December 5, 2013 Page 3 Routine Domestic Violence Call Leads to Officer Being Shot, Hostage Situation Police Reports ROBBERY W 135TH ST/S PRAIRIE AV STREET, HIGHWAY, ALLEY Mon 11/18/13 09:13 Property Taken: Mens 10-K flat chain with 14-K Rosemary pendant. ARREST ATTEMPT ROBBERY 13800 S PRAIRIE AV PARKING LOT Mon 11/18/13 20:50 3900 W EL SEGUNDO BL STREET, HIGHWAY, ALLEY Tue 11/19/13 12:28 W 119TH PL/S INGLEWOOD AV OTHER Wed 11/20/13 19:04 Property Taken: buss pass, house keys, brown purse 3800 W EL SEGUNDO BL STREET, HIGHWAY, ALLEY Thu 11/21/13 01:06 ATTEMPT ROBBERY W 116TH ST/S FREEMAN AV STREET, HIGHWAY, ALLEY Thu 11/21/13 18:29 W IMPERIAL HY/S INGLEWOOD AV STREET, HIGHWAY, ALLEY Sun 11/24/13 01:30 Property Taken: black leather wallet containing $300 BURGLARY RESIDENTIAL 12700 S FONTHILL AV APARTMENT/ CONDO Mon 11/18/13 08:00 Property Taken: black women’s bi-fold wallet, ssn cards 565-47-4374/609-33-8808, cal id in victim’s name, “direct express” SSN/ debit card in vic’s name 13900 S LEMOLI AV CAD: Tue 11/19 09:23--No RMS Property Taken: (1)”odyssey” car battery ATTEMPT COMMERCIAL 11800 S HAWTHORNE BL HOUSE RESTAURANT, FAST FOODS, CAFE Mon 11/18/13 22:00 2700 W 120TH ST AUTO/VEHICLE Wed 11/20/13 13:15 P r o p e r t y Ta ke n : ve h i c l e b a t t e r y, miscellaneous coins 2700 W 120TH ST AUTO/VEHICLE Wed 11/20/13 15:10 Property Taken: interstate vehicle battery COMMERCIAL 1 4 6 0 0 S O C E A N G AT E AV DEPARTMENT STORE Wed 11/20/13 19:14 ARREST COMMERCIAL 13800 S PRAIRIE AV ELECTRONICS STORE Thu 11/21/13 19:30 COMMERCIAL 12500 S HAWTHORNE BL BANK, SAVINGS & LOAN COMPANY Fri 11/22/13 12:40 ARREST RESIDENTIAL 4600 W 118TH ST HOUSE Sat 11/23/13 03:35 ARREST COMMERCIAL 12800 S ROSELLE AV STORAGE SHED, PUBLIC Mon 11/18/13 07:00 Property Taken: 15 pairs of Nike Jordan and 1 pair of air foamposi • By Cristian Vasquez What started as a routine response to a domestic violence call on Wednesday, Nov. 30 turned into a volatile hostage situation when the suspect opened fire and hit one of the Inglewood Police Department officers responding. “That is why we train--so that when that call comes in, we are able to respond like we do during training,” Lieutenant Jacqueline Layne with the Inglewood Police Department said. “The officers did a great job. They went to the residence as they were trained to do. They responded to a very volatile situation which resulted in an officer getting injured and one officer being shot. Luckily, his vest stopped the bullet. You still get that full force from the impact. He is still injured, but fine all things considered.” The suspect, who would go on to exchange gunfire with police, took two females hostage and barricaded himself inside a home located on the 10700 block of 5th Avenue. After an almost eight-hour standoff, the suspect--a 45-year-old male with a criminal history-- surrendered. Both officers were treated at local Centinela Hospital, but the officer who was struck in a bullet-resistant vest was later transferred to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center where he was treated for blunt force trauma injuries. “This isn’t an everyday incident--it was definitely a high-risk incident that does not occur very often, but it is something that we train for,” Layne said. “Emotionally, we also ensure to prepare for these incidents by offering the proper amount of counseling to ensure that when the officers return that they are ready to be able to return to work. Anytime we are involved in a critical incident--this was pretty extreme, with that level of stress--they officers have to be deeply evaluated before they return to work their routine. In addition, we do offer counseling to any officer involved.” The initial shooting happened at about 12:35 p.m. after police received a call about a domestic disturbance where the suspect was observed dragging a minor into the home. The unusual hostage situation and officerinvolved shooting prompted responses to provide support from agencies like the Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Hawthorne Police Department and other South Bay and surrounding law enforcement agencies. “Working with other organizations, we train together in something called mutual aid, which is why it was so easy for the Sheriffs, LAPD and other South Bay Agencies to come in,” Layne said. “It is very important in police work--especially for us being a mid-size agency, it is important for us to work with the other South Bay agencies. When something big happens, we rely on the bigger agencies and other agencies to come in and supplement our staff and resources.” The area was quickly isolated and a nearby school evacuated as sniper teams set up in strategic points around the house in which the suspect was barricaded. The Special Weapons and Tactic (SWAT) team was also on the scene to provide support. L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and the Hawthorne Police Department are aiding with the investigation of the incident. “Here in Inglewood we are pretty good at responding to critical incidents. We have some really good people who live in our community and who work here,” Layne said. “However we do have a certain element that makes certain things happen, but with the training that we receive we end up responding to certain critical incidents and it makes us better prepared to handle these types of incidents.” • Hawthorne Happenings News for the ‘City of Good Neighbors’ From City Clerk Norb Huber Only the gentle are ever really strong. ~ James Dean Santa Arrives in Hawthorne Saturday The Hawthorne Historical Society will be hosting a tree lighting and holiday celebration this Saturday, Dec. 7 from 5-7:30 p.m. This will be the time that Santa arrives in Hawthorne. Children of all ages are invited down to the civic center to enjoy the music, food and activities that evening. Santa will have a “goodie bag” for all of the children. Holiday Home Decorating Contest The Hawthorne Recreation and Community Services Department announces their annual holiday home decorating contest that has an entry deadline of Dec. 17. If you like to decorate your home’s exterior for Christmas then plan to enter the contest. Entry forms are available at the Memorial Center or at City Hall. There will be awards given to first, second and third place winners. Judging will take place on Dec. 19 from 6 to 9 p.m. Citizen of the Year Award This Friday, Dec. 6, the Hawthorne Chamber of Commerce will be awarding the annual Hawthorne Citizen of the Year Award at the LAX Diner at 6:30 p.m. The Chamber officers will also be sworn in along with the awarding of other annual volunteer awards. Swearing In Ceremony Newly-elected Mayor Chris Brown will be sworn in on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. at his first official city council meeting. Along with Mayor Brown, L. David Patterson will be sworn in as City Treasurer. Incumbent Council members: Angie English-Reyes and Alex Vargas along with City Clerk Norb Huber will also be sworn in for their second four-year terms. Historical Society Elects New Officers for 2014 The Hawthorne Historical Society met this past Monday evening and elected new officers who will serve during the 2014 calendar year. Thierry Luebenec was elected president, Richard Huhn will be treasurer, Karen Fraser will be secretary and Tom Quintana is the executive director. Norb Huber was elected vice president. Be a GOOD NEIGHBOR today! Comments or Questions Please contact norbhuber gmail.com or 310-292-6714. • Entertainment Reel Review A Handful of Not-Horrible Holiday Movies on Netflix By Liana Whitehead If you’re an avid Netflix viewer like me, you know that the wonderful world of cheap, in-home moviegoing isn’t without its cheesy moments. It’s probably less tedious to list the movies on Netflix that don’t completely insult Christmas. Most Netflix holiday features are unbearable and must be stopped mid-watch – titles like Christmas Cupid, Black Christmas, A Halfway House Christmas. The curiosity often gets the best of us, and we unknowingly welcome into our homes these horrendous, wannabe holiday hits. So, I took it upon myself to weed through the unbearable movie mishaps and compile an unfortunately short list of films that won’t bore you into a pre-Christmas death or cause you to regrettably reach for the remote. They also happen to be some of my all-time favorites. Click and enjoy. The Polar Express (2004): So many emotions. This movie is a living portrait of computer-animated colors, characters and Christmas spirit. I remember seeing The Polar Express as a recently turned 16-year-old, though I was as excited as the toddlers beside me. I remember a magical experience detailing the adventure of child in danger of losing his Christmas imagination – a film that would make your grandpa believe in Santa again. Tom Hanks, who assisted in producing the film and did voices for six characters, was the man for the job. It seems he can pull off any role he’s given, even if the entire movie features Hanks screaming at a volleyball on a deserted island. A film that shows just how technologically advanced we were in far-back 2004, the Polar Express will not disappoint. And make your kids watch it -- they’ll be glad you did. Elf (2003, Netflix DVD): Hilarious -- I don’t care what its critics claim. Elf is nothing short of cheerful and comedic and is crafted to cater to adults and children, which is does wonderfully. Buddy the elf was born among humans and lives the life of a Christmas elf -- until he suddenly realizes that the North Pole isn’t his birthplace. Thus begins his journey to New York City. Former Saturday Night Live star Will Ferrell plays the endearing elf man, and I think his over-the-top style of humor is fitting. Unless you have issues with a man in electric green tights, roaming the streets of the Big Apple, it’s a must-watch family movie. Love Actually (2003): Such a breath of fresh air in the romantic comedy genre. Unlike any movie before its time (and so much better than copycats created after), Love Actually presents 10 separate love stories, in one film, between friends, family and couples. Although separate, each of these stories meets in the middle at some point, and everybody is intertwined in this lighthearted, witty comedy starring some of England’s most endearing actors – Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson and Colin Firth, to name a few. Each love story within the story has its own joys and sorrows. And all of them have issues. Hilarious. Jack Frost (1998): OK – so this one is a tad cheesy, but a heartwarmer despite its title. I sniffled during several scenes, and I’m not a crier. It’s not your everyday nose-nipping tale of Jack Frost, nor is it related to that hideous horror remake released the year before. In this version, the likeable Michael Keaton plays a harmonica-toting musician who finds himself disconnected from his family at Christmastime. His wife (Kelly Preston) and son can only reconnect with Jack after a fatal car accident. Although it’ll never live up to holiday classics, like “A Christmas Story,” it does tug at the heartstrings and puts you in the dreaded shoes of a family at loss at Christmas. • “That is why we train–so that when that call comes in, we are able to respond like we do during training”
Lawndale 12_5_13
To see the actual publication please follow the link above