Latest news with #RachelMenitoff
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hateful, antisemitic road rage tirade unfolds on Southern California street
An Iranian American who has an Israeli flag in his windshield to show support for his Jewish friends and family was the target of a hateful antisemitic verbal assault last week in Reseda, an incident that was captured on camera. The victim, who only wanted to be identified as a Los Angeles resident named Justin, was alone in his vehicle on May 22 when the unprovoked, hateful tirade unfolded. Justin told KTLA's Rachel Menitoff that the man rolled down his window and threatened to kill him. 'He said, 'I'm going to f****** kill you,'' Justin recalled. In dashcam footage of the incident, the unidentified man behind the wheel of a Kia, gets in front of Justin's Tesla and brakes hard, his recklessness, according to the victim, engaged the Tesla's emergency braking system, nearly leading to Justin being rear-ended by the motorist behind him. The man in the Kia then exits his vehicle, cellphone in hand, presumably to film the exchange himself, and proceeds to direct a profanity-laced series of threats, yelling that Justin was 'a f****** coward. I'll beat your ass in front of everybody, okay?' The man spits toward Justin's vehicle, accuses him of not being an American tells him, 'Go back to your country you Zionist piece of s***.' The scary public display of antisemitic road rage came one day after a young, soon to be engaged couple, both members of the Israeli Embassy, were gunned down outside the Jewish Museum in Washington D.C. on May 21. The gunman in that case has been apprehended and federal investigators are calling the incident a targeted act of terrorism. VIDEO: Girl, 17, injured in brutal body slam by police in Southern California As for Justin, who believes instances of antisemitic attacks are increasing, he said he feels it's important to show solidarity and engage in dialogue. 'I would love to offer this person who accosted me, or someone like him, if you want to debate the merits of the war, we can look at that and analyze things, and we can be as objective as possible and acknowledge our biases,' he explained. '[We can] try to see if we can reason that way in public and then we won't be so confused about who our neighbors are and prejudge people and feel so righteous to be openly bigoted against somebody who could be perceived to be Jewish.' The incident, according to Justin who filed a police report, is being investigated as a hate crime, though so far, the man has not been located or arrested. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Stray dog fends off pack of coyotes in O.C.
A stray dog survived a 45-minute coyote attack earlier this month in Orange County, fending off at least five coyotes that circled it in a residential neighborhood. Rachel Menitoff reports May 21, 2025. Details:
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Updates in deadly fertility clinic bombing
The person of interest in the 'act of terrorism' that severely damaged a reproductive health facility in Palm Springs is dead, authorities confirmed. KTLA's Rachel Menitoff reports live on May 19, 2025. Details:
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Yahoo
Transgender woman in Los Angeles sexually assaulted, beaten and pepper-sprayed
Investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department are asking for the public's help in identifying three suspects reportedly involved in a brutal hate crime against a 61-year-old transgender woman. In a news release, detectives with LAPD's Rampart Division said the violence initially unfolded on April 8 at the victim's store when one of the involved suspects began to flirt with her. 'The victim rejected his advances, and he left. However, the suspect returned a short time later and pushed her to the ground,' police said. 'The suspect sexually assaulted the victim and discovered she was a transgender woman. The suspect pulled away and threatened to kill the victim.' The same suspect returned several more times with two other suspects and committed hate crimes against the victim,' police added. In surveillance video of several of the assaults obtained by KTLA, the three suspects can be seen violently attacking the woman, identified as Sabrina de la Peña, at her second-floor store in the Westlake District that she's operated for the last 30 years. In hard to watch footage of the attacks, one of the men hides just outside her door with a skateboard before rushing in and, according to investigators, brutally striking de la Peña with it. 'I was screaming for help, but nobody around giving help to me,' de la Peña told KTLA's Rachel Menitoff. 'He take me out to the alleyway and he start beating me outside.' 3 shot, including 2 teens, after gunman opens fire in L.A. neighborhood The same suspect is then seen dragging her onto the balcony of the building, violently beating her as she tries to defend herself and another suspect looks on. In other instances, police said the suspects pepper-sprayed de la Peña, doused her with an unknown liquid and tried to stun her with a Taser. The small business owner says her attackers have returned two additional times since then. 'I want to ask the community to help me find those guys, help the police catch those guys. If not, they're going to kill me,' she explained. 'Now, I don't feel safe. I feel unsafe in the alley. I cannot work because I only thinking he going to come back.' While authorities have stepped up patrols outside de la Peña's store, they are also hoping the public can help identify the three suspects and believe there may be additional, unreported victims of the trio. Anyone who may have been a victim or who has information regarding the identification of the three suspects is urged to contact Rampart Division Robbery Detectives at 213-484-3495. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-222-8477. De la Peña will be speaking with KTLA's Rachel Menitoff tonight at 10 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Yahoo
Criminal trend continues: Another hidden camera found in Southern California
Neighbors are speaking out after uncovering the latest development in a criminal trend that's been hitting cities all around Southern California: hidden cameras. In a very disconcerting discovery, the daughter of an Encino couple – who wants to remain anonymous for their safety – found a hidden camera in the bushes outside of their home on Saturday. The family never thought this would happen to them, and it's a story that's been seen in other neighborhoods too – including one as recently as Mar. 2 in Chino Hills. Now, the family and other concerned neighbors are spreading the word to warn others about the importance of checking their bushes, trees and around their homes. The daughter told KTLA's Rachel Menitoff that she was taking her kids to visit her mom when something caught her eye in a tree planted out front of the home. She walked closer to the tree, finding a small camera attached to green wires that led under the bushes. After speaking with her mom and learning that the camera did not belong to her, she said she put on gloves and removed the camera, discovering a second device nearby that the family believes could be a hard drive. 'We're all shaken and we couldn't believe that they are watching my parents' activity here, and God knows how long it's been there and they didn't even notice,' said the daughter. Experts said it was most likely a cheap camera with a SIM card, and that criminals often come back to retrieve it and analyze a person's habits and patterns. 'They want to see probably when my parents are not home, the car is getting out of the garage, basically they see if you're not here, that's a good opportunity for them to come and break in,' said the daughter. These make-shift, 'hidden,' cameras have also been spotted in Temecula, Arcadia and Santa Barbara County. 'The crooks are tipping their hands because they're showing us what they're looking for,' said Don Moore, a Certified Protection Professional. 'They're surveilling our homes because they want to find out when we're coming and going. They're also using drones to look in the back of homes to see if you left a door open on the second floor patio. They want to break into your house when you're not there.' In Encino, neighbors removed the suspicious devices and reached out to police. The Los Angeles Police Department told this couple that any time someone finds one of these devices, do not hesitate to call 911 – that it's that serious of a matter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
