Latest news with #Newports
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Yahoo
String of unsolved 'transphobic' attacks target MacArthur Park shopkeeper
At her hole-in-the-wall convenience store across the street from MacArthur Park, Sabrina de la Peña has supplied cold beverages, household necessities and kind words for nearly 30 years. Despite issues with crime in the area, De la Peña, 61, said she never felt threatened by a customer until last month. Over the course of two weeks, she was repeatedly assaulted and harassed by an unidentified man now wanted by police. 'Sure, some people come to bother me. Sometimes they are on drugs or are just having a bad day. But I usually ask them nicely not to come back and they either listen or when they come back, they will apologize,' said De la Peña. 'But no one has ever hurt me the way he did.' De la Peña says she was sexually assaulted, beaten with a skateboard and pepper-sprayed in a series of incidents that police have labeled a suspected hate crime. She says the motive for the attacks is clear: She's transgender. 'It's a transphobic crime more than anything," she said, mixing Spanish and English. "As long as the authorities don't stop this and as long as politics remains as it is, we will continue to suffer these types of attacks.' Read more: Hate crime attacks on a transgender woman under investigation by LAPD On a recent afternoon, the shopkeeper sat in the tight quarters of her store, putting on a full face of makeup. As she drew on her eyeliner and adjusted her wig, regular customers continued to come in. Some bought packs of Newports, others stopped by for cans of grape soda. Surrounded by crammed shelves of tinfoil, cooking oil and cases of water, De la Peña, who immigrated from El Salvador 35 years ago, described her store as the kind of place where she felt safe and everyone always greeted her with pleasantries. On April 8, she said, a man came in 'just as any other customer.' He purchased water and began to flirt with her. She remembered he called her 'pretty' and she politely declined, saying she 'wasn't interested.' About an hour later, he returned, shoved her to the ground, hit her over the head and began to sexually assault her, according an LAPD report and her own account of the incident. He allegedly stopped when he realized De la Peña was transgender. She recalled that he started to yell at her repeatedly shouting, 'Are you a f— tr—y? I'm going to kill you.' De la Peña said he eventually fled the scene and she called the police, who arrived about two hours later. 'I thought the nightmare was over and that it wasn't going to happen again,' she said. But the next day, April 9 at around 11 p.m., she said the suspect returned with two others. They lured her outside of the shop and began to beat her with a skateboard. Video surveillance footage captured the moment on camera. They are seen pulling her out onto the balcony and punching her repeatedly. De la Peña tried to fight back, eventually getting hold of the skateboard and hitting them. The main attacker stayed away for a few days and came back again on April 13, De la Peña said. She said she saw him on the security cameras, investigating the store's doorway. He returned, with others, on April 16 and 19, when they assaulted her with pepper spray. They splashed an unknown liquid on her and tried to use a Taser, which De la Peña said she managed to avoid. Read more: Deputies beat and tased unarmed Rancho Cucamonga man to death, lawsuit claims 'I am not a violent person. I am not aggressive. I am not problematic. I never thought I needed [things like pepper spray] because I never make any trouble. But as they kept returning, [my family] all thought they were going to kill me,' said De la Peña. Out of the five incidents where the attackers came to the Westlake storefront, De la Peña said the cops came three times — each time hours after the perpetrators fled. The LAPD issued a news release about the incidents on April 28, asking the public to help identify the suspects caught on camera. LAPD Rampart Division Det. Jose Hidalgo said officers are monitoring De la Peña's location and handing out crime alerts. A mounted unit is also patrolling the area, he said. 'We are working diligently and using all of our resources,' Hidalgo said. 'We have extra patrol and a specialized unit working on it. We're going to eventually catch them soon.' Before the attack, De la Peña said she would make most of her sales late at night. The shopkeeper, who lives in the store's back area, said she used to keep her doors open until late and sell items then. But since the assaults, she has only been opening her store during the daytime, out of fear. She said that because of the dip in sales, she is worried about paying the monthly rent. 'My life has changed a lot. For almost 30 years, I felt safe,' said De la Peña. 'Now, I am full of so many fears, so much panic. I don't think I will ever be the same again.' Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
03-05-2025
- Los Angeles Times
String of unsolved ‘transphobic' attacks target MacArthur Park shopkeeper
At her hole-in-the-wall convenience store across the street from MacArthur Park, Sabrina de la Peña has supplied cold beverages, household necessities and kind words for nearly 30 years. Despite issues with crime in the area, De la Peña, 61, said she never felt threatened by a customer until last month. Over the course of two weeks, she was repeatedly assaulted and harassed by an unidentified man now wanted by police. 'Sure, some people come to bother me. Sometimes they are on drugs or are just having a bad day. But I usually ask them nicely not to come back and they either listen or when they come back, they will apologize,' said De la Peña. 'But no one has ever hurt me the way he did.' De la Peña says she was sexually assaulted, beaten with a skateboard and pepper-sprayed in a series of incidents that police have labeled a suspected hate crime. She says the motive for the attacks is clear: She's transgender. 'It's a transphobic crime more than anything,' she said, mixing Spanish and English. 'As long as the authorities don't stop this and as long as politics remains as it is, we will continue to suffer these types of attacks.' On a recent afternoon, the shopkeeper sat in the tight quarters of her store, putting on a full face of makeup. As she drew on her eyeliner and adjusted her wig, regular customers continued to come in. Some bought packs of Newports, others stopped by for cans of grape soda. Surrounded by crammed shelves of tinfoil, cooking oil and cases of water, De la Peña, who immigrated from El Salvador 35 years ago, described her store as the kind of place where she felt safe and everyone always greeted her with pleasantries. On April 8, she said, a man came in 'just as any other customer.' He purchased water and began to flirt with her. She remembered he called her 'pretty' and she politely declined, saying she 'wasn't interested.' About an hour later, he returned, shoved her to the ground, hit her over the head and began to sexually assault her, according an LAPD report and her own account of the incident. He allegedly stopped when he realized De la Peña was transgender. She recalled that he started to yell at her repeatedly shouting, 'Are you a f— tr—y? I'm going to kill you.' De la Peña said he eventually fled the scene and she called the police, who arrived about two hours later. 'I thought the nightmare was over and that it wasn't going to happen again,' she said. But the next day, April 9 at around 11 p.m., she said the suspect returned with two others. They lured her outside of the shop and began to beat her with a skateboard. Video surveillance footage captured the moment on camera. They are seen pulling her out onto the balcony and punching her repeatedly. De la Peña tried to fight back, eventually getting hold of the skateboard and hitting them. The main attacker stayed away for a few days and came back again on April 13, De la Peña said. She said she saw him on the security cameras, investigating the store's doorway. He returned, with others, on April 16 and 19, when they assaulted her with pepper spray. They splashed an unknown liquid on her and tried to use a Taser, which De la Peña said she managed to avoid. 'I am not a violent person. I am not aggressive. I am not problematic. I never thought I needed [things like pepper spray] because I never make any trouble. But as they kept returning, [my family] all thought they were going to kill me,' said De la Peña. Out of the five incidents where the attackers came to the Westlake storefront, De la Peña said the cops came three times — each time hours after the perpetrators fled. The LAPD issued a news release about the incidents on April 28, asking the public to help identify the suspects caught on camera. LAPD Rampart Division Det. Jose Hidalgo said officers are monitoring De la Peña's location and handing out crime alerts. A mounted unit is also patrolling the area, he said. 'We are working diligently and using all of our resources,' Hidalgo said. 'We have extra patrol and a specialized unit working on it. We're going to eventually catch them soon.' Before the attack, De la Peña said she would make most of her sales late at night. The shopkeeper, who lives in the store's back area, said she used to keep her doors open until late and sell items then. But since the assaults, she has only been opening her store during the daytime, out of fear. She said that because of the dip in sales, she is worried about paying the monthly rent. 'My life has changed a lot. For almost 30 years, I felt safe,' said De la Peña. 'Now, I am full of so many fears, so much panic. I don't think I will ever be the same again.'
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
Drone intercepted at local prison; 3 arrested, contraband seized
A coordinated operation on Friday successfully intercepted a drone attempting to deliver contraband into Anson Correctional Facility. Repeat offender suspected after drone delivers contraband in South Carolina prisons The operation involved officers from the Polkton Police Department, deputies and detectives from the Anson County Sheriff's Office, and agents from the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction. During the operation, three people were arrested on-site, and items related to the contraband delivery were seized. >>Starting at 5 p.m., Channel 9′s Gina Esposito speaks with officials about the investigation. The Polkton Police Department released a photo of the contraband, which included meth, K2 paper, Suboxone strips, two packs of Newports and other items. Roland J. Snoke, David A. Johnson, and Trudy M. Gibbs were arrested and each charged with providing contraband to an inmate and received $ 100,000 secured bonds. More arrests are expected, including 10 inmates. The investigation is ongoing. VIDEO: Man freed after 20 years in prison, denies involvement in 1990 murder of Charlotte woman
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Yahoo
Blair County armed robbery suspect made off with only $250, court documents reveal
DUNCANSVILLE, Pa. (WTAJ) — Less than a day after Smokers Express in Duncansville was robbed, police arrested a suspect who allegedly admitted to only getting about $250 from the shop, recently filed court papers show. Thomas Edward Talbert, 18, who police said was homeless at the time, was arrested and charged with robbery, theft, simple assault, tampering with evidence and reckless endangerment concerning the Monday morning robbery. Police were called to the shop on 3rd Avenue around 9:18 a.m. March 24, after the panic alarm in the store was pressed. According to the complaint, officers arrived, but the suspect had already gotten away on an e-bike. Police from multiple departments proceeded to post photos of the suspect in a white hoodie, covering his face, wearing orange gloves and holding a gun at the shop employee. Not long after, police said two women came to the store with concern that they knew who the suspect was, the complaint reads. They claimed it may have been Talbert, saying he was homeless and living in a friend's shed. According to the complaint, a woman came forward shortly after finding the possible white hoodie and pants on her porch. She told police she saw the facebook posts and was familiar with who they belonged to, and went to the shed he was allegedly staying in to confront him. Police were given a description of Talbert as he left the residence on another bike and he was soon taken into custody, claiming he was just riding home from the Antique Depot. Talbert was taken to the Duncansville police station, where he was told they had questions about the robbery. According to the affidavit of probable cause, Talbert admitted, 'I did it.' When asked to further explain, he allegedly continued by telling police he needed money so he robbed Smokers Express. According to his account to police, he rode his friend's e-bike around the building a few times then parked it a bit away on the bridge. He said he went in with his face covered and hood pulled up. He asked for a carton of Newports and then pointed an airsoft gun at the cashier and demanded money. When asked, Talbert allegedly said he got about $250 from the shop. A search of the shed where Talbert was staying turned up a fake pistol, orange and black gloves, a black bandana, a carton of Newport cigarettes with one pack missing and a wallet with $200 was arraigned Tuesday morning and placed in Blair County Prison with bail set at $50,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 1. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Yahoo
Suspects use bolt cutter to steal cigarettes from Whitehaven gas station
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis Police Department is searching for two men after a gas station in Whitehaven was robbed on Wednesday morning. Officers responded to the Circle K at 979 East Brooks Road just after 10 a.m. Police say the suspects entered the business with a bolt cutter and broke the lock to the cigarette cabinet. Man's arm nearly severed in machete attack One of the men took 60 cartons of Marlboro cigarettes and 12 single packs of Newports, while the other stole $100 from the cash register. The MPD says the suspect who stole the money was familiar with how to operate the system to open the register. The suspects exited the store and drove off in a silver Nissan Altima with a dent in the right rear door. Police describe the suspects as men wearing ski masks, black and blue jeans, and black and white shoes. No arrests have been made at this time. If you have any information that could help police, call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
