Month: February 2023

A suspect is in custody in connection to the shooting death of 69-year-old Bishop David O’Connell of the Los Angeles Archdiocese.  During a press conference on Monday, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna announced the arrest of 65-year-old Carlos Medina, who was arrested at his home in Torrance early on Monday morning. Bishop O’Connell was found dead in his home in the Hacienda Heights community in Los Angeles County, Calif., shortly before 1 p.m. on Saturday; he had served the Los Angeles Archdiocese since 1979.

Sheriff Luna identified Medina as the husband of a housekeeper who worked for O’Connell, and said the department received a tip that Medina made comments about O’Connell owing him money. Video surveillance showed a dark-colored SUV matching one driven by the housekeeper pull into O’Connell’s driveway and staying for a few minutes before leaving on Saturday. After deputies arrived at O’Connell’s home responding to a medical emergency, they discovered the bishop dead from a gunshot wound to the upper torso. The shooting is being investigated as a homicide.

O’Connell was an immigrant born in County Cork, Ireland, and studied at the All Hallows College in Dublin before moving to Los Angeles in 1979. Archbishop José H. Gomez said in a statement: “I am very sad this afternoon to report that our beloved Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell has passed away unexpectedly. It is a shock, and I have no words to express my sadness.” Gomez said O’Connell was a “peacemaker” who was particularly passionate about helping the poor and immigrants.

Chairperson of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Janice Hahn, recalled O’Connell as a longtime friend.  Hahn tweeted: “I was very sad to learn of the passing of Bishop O’Connell. He was a longtime friend. I was fortunate to work with him during my time on the city council and again as supervisor. I join with Archbishop Gomez and the people of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in mourning his loss.” 

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President Biden departed Kyiv on Monday after spending several hours with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. White House officials said the trip was meticulously planned over the last several months, with Biden giving the final sign off on it on Friday from the Oval Office; it was Biden’s first visit to the country since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine started nearly one year ago. Biden and Zelensky discussed future support for Ukraine during the war, walking around the central portion of the capital with Biden pledging additional support. Zelensky posted a photo of him and Biden shaking hands in Kyiv on Telegram, saying: “Joseph Biden, welcome to Kyiv! Your visit is an extremely important sign of support for all Ukrainians.” 

On Monday, the Department of Defense authorized more support for Ukraine, with the U.S. pledging to send additional ammunition for the Lockheed Martin HIMARS, a long-range rocket launcher, as well as howitzers. Additionally, the Biden Administration approved a supply of Javelin missiles, anti-armor rockets, artillery rounds, mortar rounds, night vision devices, air surveillance radar systems and morel, valued at an estimated $460 million.  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday also authorized an additional $10 million to support ongoing emergency assistance to support the war-torn country’s energy infrastructure.

Biden’s surprise trip was only confirmed early on Monday in a White House statement: “When [Russian President Vladimir] Putin launched his invasion nearly one year ago, he thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided. He thought he could outlast us. But he was dead wrong.” White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield said via teleconference that the trip sends the message of Biden’s commitment to the Ukrainian people: “He wanted to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with President Zelensky and remind the world, as we approach the one-year anniversary of the invasion, that Kyiv still stands and the United States will not be deterred from standing with Ukraine.” 

Biden’s trip marks the first time in modern U.S. history that a president entered a war zone with no active U.S. military presence. Ukrainian authorities shut down much of central Kyiv to facilitate the visit.  The surprise visit ended late Monday with Biden traveling from Kyiv to Poland’s Rzeszw-Jasionka Airport, where he arrived at 10:04 p.m., local time, and boarded Air Force One for the roughly 50-minute flight to Warsaw, to begin his two-day visit in Poland.

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The Anaheim Police Department is investigating the death of a woman who fell from the ‘Mickey and Friends Parking Structure’ in Disneyland, CA on Saturday. Anaheim police Sgt. Jon McClintock and the Anaheim Fire Department responded around 6:50 p.m. to a report of an individual who “jumped off or fell from” the parking structure. First responders reportedly found a woman lying on the ground and began providing aid; the woman was brought to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The woman’s identity was not released, and it was unclear whether she was a guest at the theme park. An investigation into the circumstances of the woman’s death is underway.

The Mickey and Friends Parking Structure is the main guest parking facility at Disneyland, standing seven-stories tall and having room for more than 10,000 vehicles. When it opened in 2000 is was the largest parking structure in the United States. Saturday’s incident is the second in three months involving someone falling to their death from a Disneyland parking structure. In December, a man in his 50s fell from the Mickey and Friends lot,  who police said died “likely” died by suicide; and at least three other individuals have died after jumping since the structure opened.

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Police in Bucks County have arrested a teen suspect in the killing of a Temple University police officer on Saturday near the campus in Philadelphia.  At approximately 7 a.m. on Sunday morning, an unidentified 18-year-old white man was taken into custody at a family home in Buckingham Township in relation to the shooting. Temple University’s police association confirmed on Twitter that there had been an apprehension.

Jennifer Griffin, Temple University’s vice president for public safety, said in a statement: “Earlier this morning, an 18-year-old person of interest was taken into custody in connection with last night’s tragic murder of a Temple University Police Officer.”  Griffin identified the officer as Christopher David Fitzgerald, who was hired by the university in October 2021. Fitzgerald was shot while on duty and was pronounced dead at the Temple University Hospital. Griffin said: “Officer Fitzgerald gave his life to selflessly serve and defend this community. The courage and bravery he displayed highlights the day-to-day sacrifice made by our Temple University Police Officers to keep our community safe. This loss leaves an enormous hole in all of our hearts. He was a father, a husband, a son, a colleague, and a friend.”

Temple University president Jason Wingard said in a statement that Fitzgerald was shot while trying to apprehend a robbery suspect at 1700 W. Montgomery Avenue. The suspect fled the scene, according to Wingard, adding: “This loss comes at a time when gun violence continues its horrific impact on our city and our country. Philadelphia and the nation are dealing with an unprecedented epidemic of violence, and the tragedy that took place tonight is a gut-wrenching reminder of our police officers’ daily bravery and sacrifices to protect our students, faculty, staff and community.”

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