged with attempted kidnapping and assault with the intent to commit rape.  

Some people who frequent Santa Monica, like Howard Zickefose, said it’s confusing and disconcerting to be out and about in the city and then suddenly caught up in a swarm of police activity.  

“We were having a wonderful time, returning from shopping at Trader Joes in the middle of the day yesterday and we were swarmed by police,” he said of Saturday’s beach brawl. “They were driving in every direction and there were helicopters flying.”  

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Santa Monica resident Elizabeth Brown cautioned tourists in the area to stay aware of what and who is around them while visiting.  

“If you live in a really safe environment and you come here, you just need to be a little more acutely aware of your surroundings,” she explained.  

Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock says the issues facing Santa Monica are happening across Los Angeles.

“Some of the same crime patterns, some of the same theft, some of the same behavior comes from unhinged homeless people who are on drugs or mentally ill,” he said. “It [also] comes from people who cross the border and say, ‘Hey, Santa Monica is lucrative, let’s make some of our money here.’”

Brock’s plan is to saturate business and residential areas with police officers in order to stop crimes before they happen, but said he needs funding to do that. He adds that he also needs help from the court system, the district attorney’s office and the state of California.

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According to the mayor, though, the city council rejected his proposal to take a few million dollars from the city’s budget for emergency security use through the summer. That additional funding, he said, could go toward increasing patrols in the area and hopefully alleviate the concerns of people, like Matt Gotzka, on the boardwalk.

“You don’t want to hear about attempted stabbings and violence toward people on the beach,” Gotzka told KTLA. “You’re here trying to have a good time.”

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Los Angeles, Ca

Family desperate to find girl, 13, missing in Los Angeles for nearly a week

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Family desperate to find girl, 13, missing in Los Angeles for nearly a week

(KTLA) – Family, as well as police, are desperate to find a 13-year-old girl missing in Los Angeles for nearly a week, officials announced Wednesday.  

Naomi Daniella Santos was last seen by family members when she left her residence in the 8700 block of Langdon Avenue at around 8 a.m. on Dec. 13 to attend school at Magnolia Science Academy in the 18200 block of Sherman Way, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Police Department.  

Santos was supposed to take public transportation after school to meet her mother at Parthenia Street and Tobias Avenue in Panorama City but never showed up. Her whereabouts remain unknown.

Naomi Daniella Santos, 13, seen in this undated photo released by LAPD.

“Naomi’s parents, friends and family members have not seen or heard from her and are concerned for her safety,” police said.  

The teen is described as a Hispanic female with black hair and brown eyes, standing approximately 5 feet tall and weighing around 110 pounds. She was last seen wearing a blue sweater and gray pants and was carrying a blue backpack.  

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Anyone with information about her whereabouts is urged to contact LAPD’s Mission Area Juvenile Detectives at 818-838-9810.  

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.   

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Los Angeles, Ca

Krispy Kreme partners with Los Angeles bakery for Hanukkah treats collection

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Krispy Kreme partners with Los Angeles bakery for Hanukkah treats collection

Krispy Kreme is partnering with Lodge Bread, a Los Angeles-based bakery, for an exclusive holiday collection to celebrate Hanukkah.

For a limited time, Krispy Kreme’s signature fluffy doughnut base will be combined with Lodge Bread’s artisanal, house-made raspberry jam to create traditional Hanukkah sufganiyot or jelly doughnuts.

These special sufganiyot will be available in limited quantities throughout Hanukkah on a first-come, first-served basis. Doughnuts are sold by the half-dozen for $30, with a limit of two boxes per customer.

The treat will be available at Lodge Bread’s Culver City, Woodland Hills, and Beverly Hills locations.

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“We’re excited to team up with Krispy Kreme to bring our own spin to this beloved Hanukkah tradition,” Chef Or Amsalam, co-founder of Lodge Bread, said in a statement. “This collaboration is a true celebration of craft, quality and the joy of the season.”

This year, Hanukkah will begin at sundown on Dec. 25 and end at sundown on Jan. 2, 2025.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Southern California community plagued by destructive burglaries

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Southern California community plagued by destructive burglaries

An Orange County community is concerned after violent and destructive burglaries continue targeting the same neighborhood over the past several weeks.

The burglaries are centered around an upscale gated community in Irvine called The Groves at Orchard Hills.

Surveillance cameras captured intruders lurking around backyards and searching for opportunities to enter homes.

Residents said eight houses have been burglarized so far with one incident turning violent.

“We’re on our eighth now it’s just mind-boggling,” said a resident, who did not wish to be identified for safety reasons. “It’s scary and it’s unsettling.”

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Neighbors have found hidden cameras pointed at homes, appearing to surveil them and likely timing the break-ins to when occupants leave.

  • A masked thief seen prowling around a backyard as a string of destructive burglaries plagues a gated community in Irvine.
  • The entrance to The Groves at Orchard Hills, a gated community in Irvine. (KTLA)
  • A hooded suspect seen walking around as a string of destructive burglaries plagues a gated community in Irvine.
  • The entrance to The Groves at Orchard Hills, a gated community in Irvine. (KTLA)
  • The entrance to The Groves at Orchard Hills, a gated community in Irvine. (KTLA)

“It was installed in the bushes so that they can see our houses,” the resident told KTLA’s Mary Beth McDade.

In a recent break-in, thieves reportedly escaped with millions of dollars worth of jewelry and luxury handbags after accessing a home through a back door.

“When I spoke to [the victims] they were just trembling, shaking and traumatized,” the resident said. “The grandmother was actually inside the house while this all happened.”

In a separate incident, victims said intruders pulled out a gun during the ordeal and held the victims hostage.

“It was at gunpoint and someone was tied up,” another neighbor told KTLA. “It’s really scary.”

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Neighbors are scared and frustrated with many asking city officials and the police department to address the concern with increased security and patrols.

“We need to see some action,” a resident said.

“I’m here today to reassure the community that we are working very closely with Irvine Police,” said Dr. Vigor, HOA president of The Groves at Orchard Hills. 

Police told KTLA that communities across Southern California have been increasingly targeted by professional thieves who are often linked with international theft rings and crime groups. They told residents they’re aware of the issue and are working to combat future incidents.

“We have dedicated an extreme amount of resources to this issue,” said Kyle Oldoerp with the Irvine Police Department. “Some that are easily seen and some that aren’t. We have officers on extra patrols. We have undercover resources, surveillance teams out here, video cameras using our real-time crime center.”

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A town hall meeting will be held on Wednesday night by Irvine Police to discuss and address residents’ concerns.

So far, no suspects have been arrested. Anyone with information on the burglaries can call Irvine Police at 949-724-6000.

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