Isaac Lee Ricks, a 68-year-old black man, was fatally shot by Los Angeles police Tuesday, Dec. 2, in the 600 block of Wall Street downtown, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.
About 6:50 p.m., LAPD officers responded to a call of a screaming woman in the area. Officers arrived and heard a woman screaming that she was being stabbed and needed help, according to a news release from the LAPD.
Officers forced their way into an apartment and saw Ricks allegedly stabbing the woman. An officer opened fire, wounding Ricks.
Ricks was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:59 p.m., according to coroner’s records.
A knife was recovered at the scene. The woman was taken to a hospital and was expected to survive.
On Dec. 29, the LAPD identified the officer involved as Juan Lopez of the Central Division.
Anyone with information is asked to …
Benjamin James Pierfax, a 59-year-old Black male, died Thursday, May 29, after sustaining blunt force trauma near 6th & Crocker streets in Downtown, according to Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner's records.
Sheri Lynn Bickman, a 57-year-old white woman, was killed Friday, May 9, in the 400 block of East 7th Street in downtown L.A., according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.
Los Angeles police officers were called to the Madison Hotel about 10:30 p.m. regarding a report of a screaming woman, said LAPD Det. Brian Putnam.
Officers attempted to knock on the door of a room, and no one responded. They knocked again and a man told them to go away, Putnam said. Officers told the man they needed to come inside to make sure everything was OK and eventually, the man inside said he was going to kill himself.
The officers then forced entry and found Bickman, who appeared to have been beaten and strangled, near a piece of furniture. Bickman was pronounced dead at 11:12 p.m. at the scene, according to coroner’s records.
Police identified the suspect as Orlando …
Vincent Vasquez, a 26-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Sunday, May 4 in the 1400 block of South Alameda Street in downtown, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.
Officers responded to a parking lot in the area about 3 a.m. after people called to report hearing gunshots, said LAPD Det. Louie Calzadillas.
It is unknown whether multiple people were involved in the incident and if a gunman was on foot or in a vehicle, Calzadillas said.
Vasquez was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at 3:43 a.m., said Capt. John Kades with the coroner’s office.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Newton Homicide Division at (323) 846-6556. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
Candice Chanel Bentley, a 30-year-old black woman, was found dead Saturday, Jan. 25, in the 500 block of San Julian Street downtown, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.
Police responded to a call of a suspicious death about 10 p.m. in a small apartment, said LAPD Det. Brian Putnam. Bentley was dead on the floor and appeared to have been beaten.
Bentley was pronounced dead by paramedics at 10:04 p.m., said Ed Winter, a coroner’s spokesman.
Melvin Deshawn Harrell, a 37-year-old black man who lived at the apartment with Bentley, made the 911 call.
He later told detectives that he had been in a relationship with Bentley for about a year. He admitted to beating her earlier that evening with a wooden slat, Putnam said.
The L.A. County coroner's office is investigating how Bentley died and is conducting further tests, Winter said.
Harrell was charged with one count of …
Sonia Soto, a 27-year-old Latina, was shot and killed Friday, Jan. 17, near South Santa Fe Avenue and East Sixth Street in downtown Los Angeles, according to L.A. County coroner’s records.
About 11:30 p.m., Los Angeles police patrol officers responded to the area and found Soto’s vehicle under a bridge, with Soto slumped over the steering wheel, according to a news release from the department. Soto appeared to have been shot.
Soto was pronounced dead at 11:52 p.m. at the scene, said Ed Winter, a coroner’s spokesman. An autopsy showed that she died of a gunshot wound to the neck.
Police are looking for a motive in the case.
Anyone with information is asked to call Central Homicide Dets. Al Marengo at (213) 972-1249 or Sergio Ortiz (213) 972-1258. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
-- Nicole Santa Cruz