Latest news with #Ly
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Jurors hear of frantic effort to save Davis stabbing victim at trial's second day
Jurors listened Tuesday to the frantic moments a physician and a Davis police officer tried to save Karim Abou Najm as he lay dying on a Sycamore Park bicycle trail. The wrenching recording culled from the officer's body camera concluded the second morning of Carlos Reales Dominguez's murder trial in Yolo Superior Court in Woodland, now in its guilt phase. A second phase of the trial will follow to determine whether Dominguez was sane at the time of his alleged attacks. The former UC Davis student faces murder and attempted murder charges in the weeklong stabbing rampage that left two dead and grievously wounded another in late April and early May 2023. Dominguez has pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity in the 2023 spree. He sat motionless at the defense table next to Yolo County deputy public defender Daniel Hutchinson as the violent night Najm was killed replayed in the courtroom. Najm, 20, was the spree's second victim on April 29, 2023, stabbed repeatedly in the savage attack and fighting for his life as Davis police Cpl. Pheng Ly raced to the scene. Ly took the stand Tuesday before Yolo Superior Court Judge Samuel McAdam, describing the late-night call broadcast over his cruiser's radio. Davis Police Department detective Alex Torres describes the dirt on a pair of sweat pants that was worn by David Breaux, who was allegedly stabbed to death by former UC Davis student Carlos Reales Dominguez, during the first day of trial at Yolo Superior Court in Woodland on Monday. 'It was a report of a man down with blood all over him at Sycamore and Colby in West Davis,' Ly testified. 'I went emergency lights and sirens. A person down with blood all over him — there had been a homicide a few days earlier and that played in my mind as well.' Davis was a city on edge and in shock after the knife killing two days earlier of 50-year-old David Breaux, the beloved 'compassion guy' who found dead on a bench in the city's Central Park. Ly rushed to a physician desperately performing CPR and pleading with Najm to stay alive. 'Come on, buddy,' the man could be heard as he continued performing chest compressions on Najm. The doctor lived in a home on the park's border and told Ly he saw the attack on Najm as well as the young UC Davis student's assailant flee down the trail. He heard a man call for help and was able to give Ly a description of Najm's attacker. He was 19 or 20, white or Hispanic, the physician said, as an urgent Ly took over CPR and called dispatchers. 'I need all units here,' Ly said on the recording. 'He's not looking good. Multiple stab wounds.' Davis Police Department detective Alex Torres moves a sweater that was worn by David Breaux who was allegedly stabbed to death by former UC Davis student Carlos Reales Dominguez, during the first day of trial at Yolo Superior Court in Woodland on Monday. Dominguez jurors heard testimony from several witnesses Tuesday including Davis police officers and crime scene technicians who were first on scene at Central Park where Breaux's body was found. The 14 jurors — eight women and six men — and three alternates also heard from unhoused residents near the tent where Kimberlee Guillory, the third stabbing victim, was attacked and seriously injured. Officers used crime scene photographs to detail for jurors the wounds Breaux suffered in the deadly attack — puncture wounds to his back, arms and hands as he presumably tried to fend off his assailant. Trial proceedings are being live-streamed online but, on Yolo judge McAdam's order, graphic images of the crimes were shown only inside the courtroom. Patricia Mendes, an American Medical Response paramedic with 41 years on the job, was among the first to find the deceased Breaux on the park bench late on the morning after he was killed April 27, 2023. Under the bench was a 'very large puddle of blood.' 'There was no pulse,' she testified. Davis Police Department detective Alex Torres describes the evidence of stabbings on a sweater, allegedly fatally stabbed by former UC Davis student Carlos Reales Dominguez, during the first day of trial at Yolo Superior Court in Woodland on Monday. Mendes testified that as she tended to Breaux, she spotted something in the grass beside the bench. 'I saw an empty knife sheath made of leather that appeared to be brand new,' she testified. Prosecutors allege the leather sheath was part of the tactical knife they say Dominguez purchased online in December 2022, five months before the attacks that killed Breaux and Najm and wounded Guillory. Testimony resumes Wednesday and was expected to continue for another week and a half.
CBS News
30-04-2025
- General
- CBS News
Vietnamese American refugees in Philadelphia mark 50 years since the fall of Saigon
How the fall of Saigon continues to shape the lives of Philadelphia community How the fall of Saigon continues to shape the lives of Philadelphia community How the fall of Saigon continues to shape the lives of Philadelphia community Wednesday marks 50 years since the fall of Saigon, a pivotal moment in history that signaled the end of the Vietnam War. Many refugees fled the chaos, and some of them settled in the Delaware Valley. Anh Ly, a dentist in South Philadelphia, was a child when the North Vietnamese army captured the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon on April 30, 1975. "It was scary," Ly said. "But at that moment, we knew we just had to leave." Unable to evacuate by helicopter, Ly and her family of seven risked their lives on a small fishing boat to escape communism. A passing ship rescued her, her parents and her siblings, but her aunt was lost at sea on another boat. The 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon reminds her of what she's been through and why she's here now. "It was unfortunate we had to leave the country, but it gives us another opportunity to be in a free country," Ly said. Ly is now part of a thriving Vietnamese American community, centered along Washington Avenue, in a neighborhood known as Little Saigon. "On the weekend, it would be hard to find parking around all the businesses because they have a lot of patronage, and it's growing," Ly said. "It's great." At the intersection of Washington Avenue and 13th Street is a Buddhist temple with a mural depicting the Vietnamese journey to the United States. It represents the people who left everything behind but who worked hard to create a successful life in Philadelphia. Victor Nguyen, the owner of Ba Le Bakery on Washington Avenue, is the son of Vietnamese refugees. "Me being a firstborn American, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the fall of Saigon," Nguyen said. Nguyen said the fall of Saigon continues to shape his life. For many, the 50th anniversary is a day that represents pain, but also hope. Ly is filled with gratitude as she remembers the past while embracing the future.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Yahoo
Vancouver police task force shows signs of reduced crime in DTES, but some call for long-term fix
For the past year, Linda Ly has operated her nail salon, Onyx Aesthetics Studio, four floors above street level in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (DTES). She used to run her business out of a ground-floor studio on Abbott Street, but says she relocated after enduring repeated vandalism and harassment. "We got broken into four times, and within a six-month span, we probably called the police over 100 times," she told CBC News. "We are now upstairs ... [our clients] have to be buzzed in," she said of her new location on Carrall Street. The move has provided reprieve from vandalism, but Ly says she still witnesses the ongoing struggles in the neighbourhood. Recently though, the business owner has noticed a change in the area. Linda Ly's nail studio now sits four floors above street level. She moved there a year ago after she says her former storefront on Abbot Street was vandalized multiple times and her employees were harassed constantly. (CBC) "[It] used to be very chaotic, but in the last few weeks, I've noticed it's been pretty clean," she said, gazing down at the street from her studio's new vantage point. Ly's observations align with the Vancouver Police Department's reports on the early success of its new Task Force Barrage. Police say the initiative, which began last month, aims to restore safety and address issues related to drug trafficking and organized crime in the Downtown Eastside — a neighbourhood that has long struggled with poverty, drug use and homelessness. Positive results from increased police presence Since the launch of the task force on Feb. 13, VPD has deployed additional front-line officers to the area, on top of the normal contingent of 60 officers already working in the neighbourhood. According to the department's update this week, the new resources have contributed to a decline in street-level assaults and other violent crimes in the area. "The number of assaults has decreased from four per day to three, and assaults with weapons have dropped by 30 per cent compared to the previous month," said Insp. Gary Hiar, the commanding officer overseeing policing in the DTES. In the five weeks since the program was launched, police say the task force responded to a total of 4,760 calls for service in the DTES, an average of 170 calls a day. "That's a 28 per cent increase from the previous four weeks prior to launching Project Barrage," Hiar said. The task force has also seized 197 weapons, including guns, Tasers and knives, which marks a 258 per cent increase in weapon seizures compared to the previous month. VPD says the task force has seized 197 weapons, including guns, Tasers, knives and other makeshift weapons, since Feb. 13, a 258 per cent increase compared to the previous month. (Vancouver Police Department) In addition, 153 arrest warrants were executed, leading to 204 criminal code arrests, averaging seven per day. "Just last week when we ran our numbers, there were actually no robberies in the Downtown Eastside, so definitely some compelling numbers there," added Hiar. Some warn of 'whack-a-mole' approach The presence of more police officers patrolling the area has also been noticeable to other local business owners. "There are a lot fewer drug dealers and less people buying stolen goods now. It's definitely quieter," said Greg Uyeda, co-owner of Aiyaohno Cafe on Carrall Street. Yet, Uyeda fears the task force is merely offering a temporary fix, describing the effort as "security theatre." "It's not a solution," he said. "It's just a bit of a Band-Aid." Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is seen at a debate on Feb. 26 over a controversial motion to freeze net-new supportive housing in the city. (Ben Nelms/CBC) That sentiment is echoed by Landon Hoyt, executive director of the Hastings Crossing Business Improvement Association (BIA). While Hoyt acknowledges the immediate effects of the task force, he believes the root causes of crime — such as the lack of mental health support and supportive housing — must be addressed for the effort to be truly effective in the long run. "I would like to see additional resources put towards mental health and outreach workers to help support some of these people that really need it," Hoyt said. Hoyt also expressed concern that the task force's work coincides with a city-wide freeze on new supportive housing projects in Vancouver, which he feels undermines the overall effectiveness of the initiative. WATCH | Vancouver's new plan for patrolling the Downtown Eastside: "We're doing one thing that is great … but also we're kind of shooting ourselves in the other foot," he said. Hoyt also noted that while the task force has contributed to a decline in crime in the DTES, the BIA has been receiving increasing reports of assaults in the area of West Hastings Street, suggesting that the issue may be shifting rather than being solved. "We're just merely kind of moving people around, and it's a bit of a whack-a-mole sort of game," he said. Hiar acknowledged that while VPD's task force has made notable progress, there is still more work to be done. "We've been very vocal about it, we can't do this on our own and, and we need community engagement," he said. The police inspector said the task force will continue to work with business advocates, residents, social housing providers and other front-line workers for a more coordinated approach to address problems in the area. According to Hiar, the task force is set to remain in the DTES for at least six months, after which it will be reevaluated. "We will see how we progress further and we'll make those determinations again in the coming weeks and months," he said.
CBC
23-03-2025
- CBC
Vancouver police task force shows signs of reduced crime in DTES, but some call for long-term fix
Social Sharing For the past year, Linda Ly has operated her nail salon, Onyx Aesthetics Studio, four floors above street level in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (DTES). She used to run her business out of a ground-floor studio on Abbott Street, but says she relocated after enduring repeated vandalism and harassment. "We got broken into four times, and within a six-month span, we probably called the police over 100 times," she told CBC News. "We are now upstairs ... [our clients] have to be buzzed in," she said of her new location on Carrall Street. The move has provided reprieve from vandalism, but Ly says she still witnesses the ongoing struggles in the neighbourhood. Recently though, the business owner has noticed a change in the area. "[It] used to be very chaotic, but in the last few weeks, I've noticed it's been pretty clean," she said, gazing down at the street from her studio's new vantage point. Ly's observations align with the Vancouver Police Department's reports on the early success of its new Task Force Barrage. Police say the initiative, which began last month, aims to restore safety and address issues related to drug trafficking and organized crime in the Downtown Eastside — a neighbourhood that has long struggled with poverty, drug use and homelessness. Positive results from increased police presence Since the launch of the task force on Feb. 13, VPD has deployed additional front-line officers to the area, on top of the normal contingent of 60 officers already working in the neighbourhood. According to the department's update this week, the new resources have contributed to a decline in street-level assaults and other violent crimes in the area. "The number of assaults has decreased from four per day to three, and assaults with weapons have dropped by 30 per cent compared to the previous month," said Insp. Gary Hiar, the commanding officer overseeing policing in the DTES. In the five weeks since the program was launched, police say the task force responded to a total of 4,760 calls for service in the DTES, an average of 170 calls a day. "That's a 28 per cent increase from the previous four weeks prior to launching Project Barrage," Hiar said. The task force has also seized 197 weapons, including guns, Tasers and knives, which marks a 258 per cent increase in weapon seizures compared to the previous month. In addition, 153 arrest warrants were executed, leading to 204 criminal code arrests, averaging seven per day. "Just last week when we ran our numbers, there were actually no robberies in the Downtown Eastside, so definitely some compelling numbers there," added Hiar. Some warn of 'whack-a-mole' approach The presence of more police officers patrolling the area has also been noticeable to other local business owners. "There are a lot fewer drug dealers and less people buying stolen goods now. It's definitely quieter," said Greg Uyeda, co-owner of Aiyaohno Cafe on Carrall Street. Yet, Uyeda fears the task force is merely offering a temporary fix, describing the effort as "security theatre." "It's not a solution," he said. "It's just a bit of a Band-Aid." That sentiment is echoed by Landon Hoyt, executive director of the Hastings Crossing Business Improvement Association (BIA). While Hoyt acknowledges the immediate effects of the task force, he believes the root causes of crime — such as the lack of mental health support and supportive housing — must be addressed for the effort to be truly effective in the long run. "I would like to see additional resources put towards mental health and outreach workers to help support some of these people that really need it," Hoyt said. Hoyt also expressed concern that the task force's work coincides with a city-wide freeze on new supportive housing projects in Vancouver, which he feels undermines the overall effectiveness of the initiative. WATCH | Vancouver's new plan for patrolling the Downtown Eastside: Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim lays out new policing plan for Downtown Eastside 1 month ago Duration 1:31 Vancouver's mayor and police Chief Adam Palmer jointly announced on Thursday a long-term operation to dismantle organized drug crime and target predatory criminals in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. As CBC's Chad Pawson reports, it's part of Ken Sim's vision for the future of the DTES. "We're doing one thing that is great … but also we're kind of shooting ourselves in the other foot," he said. Hoyt also noted that while the task force has contributed to a decline in crime in the DTES, the BIA has been receiving increasing reports of assaults in the area of West Hastings Street, suggesting that the issue may be shifting rather than being solved. "We're just merely kind of moving people around, and it's a bit of a whack-a-mole sort of game," he said. Hiar acknowledged that while VPD's task force has made notable progress, there is still more work to be done. "We've been very vocal about it, we can't do this on our own and, and we need community engagement," he said. The police inspector said the task force will continue to work with business advocates, residents, social housing providers and other front-line workers for a more coordinated approach to address problems in the area. According to Hiar, the task force is set to remain in the DTES for at least six months, after which it will be reevaluated. "We will see how we progress further and we'll make those determinations again in the coming weeks and months," he said.
The Independent
18-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Judge questions motives for Trump's order banning transgender troops
A federal judge on Tuesday questioned President Donald Trump 's motives for issuing an executive order that calls for banning transgender troops from serving in the U.S. military, describing a portion of the directive as 'frankly ridiculous.' U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes indicated that she won't rule before early March on whether to temporarily block the Trump administration from enforcing the order, which plaintiffs' attorneys have said illegally discriminates against transgender troops. But her questions and remarks during Tuesday's hearing suggest that she is deeply skeptical of the administration's reasoning for ordering a policy change. Reyes also lauded the service of several active-duty troops who sued to block the order. 'If you were in a foxhole, would you care about these individuals' gender identity?' the judge asked a government attorney, who answered that it 'would not be a primary concern of mine.' Trump's Jan. 27 order claims the sexual identity of transgender service members 'conflicts with a soldier's commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one's personal life' and is harmful to military readiness. It requires Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to issue a revised policy. Six transgender people who are active-duty service members and two others seeking to join the military sued to block the Trump administration from enforcing the order. In a court filing, plaintiffs' lawyers argued that Trump's order openly expresses "hostility' and constitutionally impermissible 'animus' toward transgender people. Reyes said the order's language smears thousands of transgender troops as dishonest, dishonorable and undisciplined. She asked Justice Department attorney Jason Lynch: 'How is that anything other than showing animus?' 'I don't have an answer for you,' Lynch responded. 'No, you have an answer. You just don't want to give it,' the judge shot back. Trump's order also says that 'use of pronouns that inaccurately reflect an individual's sex' is inconsistent with a government policy to "establish high standards for troop readiness, lethality, cohesion, honesty, humility, uniformity, and integrity.' Reyes said it is 'frankly ridiculous' to suggest that pronoun usage could impact the military readiness of the U.S. armed forces. "Because it doesn't. Because any common sense, rational person would understand that it doesn't,' said Reyes, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, a Democrat. Reyes peppered Lynch for several hours with questions about the executive order. They disagreed on whether the language of the executive order explicitly bans transgender people from serving in the military. Reyes asked Lynch if Trump himself would call it a ban, then added, 'He would say, 'Of course it is,' because he calls it a transgender ban.' Lynch said the order itself doesn't require the discharge of service members while Hegseth crafts a policy that reflects it. 'Everyone knows a change is coming. I'm not denying that,' Lynch said. Reyes is expected to hear more arguments on Wednesday and again on March 3. Plaintiffs' attorneys contend Trump's order violates transgender people's rights to equal protection under the Fifth Amendment, marking them as 'unequal and dispensable, demeaning them in the eyes of their fellow service members and the public.' 'The ban is an irrational and prejudicial attack on service members who have risked their lives to serve their country,' they wrote in a court filing. Government attorneys say the plaintiffs are prematurely challenging an order that doesn't immediately require transgender troops to be discharged. The Justice Department also argues that the constitutional right to equal protection 'requires only that similarly situated persons be treated alike.' 'A transgender individual identifying as a woman is not similarly situated to a biological female, nor is a transgender individual identifying as a man similarly situated to a biological male,' they wrote. During Trump's first term, the Republican issued a directive directive to ban transgender service members. The Supreme Court allowed the ban to to take effect. Biden scrapped it when he took office. Thousands of transgender people serve in the military, but they represent less than 1 percent of all active-duty service members. The plaintiffs include an Army Reserves platoon leader, an Army major who was awarded a Bronze Star for service in Afghanistan and a Sailor of the Year award winner serving in the Navy. They are represented by attorneys for the National Center for Lesbian Rights and GLAD Law.
