All articles tagged with #local crime
The family of 19-year-old University of Washington student Juniper C. Blessing, a transgender woman described by loved ones as gifted and compassionate, mourns her death after a May 10 stabbing in an off-campus laundry room near UW; a 31-year-old suspect turned himself in days later, is jailed on a $10 million bail, and prosecutors have until May 18 to file charges.
Authorities say a speeding white Jeep SUV struck a sedan at Vista Del Mar Ave and Culver Boulevard in Playa del Rey, killing a 1-year-old boy and his uncle; a suspect was taken into custody as the investigation continues.
An Orange County mother, 50-year-old Tommi Jo Mejer, is charged with involuntary manslaughter after her 14-year-old son—illegally riding a Surron e-motorcycle outside El Toro High School in Lake Forest—hit 81-year-old Vietnam War veteran Ed Ashman, who died two weeks later. Deputies warned Mejer last year that letting her son ride the vehicle could lead to charges, but prosecutors say she allowed him to ride despite the danger. This case marks OC’s third parent charged this year for letting a child ride an e-motorcycle; e-bikes under 20 mph have no licensing restrictions, while higher-speed e-motorcycles require a license, registration and insurance.
After a fight in the Downtown Pedestrian Mall on April 19, 2026, Damarian M. Jones allegedly fired six shots into the crowd, injuring five people. He faces five counts of attempted murder, plus additional counts for willful injury and going armed with intent; Jones remains at large. The investigation spans multiple agencies, with hundreds of tips, recovered firearms, and warrants; investigators say more arrests are expected and downtown patrols will be increased this weekend.
In Washington, DC, police say a 2-year-old boy, Royce Hawkins, was found unharmed after his mother was fatally shot Tuesday night in the 600 block of Kenyon Street NW. An Amber Alert was issued and later canceled when the boy was found in an apartment in the 500 block of Kenyon Street NW with the man suspected of shooting his mother; the man—not the child's father—has been arrested and charged with murder.
A 16-year-old Khyon Smith-Tate was found fatally shot inside the Chipotle bathroom near Temple University in Philadelphia on Monday, around 5:15 p.m., after returning from winter break. Police say he was with at least one other juvenile male when they entered the restroom; three suspects—all believed to be 16–17 years old—are being sought with no arrests yet. One spent shell casing was recovered, and authorities are urging anyone with information to contact police. Temple University offered counseling resources for affected students.