Los Angeles, Ca

Woman recalls being nearly beaten to death by Venice canal attacker

Published

2 years ago

April 13, 2024

Woman recalls being nearly beaten to death by Venice canal attacker

A woman recalls the terrifying moment she was nearly beaten to death by an attacker while walking along the canals of Venice, California.

On April 6, the victim, Mary Klein, 54, was walking near her home at around 10:30 p.m. when a man suddenly attacked her from behind.

“All of a sudden, I just get knocked out,” Mary told KTLA’s Chris Wolfe as she recovered in a hospital bed. “My teeth got knocked out. My jaw is wired shut. He bashed my face in.”

Mary said the brunt force of the attack knocked her into an instant daze. She only remembers falling to the ground and being bludgeoned as the suspect repeatedly punched her in the head and face.

“I think he was trying to kill me,” she said. “It was like being hit by a truck.”

The brutal attack left Mary with severe injuries including fractures to her jaw, broken teeth, a large gash on the back of her head and multiple contusions. Her face and chest are severely bruised and swollen and she faces a long road to recovery ahead.

Mary Klein, seen with severe injuries and bruising, speaks to KTLA from her hospital bed on April 12, 2024. (KTLA)
The suspect, Anthony Jones, 29, seen walking around the Venice canals area on April 6, 2024.
The suspect, Anthony Jones, 29, seen walking around the Venice canals area on April 6, 2024.
The Venice Canals are seen on April 9, 2024. (KTLA)
Blood stains seen on the back porch of a Venice resident’s home after a woman was violently assaulted. (KTLA)
Mary Klein, 54, is seen in a photo posted on GoFundMe.
The suspect in the Venice canal attacks is seen on a Ring security camera video on April 6, 2024. (Viewer video)
Mary Klein, 54, suffered fractures to her jaw, broken teeth, a large gash on the back of her head and multiple contusions in the April 6, 2024 attack. (GoFundMe)
Mary Klein, 54, is seen in a photo posted on a GoFundMe campaign. (GoFundMe)

Mary is a single mother, home healthcare nurse, a soon-to-be grandmother and a local artist.

Loved ones said she will require many surgeries and will need mental health support and guidance along with physical therapy. Because Mary works as a full-time caregiver to an elderly woman with ALS, she hopes to recover as soon as possible.

Mary was one of two women who were attacked along the Venice canals on April 6. A second woman, who was not yet identified, is currently in a coma.

On Friday, April 12, police confirmed the suspect, Anthony Jones, 29, was arrested late Thursday night in San Diego. Police described Jones as a Black man standing around 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing about 200 pounds. He is also believed to be a transient.

In the first attack on April 6, police said the man approached a woman from behind in the 2700 block of Strongs Drive near the Grand Canal and struck her in the head with a hard object, knocking her unconscious.

In the second attack, which occurred about an hour later, police said the same man assaulted a woman who was walking near the Sherman Canal.

Police confirmed that both attacks had a “sexual element” to them. Jones was captured on surveillance footage walking near the canals that night.

Mary said she was relieved to hear of the suspect’s arrest and hopes it will prevent more innocent victims from being harmed.

“I was crying because I was so worried about the other girl [victim] and I hope she makes it,” Mary said tearfully. “I’m lucky I survived and I feel so sad for her and I hope she’s okay.”

Mary’s son, Robert Klein, said he is thankful his mother is alive and hopes the suspect will be punished severely.

“I want predators and violent attackers to be held accountable, have longer sentences and just not be out on the streets with our family members,” he said.

Mary said she is incredibly thankful to the Los Angeles Police Department for their work in this case, calling them “warriors” who are protecting the community. She said she is especially grateful to Lesley Perkins and Asia Hodge as the investigators who helped catch the attacker.

Although she has no hate in her soul for the suspect, she believes he should be sentenced to prison for life. Mary also wants local officials to prioritize tackling mental health issues, drug abuse and homelessness in Southern California.

The suspect was booked into the LAPD Metropolitan Detention Center on two counts of attempted murder. He is being held on $3.25 million.

A GoFundMe page created to help Mary with medical expenses can be found here.

Police said the case would soon be presented to the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office.

Following the attacks, LAPD said it would be increasing patrols around the Venice canals.

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.