Shotgun-toting resident shoots homeless man who broke into his home, California police say



California police say a resident used his shotgun to shoot a homeless man who had broken into his home on Tuesday at about 10:30 a.m.

El Cerrito police said in a press release that officers were called to the home on Elm Street over reports of a shooting.

'This the quietest neighborhood I ever lived in!'

When they arrived, they found a 56-year-old transient man with a gunshot wound. He was airlifted to a trauma center for medical treatment.

Police determined the shooter was a resident at the home and detained him for questioning. After an investigation, police said the man believed the home intruder was armed and feared for his life when he shot at him two times.

Investigators determined the intruder was not armed with a gun but instead was holding a flashlight. Police intend to ask the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office to file a burglary charge against the suspect.

A nearby high school was placed on lockdown after the shooting, but that was lifted after the scene was secured.

Police said the homeless man was from Contra Costa County, and KTVU said he had an extensive history of burglary and robbery convictions. Investigators are trying to determine whether the resident owned the gun legally.

"This never happened in my neighborhood," said resident Nikkio Hunt to KTVU. "This the quietest neighborhood I ever lived in!"

El Cerrito is a suburb of Oakland on San Francisco Bay with about 26k residents. The average home in El Cerrito currently sells for about $1.144 million, according to Zillow.

Scenes from the neighborhood can be viewed on the news video report from KTVU on YouTube.

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Homeless man exposes himself to 7-year-old and 9-year-old at children's park, police say



Georgia police say a homeless man was arrested for exposing himself to two children and an adult at a children's park in Marietta.

A Cobb County arrest warrant says that Matthew Justin Bishop pulled his pants down to expose himself to a 7-year-old, a 9-year-old, and a parent at Victory Park on Sunday just before 5:30 p.m. He also allegedly referred to a female juvenile as "beautiful" while he was partially exposed.

'I’m very disturbed. It’s very alarming to say the least.'

The man was charged with child felony molestation, second-degree cruelty to children, and public indecency.

Parents who visit the park told WANF-TV that the incident was extremely disturbing but said they were not surprised because of the growing presence of homeless people.

“I’m very disturbed. It’s very alarming to say the least,” said Tracy Murray, a mom who goes to the park with her daughters. “It’s a children’s park and just to know that it could’ve been us here in that situation, it’s quite alarming."

She says she's seen a lot of illegal and inappropriate behavior at the park.

“Sexual activity. Condoms discarded. Liquor bottles discarded. Activity coming in and out of the restroom,” Murray added. “I’m just hoping they pick up patrol a bit and start cleaning up the park.”

Bishop was booked into the Cobb County Jail.

Video from the children's park can be seen at WANF's news report on YouTube.

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Homeless man allegedly climbed on top of woman sunbathing at Santa Monica beach and sexually assaulted her



Another alleged assault involving a homeless person in Santa Monica, California, is leading some officials to promise harsher restrictions.

The Santa Monica police department said the incident unfolded at about 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Santa Monica State Beach.

'We need to somehow get them off the street, get them into treatment, get them into rehab.'

Lifeguards flagged down a police officer to report that a woman said she had been assaulted. The victim told them that she was sunbathing when a homeless man climbed on top of her and began "thrusting" against her.

Police were able to identify a suspect as 25-year-old Alonzo Dickson and arrested him nearby. The victim also identified the man as the alleged attacker.

Dickson faces a felony charge of sexual battery with restraint.

In a similar incident from May, a homeless man was accused of grabbing a jogger by her ponytail and dragging her toward public bathrooms at the Santa Monica beach. Bystanders helped save the woman, who told police she believed the man was intending to sexually assault her.

Some Santa Monica city council members want to tighten restrictions on people who sleep on the streets, but at least one is opposed to the measure.

"I do not support that," said Caroline Torosis to KTLA-TV. "I think the better approach is to offer outreach support services and shelter for folks."

Mayor Phil Brock said he supported the measure.

“It’s nothing draconian," said Brock, "nothing onerous. But I feel that if you have someone you’ve offered help to four, five, six times and they won’t move off the street, then we need to somehow get them off the street, get them into treatment, get them into rehab.”

The city council members were to vote on the ordinance on Wednesday, but they postponed it instead.

Here's KTLA's video news report about the incident, including a booking photo of Dickson.

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Video shows homeless woman brutally attacking Los Angeles bus driver after allegedly demanding a free ride



A vicious fight between a Los Angeles bus driver and the homeless woman who attacked her was captured on cellphone video.

The Los Angeles Police Department said officers responded to the incident at about 12:40 p.m. on Sunday near Central Avenue and Jefferson Boulevard.

Witnesses said that the woman tried to get on the L.A. Dash bus without paying her fare and the bus driver refused, telling her she could not. The woman then attacked the female bus driver and dragged her off the bus from behind her plexiglass safety barrier.

Video shows the woman shoving and punching the driver, who struggles with her and yells, "Get off me!" several times.

The homeless woman was able to punch the driver at least once in the face before the driver got back on the bus and pushed the attacker off while she closed the door.

Police told KTLA that the homeless woman was later taken into custody. The bus driver was treated at the scene and was released.

Drivers protest

The altercation came just two days after bus drivers protested by organizing a "sick-out" in order to pressure officials about the lack of safety at work.

Workers with the L.A. County Metropolitan Transit Authority refused to go to work on May 3 after a series of attacks, some of which were lethal.

On April 22, a woman was stabbed to death on the Metro train by an attacker who police later said was homeless.

On April 18, a man punched a Metro bus driver without provocation and then stabbed him. The driver was treated at a hospital and released.

The organization blamed “untreated mental illness and drug addiction” for the rise in criminal incidents and told the protesting workers that a "sick-in" was against the terms of a collective bargaining agreement.

“Transit riders throughout Los Angeles County depend on the Metro Bus and Rail network every day to reach critical destinations including work, school, and medical facilities, and to care for their friends and family members,” read a statement from Metro.

“We appeal to our operators to reconsider the impact their plan to call in sick will have on some of the most vulnerable people in the county," it added.

Here's the video of the altercation:

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Homeless 15-year-old charged with stabbing and killing one man and injuring another in New York City



New York police arrested a homeless 15-year-old in relation to the stabbing death of a man and assault of another man.

The Deputy Commissioner of Public Information said that police were called to Broome Street and Delancey Street in Sara D. Roosevelt Park in Manhattan on Tuesday at about 8:32 p.m. They found 25-year-old Pasquale Alonso and another 24-year-old male with stab wounds to the chest.

Both victims were transported to NYC Health and Hospitals in Bellevue, where Alonso was pronounced dead. The other victim was reported to be in stable condition.

Police said they arrested a 15-year-old suspect on Saturday and charged the teenager with murder, attempted murder, attempted assault and assault. The teen's identity was not released because they are underage.

The New York Daily News reported that the victims and the suspect are all believed to be homeless.

Sara D. Roosevelt Park is known as a hotspot for homeless encampments, drug deals, and drug usage. WABC-TV spoke with a man who sleeps at the park, and he told them drinking and fighting is common in the area.

In Feb. 2022 residents around the park in Chinatown told Spectrum News N1 that drug use and violence had increased during the pandemic and they were afraid to be near the park at night.

“Sometimes you see someone that look at you like they want to attack you, that is why you do not feel safe,” said resident Sarry Lau.

They said that the city hadn't done much to mitigate the situation despite the growing number of needles and other drug paraphernalia being found at the park.

“Right at dusk, it empties out really quickly because they just don’t know who is going to be following behind them or walking behind them,” said long-time resident Mary Cheng.

Others took the side of the homeless people camping at the park.

“People sleep on the streets because they feel it is their only option," said a spokesperson for the coalition for the homeless.

The second victim is expected to recover from his stab wound.

Here's more about the stabbing attack:

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Elderly man beaten with a padlock and stabbed after buying McDonald's food for homeless teenager he tried to help, police say



Oregon police said an elderly man was almost killed by a homeless teenager he tried to help by purchasing McDonald's food for him and letting him get cleaned up at the man's home.

The Seaside Police Department said that the 80-year-old victim had previously bought food for 18-year-old Isaiah James Thompson after seeing him on the streets of Astoria.

A probable cause affidavit said that the victim had encountered Thompson on Friday when the teen saw the man and asked him to buy drugs. The victim said he brought Thompson to his home, offered him a beer, and let him shower and get dressed.

The victim said that he went to the garage where Thompson was waiting for him and demanded he hand over the keys to his Mustang. When the man refused, Thompson allegedly beat him with a chain and a padlock, striking him between 20 to 30 times around the head. He also stabbed the man.

The teenager allegedly stole the man's car and sped away while the victim crawled to a neighbor's home to ask for help.

Police said they spotted the teenager speeding in the Mustang at about 100 mph and attempted to pull him over. Thompson allegedly refused to stop and crashed the car, then was able to get away on foot.

"They had three K-9s that were helping track this person, just because of the severity of what he was wanted for, and unfortunately, they didn’t find him," said Washington County Detective Shannon Wilde.

Thompson's mother later contacted police after seeing a press release about the crime and told them she believed her son was the attacker.

The victim had been hospitalized in critical condition and police said he was lucky to have survived.

The victim also identified Thompson in a police lineup, according to the affidavit.

Thompson was booked into Clatsop County Jail Thursday. He was charged with attempted murder, robbery, and unlawful use of a weapon. He was also charged with reckless driving and criminal trespass over the alleged car chase.

Police said that padlock that was allegedly used in the attack was found in the suspect's possession.

Here's a local news report about the incident:

Man wanted after Seaside assault, stolen car crash in Hillsboro www.youtube.com

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Burger shop worker admits to stabbing homeless man who threw drink in his face



An employee at a hamburger shop was sentenced after pleading guilty to stabbing a homeless man who had tossed a drink in his face.

35-year-old Darrell Drake was working at the Blake’s Lotaburger in Albuquerque, New Mexico, when he got into an altercation with a homeless man in May, according to a criminal complaint.

Witnesses told police that the homeless man was rummaging through the garbage of the fast food restaurant when Drake, who is a maintenance worker, tried to tell him to leave.

"The gentleman, I told him to leave, and he didn't want to leave, didn't want to leave, and we kinda got into it," said Drake in court on Tuesday. "And at that point I lost control."

Witnesses told police that Drake hit the man with a push broom after he threw a drink in his face. Then he stabbed the homeless man in the legs with a knife and beat him.

Drake initially told police that he was acting in self-defense.

"I wasn't trying to kill nobody. I wasn't trying to do anything but defend myself," he said at the time, according to police.

He was arrested and charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. He later pleaded guilty.

On Tuesday, Drake was sentenced to three years of supervised probation and 30 hours of community service with the homeless. He will also continue therapy.

"I learned a lot about the root cause of my anger, and my military background, how that can help intensify my triggers," said Drake in court.

Drake, who is a former U.S. Marine, had also been accused of a violent reaction in a road rage incident, but that case was dropped when the alleged victims failed to show up in court.

Here's a local news report about the incident:

Blake's Lotaburger employee charged with stabbing a homeless man www.youtube.com

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Retired school bus driver loses her home in fire sparked from homeless encampment in California



A recently retired school bus driver says she lost all of her belongings when her home was destroyed in a fire that was sparked from a homeless encampment.

Christina Rangel told KCAL-TV that she had lived for 15 years in the home in Riverside, California, before the fire.

"Right after my retirement, I thought I was going to have my house, relax," she said. "And then it's like somebody just pulled the rug from under my feet."

Security video from the fire on Aug. 30 shows Rangel running into her home to save her two dogs despite the warnings of firefighters.

"He says, 'Just leave them,'" Rangel recalled. "And I says, 'No!' I grabbed my dogs."

The Riverside Fire Department said that the fire spread through gusty winds from a homeless encampment. Investigators believe the fire started because of cooking equipment with a propane tank.

Other homes and structures in the neighborhood were damaged, but Rangel's home was the only one completely destroyed. The home was 95 years old, and Rangel had been fixing it up with new windows, roofing, and electrical work.

Rangel's daughter says that although the home was covered by insurance, they're not going to be able to replace the home with the amount they will be given.

Rangel says she has compassion for the homeless despite her losing her home because of an encampment.

"I can see them, and I can see myself too — both sides," said Rangel. "But, somebody should do something. Don't let them do this."

Her daughter has set up a GoFundMe account to help her pay for a new home.

Here's the local news report with the interview:

Retired school bus driver loses home due to fire from a homeless encampment www.youtube.com

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Taco Bell manager murdered by homeless employee he let stay at his apartment, police say



A Taco Bell manager tried to help a homeless employee by letting him stay at his apartment, but the vagrant repaid him by murdering him, Illinois police said.

27-year-old Louis Stafford was the manager of the Chesterfield Township Taco Bell when he noticed one of his employees was arriving for work with wet clothing.

When he asked 24-year-old Dejon Drake why his clothes were wet, Drake told him he was homeless.

"The guy told him that he was basically living in a tent behind the Taco Bell. Louis said, 'Hey, you don’t have to be out there. You can come stay with me,'" said Stafford's cousin Zonni Juan to WXYZ-TV.

Juan said that Stafford invited Drake to live at his apartment but that the situation quickly soured when Drake became combative.

"The people at his job became afraid of him," said Juan. "He started getting really combative and they were like ‘We’re going to fire him.’ Louis just kept stepping in, kept trying to advocate for him."

On July 29, Stafford asked Drake to move out of his apartment, and a fight broke out. Drake then allegedly shot and killed Stafford.

Drake was arrested and booked into Macomb County Jail. He was charged with second-degree murder and felony firearm possession and given a $2 million cash bond.

Juan suggested that the tragedy might have been avoided if there was better mental illness care.

"He was the type of young man that you would look at him and say, one day he’s going to make someone a really great husband, he’s gonna make someone a good father,'" said Juan of Stafford.

Stafford's family said that he had just been getting his life back together after his brother died from complications with COVID-19 and diabetes. He had also been previously shot three times during a robbery when he worked at a McDonald's restaurant.

Here's a local news report about the incident:

Taco Bell manager killed by homeless employee he let stay with him www.youtube.com

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Homeless men brutally attack former fire commissioner with a metal pipe after he asked them to leave the front of his mother's home in San Francisco, police say



Another brutal attack in San Francisco shocked residents this week after several other instances of random violence.

Former San Francisco Fire Commissioner Don Carmignani was leaving his mother's home in the Marina District at about 7 p.m. on Wednesday when three homeless men approached him.

Joe Alioto Veronese, a prominent lawyer and friend to Carmignani, told the San Francisco Chronicle that the 53-year-old was attacked and beaten with a metal pole after he asked them to move from the front of the home.

"He is a big guy," said Veronese. "They slashed his face with a knife and continued to hit him with a pole."

Veronese tweeted that the former official was fighting for his life at a hospital as a result of the critical injuries he received. Carmignani suffered a skull fracture, broken jaw, and lacerations to his face and head.

Video posted to social media reportedly showed one of the suspects holding a metal pole after the attack.

Police obtained a description of a suspect and later identified him as 24-year-old Garret Doty, who was arrested without incident. Doty was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and battery causing serious injury.

San Francisco police chief Bill Scott talked about the incident during a community meeting on Thursday about neighborhood safety.

"Our hearts go out to him and his family," Scott told KPIX-TV. "He's expected to survive his injuries which is good news. But these types of brutal attacks and these types of brazen attacks, these are the kinds of things that have people anxious."

Earlier in the week, Bob Lee, the founder of Cash App and a prolific tech entrepreneur, was stabbed to death on Main Street in the SoMa entertainment and financial district.

"Nobody is safe in San Francisco right now," said Veronese.

Here's a local report about the brutal attack:

Former San Francisco fire commissioner victim in brutal pipe beating www.youtube.com

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