The body of missing LAFD firefighter Connor J. Lees has been found
The body of Los Angeles Fire Department firefighter Connor J. Lees has been found nearly four months after the 29-year-old went missing during a recreational dive, the LAFD has announced.
Long Beach police recovered Lees' remains Friday off the coast of Long Beach, the fire department said in a statement Saturday.
'The LAFD stands united in grief alongside Firefighter Lees' family, friends, and colleagues,' the department said. 'We extend our deepest condolences to all who knew and loved him.'
Lees, a six-year veteran of the department assigned to Fire Station 94 in Baldwin Hills, went missing Dec. 4 while diving near Pier J in Long Beach.
The off-duty firefighter was part of a group of four men in their 20s who had set out that evening to free dive, which involves swimming underwater without breathing apparatus or scuba tanks.
Lees was one of three divers who plunged into the water while the fourth man drove the boat, the Long Beach fire department said at the time. When only two of the men resurfaced, the group called 911.
Rescue divers from the Long Beach and L.A. city and county fire departments and personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard, Long Beach Police and Los Angeles Port Police embarked on a search immediately.
Two days later, emergency personnel announced that the search and rescue effort had become a recovery mission, based on water conditions and the low likelihood that the diver had survived.
'As we look to the sea ... we are assured that he is where he always wanted to be,' Lees' friends and family wrote on a GoFundMe page set up after his disappearance. 'He loved the water and everything it brings to our lives. It shaped him into the boy, the son, the brother, the friend, the athlete, the surfer, the explorer, the firefighter, the companion, and the man he became. In his time, Connor will tell us how he and the sea forever remain connected.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
12-Year-Old Killed After Being Hit by Car While Riding Scooter with Close Friend, Who Remains Hospitalized
A 12-year-old girl, Abigail Gillon, died after she was struck by a vehicle while riding an electric scooter in Aston, Pa., on Saturday, June 14, authorities said A friend, 11-year-old Isabella Jones, was also critically injured and remains in the hospital "She was the kind of person who showed up for others," a neighbor said of Gillon at a ceremony to honor her memoryA 12-year-old girl died last weekend after she and her friend were injured in a scooter accident, according to authorities and local news reports. On the afternoon of Saturday, June 14, Abigail Gillon, 12, and 11-year-old Isabella Jones were struck by a vehicle while riding an electric scooter near Lehr Boulevard and Concord Road in Aston, Pa., the Aston Township Police Department said in a statement. 'Both juveniles sustained serious, life-threatening injuries secondary to the collision,' police said, adding that the girls were in 'critical' condition at the time of the report. The driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with authorities. At that time, no charges were filed and an investigation was ongoing, police said. Gillon later died of her injuries, CBS News, ABC affiliate WPVI and NBC affiliate WCAU reported. An organizer of a GoFundMe page to support the young girl's family confirmed that Gillon died on Monday, June 16, after suffering a 'severe traumatic brain injury.' Jones remains in the hospital, according to CBS News. A neighbor of Gillon's said that she was a cheerleader who loved her friends and family, the outlet reported. 'Whether she was cheering on her team or gliding through the water, she did it with all her heart," Brianna Newmiller told the outlet. Newmiller was at Ridley Middle School in Ridley Park on Tuesday, June 17, where thousands gathered to remember the young girl. Gillon's donated organs also helped save another 12-year-old girl's life, according to Newmiller. "She cared deeply for her family, friends and classmates, and community,' the neighbor said. 'She was the kind of person who showed up for others, who made you feel seen and who brought joy just by being herself." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Gillon's mom was there and released a heart-shaped balloon with her name on it. Kevin Pierce, who coached both girls in swimming, also attended the ceremony. He told WCAU that they had an incredible bond. "One without the other was very rare, joined at the hip. If you got one, you most likely got both," Pierce said. "It broke my heart. You don't wish this on anybody." Read the original article on People
Newsweek
15 hours ago
- Newsweek
Man in Green Card Process Detained by ICE at Grand Canyon—Boyfriend
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A man in the process of obtaining permanent residency in the United States was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while sightseeing at the Grand Canyon, his boyfriend told Newsweek. Newsweek reached out to ICE and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services via email, for comment. Why It Matters President Donald Trump campaigned on mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, and has ramped up immigration enforcement since his return to office in January. The Trump administration said it deported around 100,000 illegal immigrants in the initial months of the presidency, and many individuals have been deported following Trump invoking the rarely used Alien Enemies Act of 1798, something which has been criticized and blocked by judges. Although he has said authorities would primarily target individuals with criminal records, there have been reports of non-criminals being detained by ICE agents. Reuters reported earlier in June that about 7,800 migrants with no criminal record were arrested by ICE in June. What to Know Ricardo Dominguez of Kissimmee, Florida, told Newsweek that his boyfriend Juan Vita Leite Pinto, a Brazilian national with a valid Florida ID and work permit, was taken into custody by ICE agents over Memorial Day weekend while visiting the Grand Canyon. While Vita Leite Pinto lives in Orlando, he was out west for work as a harvester at the time. Only one week earlier, the couple visited the Hoover Dam with no issues, Dominguez said in a phone interview on Thursday. But when Vita Leite-Pinto visited the Grand Canyon, he was stopped by immigration agents. He presented his Florida ID card but was told that was not sufficient. He has been held in ICE custody for the weeks since then. Juan Vita poses for a photograph taken by his boyfriend Ricardo Dominguez. Juan Vita poses for a photograph taken by his boyfriend Ricardo Dominguez. Courtesey of Ricardo Dominguez Vita Leite Pinto first traveled to the U.S. in 2012 and fell in love with the country, Dominguez said. He returned about four years ago on a visitor visa and began the process of applying for citizenship. They have since decided to get married and start the process for him to get a green card. His first interview was coming up before the detainment, according to Dominguez. Dominguez has set up a GoFundMe to help pay for legal representation for him, he said. He has spoken with lawyers, but it is expensive to pay for that legal representation, as the U.S. government does not provide immigrants with free counsel. "He doesn't like being in there. He wants to work. He enjoys work. He enjoys his job, and being out, getting to know this country," he said. "He just wanted to go back to his job and working on us getting married." Vita Leite Pinto does not have any criminal record, according to Dominguez. Dominguez said he has been receiving limited information from the agency because the two are not yet married, though the two do speak daily. He is concerned his citizenship process could be made more difficult if he is deported. If that happens, Dominguez said he plans to travel to Brazil with him to continue the process—but that's a "last resort." ICE records show that Vita Leite-Pinto is "in ICE custody" in Arizona's Eloy Detention Center. The agency has not said why he was detained. His cousin was also detained, but the family is still working on finding out exactly where he is, Dominguez said. He said there are a "lot of unknowns" in terms of what identification is needed to show his status as having a work permit. There have been similar incidents across the country where immigrants at various stages of legal residency have been detained. For instance, Kasper Eriksen, a Danish national living in Mississippi and a father of four children, was detained at his citizenship interview in April due to a paperwork discrepancy from years ago. He had liven in the U.S. legally since 2013 Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek he had a "final order of removal from an immigration judge." A 66-year-old man named Victor Avila, who has held a green card for 58 years, was detained by ICE agents after visiting his son who is a member of the U.S. Air Force, according to a GoFundMe. A man named Sayed Naser, who said he worked as an interpreter for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan, was taken into custody during an asylum hearing in California last week. What Happens Next Vita Leite Pinto remains in custody and is awaiting further hearings. His next court date is set for June 27, Dominguez said. ICE has not commented on the case.
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Miami Herald
‘Warm smile, kind heart': Family, friends mourn woman killed in Wynwood shooting
Evelyn Valdes rang in her 28th birthday in classic Miami fashion. Though the occasion took place days earlier, she took to Wynwood's club-lined streets Saturday to celebrate with friends under the blacklights of hotspots like 1-800-Lucky and Mayami Wynwood. Hours later, as last-call patrons trickled out onto the street, she was caught in a deadly crossfire between police officers and an armed man, cutting her life short. At around 3 a.m., cops in the area 'confronted' a man with a gun along Northwest First Court and 23rd Street before 'shots were fired,' Miami Police spokesperson Officer Mike Vega told the Miami Herald in an email. The gunfire hit both Valdes and the armed man, who were transported to Jackson Memorial's Ryder Trauma Center and pronounced dead, he confirmed. Whether Valdes was killed by police gunfire or the armed man is still unclear as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the lead agency for police-involved shootings, continues to investigate. 'Evelyn lived every moment to the fullest, capturing life's beauty with unyielding passion,' reads a statement released by the attorney of Kristy Garcia, Valdes' mother, on Tuesday. 'Her absence leaves a void that words cannot describe.' The 28-year-old was identified by Garcia before authorities through a GoFundMe page that she organized. In a note posted with the fundraiser for her funeral, the mom described her as 'not the intended target, just an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire' and said she was remembered for her 'warm smile, kind heart, and the way she could bring light into any room.' According to the Valdes family, Evelyn loved the ocean, had a sharp sense of humor and had recently come to the Christian faith. To her family — who knew her as 'Titi Evelyn' or 'Nana' — she spearheaded many academic firsts. Valdes grew up a Homestead local in the halls of the Medical Academy for Science and Technology, becoming the first high school graduate in her household in 2015. Her friend Michelle Trujillo, who attended MAST with the 28-year-old, shared on the social media platform that their after school routine consisted of Valdes 'walking past my house and stopping by to say hi on her way home.' She went on to complete a bachelor's and master's degree in social work at Barry University, graduating in 2023 after 'trials and tribulations, sleepless nights, lots of studying, and a couple of humbling hick-ups,' as one of her Facebook posts reads. Her account shows her to be an avid concertgoer who enjoyed traveling to places like South Carolina, Louisiana and the Bahamas. After finishing her studies, Valdes dedicated her talents to advocating for child victims of abuse and neglect at a local nonprofit, her family shared. To honor her, they say, answers are needed. 'We demand answers about the night that stole her from us and we also demand accountability from those involved,' reads the Valdes' statement. 'With limited information available, we plead for the community—near and far—to come forward with any details, including witness accounts, photos, videos, or social media posts, that could clarify the events leading to this tragedy.' Loved ones of the second victim, the armed man, are making similar requests. Though authorities haven't confirmed, family members are identifying him as 30-year-old Norman Lindo Jr. Saddened friends of his, like Tazzy Redd, are calling Saturday's shooting into question. Saying Lindo was the little brother of her kids' godmother, she took to Facebook asking community members to send in any video footage of the incident, saying 'We just really need to know what happened because we don't know.' Answers from authorities could come once the investigation is complete since 'FDLE as a routine does not comment or provide additional information,' on active investigations, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement told the Miami Herald in an email. 'Our family is overwhelmed with heartbreak, grief, anger, and countless unanswered questions,' read the Valdes' statement. 'The details surrounding that fateful night remain sparse, leaving us desperate for truth and accountability to honor Evelyn's memory.'
