The suspect, who was taken into custody on Friday, Oct. 18, was identified as 28-year-old Dorian Gray, detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.

Gray, who is transient, has prior arrests for property crimes, Detective Brandon Zef with the Sheriff’s Department added.

Surveillance video of the attack shows the shirtless assailant knocking Efrain “Frankie” Zarazua to the ground then stomping and repeatedly kicking him in the head at around 10:30 p.m. Sept. 14 outside the restaurant at 8447 Santa Monica Blvd.

Zef said the valet was punched and knocked unconscious, then the suspect kicked him about seven times in the upper torso and the head.

Gray is facing charges of attempted murder, battery and assault with deadly weapon.

West Hollywood Sep 19

Man who attacked West Hollywood valet linked to more assaults, authorities say

West Hollywood Sep 17

Valet hospitalized after attack outside West Hollywood Barney's Beanery

How crime spree unfolded

There were a total of five attacks including seven victims, according to Zef.

The attack on the valet was likely the tail of Gray’s crime spree as the first victim was likely a woman who was struck with a bottle near Santa Monica Boulevard, according to Zef.

Then as Gray moved eastbound on the street, he is suspected of striking another woman on the forehead then punching two male victims.

“This is a pretty horrific series of events that occurred on that day, multiple incidents and multiple victims,” the detective described.

Before making his way to Barney’s Beanery, Gray attacked two other victims, including near a bus bench in front of the CVS.

‘Shaken’ community

Zarazua is said to be recovering after being released from the ICU nearly two weeks after the attack, according to his son.

West Hollywood Mayor John Erickson said he’s in touch with all the victims’ families and business owners in the area.

“I know this incident has really shaken our residents and the surrounding neighborhood,” Erickson said.

Plans to make West Hollywood safe

The Sheriff’s Department is set to start an aerial responder program, which will send aerial first responders to emergency calls.

The department is also further utilizing automated license plate reader cameras and adding surveillance cameras in the city.

A real-time watch center will be created within the West Hollywood Sheriff’s station, according to officials.

The suspect attacked 51-year-old Efrain Zarazua, who is known among his coworkers as “Frankie” outside the West Hollywood bar on Saturday, Sep. 14, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Detectives believe the suspect was also behind other brutal assaults against at least five people between 10:15 p.m. and 10:35 p.m. Saturday.

The Sheriff’s Department is expected to hold a news conference Tuesday to share more details.

Zarazua’s son had said his father was recovering after being taken to the hospital in critical condition. 

“It was horrific, sad and fills you with anger that somebody could do that to somebody else,” said A.J. Sacher, Zarazua’s colleague. 

During the unprovoked attack, the suspect allegedly punched Zarazua in the face while he was working, causing him to fall to the ground and lose consciousness. 

The suspect then kicked the victim several times on his head and upper body before fleeing the area on foot, according to sheriff’s officials. 

West Hollywood Sep 19

Man who attacked West Hollywood valet linked to more assaults, authorities say

West Hollywood Sep 17

Valet hospitalized after attack outside West Hollywood Barney's Beanery

Anyone with information on the assault suspect was urged to contact the West Hollywood Station, Detective Zeff, at 310-358-4033.

Detectives believe the man who attacked and injured a valet outside Barney’s Beanery Sunday night was behind other brutal assaults against at least five people between 10:15 p.m. and 10:35 p.m. Saturday.

The attacker, who authorities believe is homeless, was described to be 5 feet and 9 inches tall with a short beard. He was last seen wearing a white hat and gray pants. 

The man is known to spend time in the Hollywood area, investigators said. 

The valet who was brutally beaten at the popular bar was identified as 51-year-old Efrain Zarazua.

West Hollywood Sep 17

Valet hospitalized after attack outside West Hollywood Barney's Beanery

Homelessness Sep 19

Video shows drug use, homeless issue plaguing MacArthur Park

The victim’s son said his father was recovering after being taken to the hospital in critial condition. 

“It was horrific, sad and fills you with anger that somebody could do that to somebody else,” said A.J. Sacher, Zarazua’s colleague. 

During the unprovoked attack, the suspect allegedly punched Zarazua in the face while he was working, causing him to fall to the ground and lose consciousness. The suspect then kicked the victim several times on his head and upper body before fleeing the area on foot, according to sheriff’s officials. 

Anyone with information on the assault suspect was urged to contact the West Hollywood Station, Detective Zeff, at 310-358-4033.

Law enforcement is searching for the individual who assaulted 51-year-old Efrain “Frankie” Zarazua outside Barney’s Beanery around 10 p.m. on Sunday. Surveillance camera captured the assailant throwing the victim to the ground and then repeatedly striking him in an attack that was described as unprovoked.

Chris Zarazua, the victim’s son, said his father’s recovery has been nothing short of miraculous. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

“Compared to the day of the attack, he is actually doing way better than before,” the younger Zarazua said. “I am thanking God he’s recovering pretty miraculously.”

Efrain has worked as a valet for Barney’s Beanery for three decades. The victim’s colleagues described him as a well-liked individual, making the attack all the more disturbing and shocking.

“It was horrific, sad and fills you with anger that somebody could do that to somebody else,” said AJ Sacher, Director of Operations of the bar. “He’s the most generous person of spirit and kindness. He’s welcoming to everybody who comes in.”

While Efrian continues to recover from his injuries, his loved ones are urging the public to come forward with information.

“This guy is out there now, probably looking to harm somebody else and needs to be behind bars,” Chris said.

Law enforcement did not provide a detailed description of the assailant.

Bikes and Hikes LA on Santa Monica Boulevard was burglarized Tuesday where the intruders left with six electric bikes valued at $20,000. Surveillance footage captured the burglars using a hammer to smash the front window and break in.

“The third one [robbery] they smashed the lock box, got some keys to our shop, they opened it with keys and just made their way in and made off with six bikes,” said Jason Bowers, general manager of Bikes and Hikes LA. “It’s disheartening. It’s disheartening when we’re broken into once and then to have it keep happening and sort of one step forward, two steps back, it’s just been a lot of that.”

Bikes and Hikes LA is just one of many small businesses that have been victims of break-ins this week. In Chatsworth, five thieves stole nearly $30,000 worth of items after backing up a stolen truck into a smoke shop Thursday.

Danny Roman, owner of Bikes and Hikes LA, said these break-ins leave them to make difficult decisions when dealing with insurance.

“We have to decide whether or not we report to insurance,” said Roman. “It’s happened to us many times before where I’ve decided not to report because you report, your rates are going up four times the next year or they are just dropping you.”

Roman is offering a $1,000 reward for anyone with information on the burglars. In the meantime, the bike shop owner said he’s spending thousands more on security measures that will hopefully prevent anyone from breaking in again.

“I hope it stops happening. Yes, we would like justice, and yes we would like to find out who did this, but ultimately I would like our neighborhood to feel safe,” said Roman.

The intersection of Sunset and La Cienega boulevards was closed at about 10 a.m. Some evacuations were ordered at nearby buildings.

The sheriff’s department asked drivers to avoid the area.

“The Southern California Gas Company and Los Angeles County Fire Department are on scene and working to fix the problem,” the department said. “There is no current danger, the effected area/businesses/residents have been made aware. There is no current time estimate for re-opening. Traffic in the surrounding areas will be heavily impacted.”

The leak was at or near a construction site.

The area reopened to traffic at about 4:30 p.m.

Intersection of Sunset Blvd and La Cienega Blvd is closed due to a gas leak. Please avoid the area.
For more info: https://t.co/DODixwZdj1 pic.twitter.com/TIjzdIahFW

— LASD West Hollywood (@WHDLASD) August 19, 2024

While cars are most definitely, and without quibble, the most common things to cruise Hollywood Boulevard, there are other modes of transportation that occasionally pop up along the Tinseltown thoroughfare.

Well, very occasionally, of course: Vehicles do rule, but let us pay homage to the boulevard’s quirkier sights, including the floats of the annual Hollywood Christmas Parade, a procession that includes Santa’s sleigh.

But on Sunday, Aug. 18?

It will be about the bicycles, and roller skates, and sneakers, too, as a good chunk of Hollywood Boulevard is closed to motorized traffic.

The super-rollicking, on-the-roll reason behind the “Meet the Hollywoods” closure, which is festively focused on “Connecting East and West Hollywood”?

CicLAvia, that grand open streets spectacular, is returning to all three Hollywoods for another easy-breezy daylong roll-through.

Okay, “daylong” in this case means 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but surely you cover plenty of ground during those seven sunny hours.

Since CicLAvia began in October 2010, it has called upon the heart of Movietown on numerous occasions. It’s a grand way for people to stand in the middle of Hollywood Boulevard and soak in its iconic sights, starry history, and vintage splendor.

A few things to note?

The stretch of Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Dolby Theatre is not an “on-the-go” part of the Aug. 18 map but will serve as the Walk of Fame hub, where riders will dismount.

Hollywood Boulevard will be closed to cars from Highland Avenue eastward, at least for several blocks.

You can pedal all the way to Hillhurst, in fact, if you’re curious about what “eastward” might mean in this case.

And to the west? Santa Monica Boulevard will be shuttered to automobiles for an impressive stretch; the West Hollywood hub is located at San Vicente Boulevard.

Even a few blocks of Highland Avenue will play a role in the roll.

Your best bet before going Metro to the breezy affair — and there are four train stations on the 6.6-mile route — is to soak in the map, important details, hub locations, and what to see and do along the world-famous way.

The Local Gems page on the CicLAvia site has become a must-peruse before the pedaling begins.

Alas: Cruising Hollywood Boulevard in a glittering sleigh, with reindeer at the lead, is something special reserved for Santa during the big holiday parade.

But we can call upon the legendary boulevard Aug. 18, and both West and East Hollywood, too, for a free and fun day of sun, fresh air, exercise, and community joy.

And you won’t have to wait long for the next CicLAvia-helmed happening: A CicLAmini will call upon Lincoln Heights on Sept. 15.

Updated: Aug. 14

Law enforcement said the fight happened in a 7-Eleven parking lot on the 7900 block of Santa Monica Boulevard around 1 p.m. The fight stemmed from a minor crash between two men’s cars nearby.

“To the best of our knowledge at this time, we don’t think anything happened inside,” Lt. Daniel Vizcarra of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said. “Everything was outside after the collision occurred.”

Detectives said they do not believe any weapons were used in the violence. One man, who was identified as 68-year-old Armando Gabriel of Los Angeles, was taken to a nearby hospital and later died. The other man, who deputies identified as 48-year-old Ramon Casas of Bell Gardens, was detained at the scene.

Authorities said Casas assaulted Gabriel following the crash, knocking him unconscious. Casas was later arrested and now faces a murder charge. He is being held on $2 million bail.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact LASD’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.

Aqualillies, Southern California’s acclaimed synchronized swimming troupe, holds exactly one public performance each year.

That performance always takes place on the eighth day of August in honor of movie star Esther Williams, the icon who helped to bring the art and athleticism of balletic swimming to silver screens, and countless audiences, across America and throughout the world.

So one must wonder if good fortune is at work, or terrific timing, or something slightly magical: Olympic Artistic Swimming will be taking to the pools of Paris the week of Aug. 5, coinciding with the annual Aqualillies watershow in West Hollywood.

The splashy SoCal spectacular will give people a close-up look at the incredible technique and strength behind synchronized swimming, while also helping out the USA Artistic Swimming team.

It’s all happening at the Kimpton La Peer Hotel and 10% of the bar proceeds will be donated to the team.

West Hollywood Jul 17

Splash! Join a free synchronized swimming class with the Aqualillies

2024 Paris Olympics Jul 26

Inspiring Olympic odes are shimmering nightly at the Pacific Wheel

A ticket to the two-hour watershow is $12; note that your entry will be “standing room only” for the event. There is seating in the front row for $350 per person.

Aqualillies didn’t choose Aug. 8 as their public-performance date at random, though, yes, it is usually a balmy, swim-ready day in Southern California. That the birthday of Esther Williams, making it a meaningful occasion for those devoted to the powerful pursuit of polished pool-based performance.

Ms. Williams rose to fame, while rising, famously, out of so many soundstage pools, in the middle of the last century, but her legacy swims on.

Again, Aqualillies only stages its splashy show on Aug. 8 each year, though, yes, some members do occasionally lead classes.

There are, in fact, some classes happening on select Saturdays in West Hollywood; read more about signing up for the $20 sessions now.

Updated July 29

The department said the shooting took place at about 5:40 p.m. on the 1100 block of N. Gardener Street after law enforcement responded to a report of an armed robbery at a nearby 7-Eleven. The person who deputies shot was taken to a nearby hospital and died of their wounds. No deputies were hurt.

Details on what led up to the shooting were not disclosed. Investigators said they recovered a weapon at the scene but they did not specify what that was.

The name of the person who was killed was not released, nor were the names of the deputies who opened fire.

Jenna Finley, who lives in the area, said the gunshots startled her.

“I heard rapid gunshots out of nowhere so we came out maybe a minute later just to investigate and there was a guy laying on the ground on his back,” Finley said. “I’d say four or five cops tending to him, giving him first aid. We stood around for a little while, noticed the car right behind it had gotten shots so there was a bullet hole in the window. It went all the way through the car out the other side.”

Anyone with information on the case is urged to contact LASD’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be made by contacting Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Temperatures are on the rise again around Southern California, which makes the possibility of a pool, and time spent in a beautiful blue expanse, especially appealing.

But even more appealing than that nice and cooling notion?

The awesome opportunity to learn some stylish synchronized swimming techniques, the kind of marvelous moves that are so balletically performed by the Aqualillies.

The swimming stars are known for their appearances in music videos and movies — the aquatic artists were featured in 2016’s “Hail, Caesar!” — as well as their frequent around-town performances; you may have seen the troupe make a celebratory splash in person at a Southern California pool over the past several years.

Now, you can learn from the Aqualillies and you can do it for free, at least if you sign up for the July 20 Pop-up Synchronized Swimming Class at the West Hollywood Aquatic Center.

The pool pros will present four sessions at the West Hollywood center in 2024 and the first outing is complimentary; if you can’t make it July 20, the Aug. 17, Sept. 21, and Oct. 19 sessions are $20 each.

“Over the course of each 75-minute class, our instructors will teach you some synchronized swimming basics: sculling techniques, layouts, tucks, ballet legs and more,” shares the troupe.

“Then you’ll set your skills to music with a beautiful and athletic routine.”

If you haven’t ever tried synchronized swimming before, don’t fret: First-timers to the splashy and athletic art form are welcome.

But there are safety considerations to keep in mind, of course; participants “(m)ust have basic swimming / treading water skills + comfort swimming in the deep end of the pool,” says a troupe representative.

To sign up for the free July 20 session or book one of the $20 classes to come later this summer and fall, visit the online hub for everything Aqualillies now.

The “Melrose Triangle” construction site is located on Santa Monica Boulevard at Melrose Avenue.

LA County May 4

How to fight mosquitoes in LA County: More mosquitoes

West Hollywood Jun 26

Someone illegally trimmed 12 large trees on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood

“It’s pretty gross, and it seems like it’s causing a lot more bugs in the area,” Deborah Krieger, who works in the neighborhood, said. “I don’t know what kind of bugs they are, if they are mosquitoes or mayflies. Definitely seems like a bad situation.”

West Hollywood city officials said they have already taken action, saying in a statement that the city’s Neighborhood and Business Safety Division has opened a code enforcement case and is working with the property owners to ensure that dewatering takes place on the site.

Property owners were initially issued a violation on June 24.  

The city said that its dewatering pumps are now fully operational, with plans to add more equipment to expedite draining.

 West Hollywood officials also said that they have also been working with the LA County West Vector Control District since June, and that their city code enforcement team will continue to monitor the area.

The LA County West Vector Control District did not respond to NBCLA’s request for comments.

The latest incident happened Friday night on North Fairfax Avenue near Fountain Avenue at a property, which neighbors said had been subject to a host of trespasser and illegal tenant problems over the years.

“The smoke and the smell was so horrible that I could feel it the next day in my lungs,” Christine Fass, a West Hollywood resident, said.

Some blamed the fire on the property’s alleged illegal tenant problem.

“I wish I could say I was surprised, but this was the third fire in the two years that I have lived here,” Spencer Morgan, another neighbor, said.

Pursuit May 21

Pursuit driver and passenger abandon car on 5 Freeway in Downey

Downtown Los Angeles May 17

Billionaire Rick Caruso weighs in on persisting problems surrounding LA's ‘Graffiti Towers'

The abandoned property has been on the city’s radar for some time, according to West Hollywood Mayor John Erickson, as the City Council initially approved a redevelopment project that would have built 80 units and affordable housing on the lot two years ago. 

But the project has been put on hold due to a lawsuit from two neighbors.

“As a result of litigation, we’ve been sitting here with this property and having to deal with increased public safety demands that have been placed on it,” Erickson said, adding city officials have been hearing from concerned neighbors. 

Arson investigators from the LA County Sheriff’s Department were tasked to investigate the cause of the fire.

No injuries from the fire were reported.

Huener Jewelry, a family-owned jewelry store on Santa Monica Boulevard, was closed for the day on Saturday when burglars broke in and stole all of the inventory both in the storefront and in safes in the back.

Owner Robert Goukasian took to Instagram to share information about the store’s looting with customers, attaching videos that show several burglars breaking into the safe placing items into backpacks.

Security footage shows the burglars congratulating each other, hugging and fist-bumping as they steal the items. 

“These thieves are highly sophisticated,” Goukasian wrote on Instagram.

According to the post, the burglars broke into the store twice on Saturday — in the morning and at night — breaking into one safe each time. The alarm system was never triggered.

Goukasian said when he walked into the store after the burglary, he saw some of the items from the store thrown around, with empty jewelry boxes lining the hallways of the store and dirt all over the floor.

Crime and Courts Jun 19

Hidden camera found in bushes outside Alhambra home targeted in burglary attempt

Irvine Jun 19

Suspected serial burglar posing as food delivery man arrested in Irvine

 The same jewelry boxes are seen in the security footage, as the burglars emptied their contents into bags.

“We are currently working to update our inventory and reopen very soon,” the store’s Instagram page stated on Monday.

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According to city officials, the incident happened on June 19, when they were off for Juneteenth federal holiday, and they’ve referred the incident to law enforcement.

“The trees illegally trimmed included six Jacaranda trees and six Chinese Elm trees. In response to this incident, staff from the City of West Hollywood has filed a report with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department,” the City of West Hollywood said in a statement. 

The trimming has stunned nearby residents and business owners. They say this stretch of Santa Monica now looks far different than the rest of the area.

“I just came the next morning and I was like, these look like Dr. Seuss trees,” said Amanda Hughes, who works at a nearby barber shop.

City officials are calling the incident an act of vandalism, saying they’re the only ones responsible for maintaining more than 9,000 public trees, including those along commercial streets, which are trimmed every year. 

“It wasn’t the city that did it, and it’s honestly, it’s a really butchered job. It doesn’t look good at all,” said Blijah Nelson, who works at a marijuana dispensary on the block. “It affects our business and our product because we don’t have any tints on our windows. And therefore, there’s no shade because there are no trees. And then it turns out our, you know, the inside of our business, it’s a greenhouse.”

No one has claimed responsibility for the trimming, leading locals to wonder who and why someone would cut down the tops, which stand anywhere from 15 to 20 feet tall.

While most people told NBC4 they are upset about the new look, some say they’re grateful the trees won’t be producing as much litter.

“These trees are gross and they they produce like a purple flower that’s like, sappy. So they are like a super nuisance to the sidewalk, cars,” Hughes said. “They’re really they’re hard to clean and they’re hard to get off your car. But I mean, I think the purple flowers look better than these trees.”

Anyone with information is being asked to call the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station.

Katz’s Delicatessen, which has been perfecting pastrami sandwiches at 205 E. Houston Street on New York City’s Lower East Side since the 1880s, is quite a distance from West Hollywood.

It is, in fact, around 2800 miles, and how many pastrami sandwiches, placed crust-to-crust, would need to be used to cover that sizable stretch is anyone’s tasty guess.

But Southern Californians won’t need a state-spanning sandwich chain to connect with Katz’s: Bar Next Door is partnering with Postmates on a one-day-only Katz’s-stravaganza, a pop-up that is all about the doted-upon deli’s world-famous Pastrami on Rye.

Make for the Sunset Boulevard hangout from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for your sandwich — pickles and Katz’s housemade mustard are part of the meaty icon — or order through Postmates.

Merchandise showing your Katz’s love will also be for sale.

Keep in mind that there will be a limited number of sandwiches and a limit on the merch available for purchase, too.

If you do plan to swing by the bar for your hefty slice o’ NYC, check it out: A Coors Banquet cocktail will be served alongside a Dirty Mixed Brine Martini Shot. The price? It’s $16.

Perhaps you’ve dined at Katz’s while visiting or living in New York; if not, you surely know it from the dozens of food documentaries the storied eatery has appeared in and, of course, the “I’ll have what she’s having” scene in 1989’s “When Harry Met Sally…”

If we could follow a flavorful freeway fully lined with sandwiches on our way to Katz’s, we would do so in a New York minute.

But no hearty highway need be built: The world-famous deli is bringing its mustard-y moxie to West Hollywood, over seven savory hours, on the last Saturday in June.

“At that moment, I was like, “OK. I’m about to be jumped right now,” Berilla recalled. 

He said one of the men demanded Berilla’s bag, then ripping it off from his hands and leaving cut marks on his arm. 

At least one of the robbers had a gun during the altercation near the intersection of Cynthia and Larabee in front of the Petit Ermitage hotel a block from the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station. 

As the robbers were distracted while trying to steal his phone, Berilla said he ran away as fast as he could to seek help.

The latest assault and robbery happened in the same area where a similar, high-profile crime happened nearly a year ago. Three men had also been ambushed at gunpoint.

After the incident in April 2023, the city of West Hollywood had promised to step up patrols of its unarmed safety ambassadors.

But Berilla said he has never seen or felt that presence.

“I personally have never seen them walk up the streets up to where the actual crime is happening, like up Larabee, up Palm. I don’t see them walking up and down,” he said. 

West Hollywood Apr 18

Club security guard arrested for injuring a man in West Hollywood

West Hollywood Mar 20

Man says attacker shouted hateful slurs in West Hollywood attack

In response, the city of West Hollywood said in a statement the crime generally went down after the city’s safety ambassador program began in 2022.

But from January through April of this year, the NBC4 I-team has learned there were 33 reported robberies in West Hollywood, two more than the same period last year. Weapons were used in more than half of the incidents. 

“I feel scared. I feel paranoid,” Berilla said. “ I feel cheated by all the money that I pay in rents and taxes in the city. I feel like it’s not going to the things that are going to keep people like me alive.”

Burgers have long been the patty-laden, protein-packed province of lunch and dinner, with burger-style offerings only rarely making carnivorous cameos before noon.

Still, though, the decades-old dish can still show up earlier in the day, in many ways, and at Irv’s Burgers, a place that is synonymous with hearty choices?

It’s the Burgerrito that burger buffs may want to try with their morning coffee.

The filling meal is centered around chopped beef, with cheddar cheese and tots making appearances. Irv’s sauce is the zing, while onions, eggs, and a tortilla round it out.

The Burgerrito is already something of an Irv’s star, so you can bet it will be front-and-centered on the brand-new breakfast menu, which is debuting at the West Hollywood location, and a trio of newer Irv’s, on Saturday, June 15.

(If you’ve seen Irv’s Famous Breakfast Burgerrito on the menu already, lucky you; the meaty meal popped up at a few locations in recent months, with plans to make it a permanent offering.)

Look also for The Original (B.E.C.T.), “Irv’s signature sandwich,” to be a soon-after-sunrise star: The sandwich boasts Applewood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, and eggs, not to mention tater tots and, you betcha, Irv’s sauce.

Holding it all together? That carb-tastic breakfast classic: Two slices o’ white bread.

If bread isn’t your jam, and you’re longing for a tortilla, The Original comes in burrito form, too.

A breakfast turkey sandwich, tots topped with an egg, and a piquant pastrami breakfast sammie are on the new menu, too.

And as for the breakfast burrito count?

There’ll be four seriously stuffed selections, giving lovers of egg-yummy burritos a reason to return.

And more Irv’s-style niceness is in store: Anyone buying a breakfast sandwich or burrito will receive a complimentary coffee, hot or iced, beginning June 15.

This is a new, going-forward addition, and not just an opening treat, so stop by and raise a cup to the enduring Irv’s and its flavorful new breakfast menu.

The suspect, who was taken into custody on Friday, Oct. 18, was identified as 28-year-old Dorian Gray, detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.

Gray, who is transient, has prior arrests for property crimes, Detective Brandon Zef with the Sheriff’s Department added.

Surveillance video of the attack shows the shirtless assailant knocking Efrain “Frankie” Zarazua to the ground then stomping and repeatedly kicking him in the head at around 10:30 p.m. Sept. 14 outside the restaurant at 8447 Santa Monica Blvd.

Zef said the valet was punched and knocked unconscious, then the suspect kicked him about seven times in the upper torso and the head.

Gray is facing charges of attempted murder, battery and assault with deadly weapon.

West Hollywood Sep 19

Man who attacked West Hollywood valet linked to more assaults, authorities say

West Hollywood Sep 17

Valet hospitalized after attack outside West Hollywood Barney's Beanery

How crime spree unfolded

There were a total of five attacks including seven victims, according to Zef.

The attack on the valet was likely the tail of Gray’s crime spree as the first victim was likely a woman who was struck with a bottle near Santa Monica Boulevard, according to Zef.

Then as Gray moved eastbound on the street, he is suspected of striking another woman on the forehead then punching two male victims.

“This is a pretty horrific series of events that occurred on that day, multiple incidents and multiple victims,” the detective described.

Before making his way to Barney’s Beanery, Gray attacked two other victims, including near a bus bench in front of the CVS.

‘Shaken’ community

Zarazua is said to be recovering after being released from the ICU nearly two weeks after the attack, according to his son.

West Hollywood Mayor John Erickson said he’s in touch with all the victims’ families and business owners in the area.

“I know this incident has really shaken our residents and the surrounding neighborhood,” Erickson said.

Plans to make West Hollywood safe

The Sheriff’s Department is set to start an aerial responder program, which will send aerial first responders to emergency calls.

The department is also further utilizing automated license plate reader cameras and adding surveillance cameras in the city.

A real-time watch center will be created within the West Hollywood Sheriff’s station, according to officials.

Steer your time travel machine back four decades, to the tremendous year of 1984, and you’ll find plenty of amazing things afoot in Southern California, the vibrant home of the Summer Olympics.

Something else spectacular was happening in West Hollywood that very same year: It was on its wonderful way to becoming a city, which it officially did on Nov. 29, 1984, the “first City in the nation to have a majority openly gay governing body.”

To commemorate this milestone, and to start the bevy of vibrant Junetime LGBTQ+ parties a few days early, WeHo Pride is officially launching on Harvey Milk Day, all to commemorate 40 Days of Pride and the 40th anniversary of West Hollywood.

The events kick off on May 22 with two to-dos: Harvey Milk Day 2024 featuring the José Sarria Drag Pageant at the West Hollywood Aquatic and Recreation Center at 6 p.m. and “The Studies (Untitled Flags)” Exhibition WeHo Pride Arts Festival at the West Hollywood Library.

The exhibition will be on view almost every day through Sept. 16, 2024, but be sure to check the schedule.

Other gatherings are just ahead, including the jubilant WeHo Pride Street Fair on May 31, June 1, and June 2, a multi-event festivity that will include the WeHo Pride Parade on June 2 (just head to Santa Monica Boulevard in the heart of West Hollywood).

A colorful and community-strong collection of cool pop-ups, musical happenings, and poetry-themed meet-ups add ebullience to the WeHo Pride itinerary throughout the rest of June, with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles singing at Plummer Park, a Figurative Drawing Class, the Inglewood Pride Festival, and lots more on the schedule.

Just about any fleeting moment or memory can take us instantly back to a hangout we once frequented, the sort of vibrant venue where we met friends after work or enjoyed a second date.

We might taste a particular flavor or encounter a distinctive booth or table, one that looks like the place we used to sit for a happy hour or two, as often as we could. And then, quick as that, we’re back in a place we fondly recall.

Fans of The Lucky Tiki, the former Mission Hills tiki bar that garnered devoted fans back in the mid-aughts, likely experienced many such evocative experiences in the last two decades, all while knowing they would never enjoy the much-missed tiki bar ever again.

Or… would they? It isn’t every day, or even every month or year, that a long-shuttered establishment returns, but The Lucky Tiki made its atmospheric comeback earlier this spring in what could be described as very much a word-of-mouth-ish opening.

It’s helmed by 1933 Group, but still not listed on the nightlife outfit’s website. But you can find a “Lucky” passage to this low-lit hideaway by visiting another recently revived favorite, which also happens to be a savory staple of 1933 Group: Tail o’ the Pup, the hot dog emporium.

Bobby Green of 1933 Group was behind the first version of The Lucky Tiki, so count on admiring several of the sights and staples you might recall from long ago, including a logo designed by Kevin Kidney of Kevin & Jody, the lauded artists known for many Disney projects (and their work on the much-adored Anaheim Fall Festival & Halloween Parade).

Reservations are a must; The Lucky Tiki is open to guests who are age 21 and older.

And while booking a spot to simply quaff a quality grog and admire the setting is the choice of many people, keep your eye out for special events like one-night-only rum tastings led by notable spirits experts.

Located along Sunset Boulevard, the proposed project would include an 11-story hotel with residential units and restaurants. The world-famous Viper Room that is synonymous with West Hollywood would be re-constituted in the development.

Residents in the area, however, argue that the project is just too big and believe the city just doesn’t have the space for it.

“It’s just a humungous, gargantuan plot of building on this little space,” said longtime West Hollywood resident Bjorn Johnson.

Others are not opposed to the idea of redevelopment but fear that the opinions of neighbors are not being heard.

“We are not anti-development; we are not trying to stop the project,” said Elyse Eisenberg, President of the West Hollywood Heights Association. “We just want to get the developer to be more reasonable about the concerns of the neighborhood.”

One of the biggest concerns is the impact on traffic on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Larrabee Street. Other residents fear that the project will be plagued with delays like the Melrose Triangle, the empty crater-like lot still awaiting development that’s turned into a West Hollywood eyesore.

“West Hollywood is becoming a ghost town of empty retail because commercial property owners are demanding too much rent from the tenants, and no one is able to pay it,” Mark Lines, a West Hollywood resident, said. “Even if the structure gets built, there’s a very good chance it’s going to remain half empty.”

Charles Essig, a developer at Sunset Creek Development, says the project will include affordable housing and public green space to give new life to the Viper Room and West Hollywood.

“We’ve worked very hard over the last six years and redesigned the project three times to address community concerns,” said Essig.

The West Hollywood Planning Commission will meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday to listen to residents’ concerns revolving around the Viper Room redevelopment project.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the assault suspect got into a verbal and physical altercation with 53-year-old Albert Vasquez after the hairstylist tried to enter a nightclub without proper identification at around 10:40 p.m. on April 5. 

“The suspect punched the victim once in the face,” the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement. “The victim fell to the ground and was transported to a nearby hospital.”

West Hollywood Apr 16

Family demands answers after man seriously injured in West Hollywood

West Hollywood Mar 20

Man says attacker shouted hateful slurs in West Hollywood attack

Vasquez, who is receiving care at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, was said to be severely injured. After he arrived at the hospital, doctors removed part of his scalp.

“His scalp was actually fractured in two spots,” the victim’s sister had said. 

The club security guard was arrested for battery causing great bodily injury.

The Sheriff’s Department’s West Hollywood Station urged any witness or people with information to come forward about the suspected assault. 

“He’s not a violent guy at all, and we’re like in shock,” Gloria Jimenez, Vasquez’s sister, said. 

Jimenez said her brother stopped by at a few bars in West Hollywood’s Rainbow District on April 5. Then at around 11 p.m., he was found bleeding and unconscious near Heart, a gay nightclub, on Santa Monica Boulevard.

Jimenez said she and her family didn’t even learn of the incident until days later when a friend called her brother on the phone. A nurse, who answered the phone, said that hospital staffers needed to talk to his family.

West Hollywood Mar 20

Man says attacker shouted hateful slurs in West Hollywood attack

West Hollywood Feb 22

Brutal attack in West Hollywood caught on camera

At this point, Vasquez can barely communicate, and all he’s been able to say so far is he was attacked, according to Jimenez.

“It’s just been horrible more than anything, just not knowing what happened.” the sister said. “How did he even come about all this?”

After he arrived at the hospital, doctors removed part of his scalp.

“His scalp was actually fractured in two spots. [That] is what we are told,” Jimenez said.

The Sheriff’s Department said investigators are still trying to figure out what happened and whether a crime was committed.

“We want anybody who knows anything to cooperate,” Jimenez said. “We know someone saw something.”

The nightclub, which has cameras surrounding the property, posted on Instagram Monday, saying in part, “We have provided the authorities with unrestricted access to our security camera footage.”

Investigators said they asked the nightclub not to release their footage publicly so they don’t jeopardize the investigation.

As the family and friends wait for answers, they sit by Vasquez’s bedside watching him heal.

Thankfully they think he will make a full recovery.

“He’s very resilient, and he’s very positive,” Jimenez said. “He’s got a lot of positive support so we see him recovering.”

If anyone has information that may help investigators you are asked to get in contact with the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Department.

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Winnie may not be your typical politician, but according to her best friend, the city’s mayor, she’s a part of city business as anyone else.

“She’s with me on pretty much every Zoom meeting,” said Mayor John Erickson. “She’s next to me, mostly snoring.”

At 9 years old and weighing in at about 70 pounds, the four-legged leader has already garnered quite the following, thanks to her charismatic personality and her constant presence in official city affairs.

But don’t let her diva demeanor fool you: Winnie is deeply cherished by Mayor Erickson and the community of WeHo. With her adorable antics regularly featured on social media, she’s become somewhat of a local celebrity, stealing the spotlight in many of Erickson’s posts.

Erickson recalls the moment he first laid eyes on Winnie at the nonprofit Wags and Walks where the puppy made a lasting impression on him.

“Love at first sight. And then he peed on me,” Erickson looked back.

Winnie’s rise to mayoral status symbolizes more than just a quirky title.

Her new role signifies the deep-rooted connection between West Hollywood’s LGBTQ+ community members and their beloved pets, according to Erickson. Dating back to the 1980s when discrimination was rampant, pets became cherished family members, offering solace and companionship during trying times, including the AIDS crisis.

Over the years, the city has worked tirelessly to embrace these furry companions and recognize their inherent value in every life. From dogs to cats, birds to reptiles, West Hollywood celebrates the bond between humans and animals.

Winnie will be officially sworn in on Saturday as the city’s Honorary Pet Mayor, marking a momentous occasion for both her and the community.

Festivities at the West Hollywood Dog Park will include canine caricatures, souvenirs and an adoption showcase for rescues, highlighting the importance of pet adoption and welfare.

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“Out of nowhere I just see this hand come over and slap me in the face and the next thing you know I am in a daze,” David Velasquez said.

The attack happened as he was riding his scooter along Santa Monica Boulevard near Hancock around 10 p.m.

“I could see people pulling out their phones and recording and the flash and everything. I knew that they were recording,” Velasquez said.

According to Velasquez, the assailant tackled him to the ground, threw him onto the street and attempted to push him into oncoming traffic. Throughout the ordeal, Velasquez faced verbal abuse, with his attacker spewing hateful language, he said

“The next thing I know he is coming at me, tackling me to the floor, throwing me into the street, trying to push me into cars, knocking my head into the concrete talking, ‘Die, f–,’ if I can say it,” Velasquez stated.

The sheriff’s department said the attack is being investigated.

“The investigation does take on a different complexion. It’s being added as a hate incident as part of the report,” Capt. Bill Moulder, of the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station, said. 

The assailant is believed to have targeted another man after attacking Velasquez. However, there were no reports of hate speech in that subsequent incident.

“In addition, there was information that maybe a female was slapped, but we haven’t had any reports or no one came into the sheriff’s station to report that kind of incident,” stated Capt. Moulder. 

The restaurant has been serving its guests Italian food since 1994 and that came to a sudden halt on Nov.14, minutes before opening. No one, including the driver, was hurt in the crash.

“There would have been people in the path of the crash so we’re fortunate that we weren’t open because it could have been a lot worse,” said General Manager Keith McCarthy.

McCarthy was working that night and was just about to address a suspected issue on the roof.

“I heard two loud noises and when I heard the second noise the building shook,” said McCarthy. “And I knew, oh man, we just got hit by a car.”

The crash damaged much of the southwest corner of the restaurant and forced it to shut down for three and a half months. The nearly 50-person staff was suddenly out of work.

That’s when a neighboring restaurant, ‘Employees Only’ stepped in to help.

“In the industry, we want to take care of each other,” said Employees Only owner and operator Tom Sopit.

Sopit and several liquor distributors teamed up to host a late November fundraiser helping out the Jones staff.

“We had a line down the block until 1 am,” Sopit said. The fundraiser was able to raise over $11,000.

“There was a lot of support for the community, people definitely wanted to help them out and we just gave them an avenue to do so,” said Sopit. “It was a fun night, the employees walked away with a good chunk of change and that was a blessing for everybody.”

With support from the community, every member of the nearly 50-person staff plans to return when the restaurant re-opens. In more good news, McCarthy said the phone’s been ringing all day, adding that they’re fully booked through Thursday night.

“A lot of people spend a lot of time here so I think we’re missed,” said McCarthy. “We’re lucky. A lot of restaurants aren’t as fortunate as we are.”

Jones is now open daily from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Formosa Avenue in West Hollywood.

Deputies responded to the 7300 block of Santa Monica Boulevard around 1:20 a.m. Feb. 15 after a report of an assault with a deadly weapon. The assault stemmed from an argument between the ambassador and two people who are seen carrying flashlights and walking a dog in security camera video, sheriff’s officials said.

As the two people pass the ambassador, they appear to exchange words before a fight that spilled from the sidewalk into the street. The attackers used their flashlights and pepper spray in the assault, authorities said.

The man was identified by authorities as a Security Ambassador who is part of a public safety program in West Hollywood. The blue-shirted Security Ambassadors provide the city with supplemental law enforcement services.

He was on his lunch break at the time and wearing his Security Ambassador uniform, authorities said. After a few seconds of scuffling, he appeared to fend off the two individuals.

“We believe that the suspects recognized him as a Security Ambassador with the city,” sheriff’s Capt. Bill Moulder said.

One of the attackers was arrested that evening. The second person is still wanted by authorities.

“West Hollywood Station deputies located one suspect and arrested them for the assault,” according to a sheriff’s department statement. “The second suspect remains outstanding and has yet to be identified.”

The name of the suspect in custody was not released. The individual sought by authorities was described as a man, approximately 30 to 40 years old, 5-foot-10, and 190 lbs.

“This kind of assault, it was a pretty vicious assault, and so there is an urgency to find this individual,” Moulder said.

Details about the ambassador’s injuries were not available.

Anyone with information regarding the assault was urged to contact Detective J. Morales at 310-358-4058 or jjmorale@lasd.org. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit
p3tips.com.

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Renovations will begin next month, converting the old motel into 20 rooms of interim housing. The unhoused can stay between 30 and 90 days as they work to find a permanent home.

“This is just the pathway, so we can continue to be helping all of our local and fellow community members experiencing homelessness get on to that next path in their life,” West Hollywood Mayor John Erickson said.

The project is possible with the help of city funds and state dollars through Project Roomkey. The county has also been helping with the effort.

“We all see it. We all talk about it. But let’s be a part of the solution together,” Erickson said. “We have to do all that we can to help people experiencing homelessness, and this is one of our tools in our toolbelt that we will be using to ensure that we are doing this.”

Long Beach Jan 30

Long Beach begins creating city's first youth homeless shelter

Homelessness Jan 24

LA, Orange Counties begin homeless count

The motel will be run by the non-profit Ascenia, which will staff the site 24/7 while providing supportive programs and help the unhoused search for permanent homes.

People across the city have mixed feelings about the plans.

“I would prefer that this doesn’t come to this neighborhood,” Judy Arpadi said. “I understand it’s already an issue with the homeless people. I don’t like walking around here after dark, and I think that would just exacerbate the issue.”

“I think it’s great on one hand, but on the other, I don’t think it’s going to solve anything,” Agnew Wilson said. “Everybody’s happy to see homeless interim housing put in, but it’s like a small, little, tiny bucket for the thousands of people that are homeless out on the street.”

But there are many people, including Jack Ritter, who support the project.

“We need to be doing more of this sort of thing,” Jack Ritter said. “I think probably the only way to maybe not solve it, but maybe help it is to do things like this and converting unused buildings into spaces for homeless people to live in.”

The city hopes to have people moving into the old motel by the end of the year.

Even though her iPhone location has been showing up at a home in Los Angeles, she hasn’t been able to get any of her belongings back five days later.

Julie Miller said she filed a report with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and has tried reaching out to Uber for help. NBC4 interviewed Miller from a hospital bed as she continues to battle an infection.

“I had a catheter in my chest that got infected that they took out yesterday,” Miller told NBC4. “It’s scary to think he has the keys to my house and he knows where I live.” 

She said it happened Thursday morning at 10:15 when her car dealership ordered an Uber to pick her up at her condo building in West Hollywood.

“My dog here was coming with me. I had a big bag. It was a Gucci bag, which I think is why I was a target,” Miller explained. “She shimmied out of her harness. I put the purse in the back of the car, and I said, ‘Can you wait a second?’ And, he said ‘No problem.’”

She said when she went to grab her dog, the driver, with a 4.99 star rating on the app, took off.

“And within an hour, he had siphoned almost $1,000 out of my bank account,” she said, adding that he also took her passport, key, and iPhone.

“He’s an idiot. He has my phone still on, so I’ve tracked him to this address a couple of times,” Miller showed NBC4 on her iPad.

Miller said she filed the report with the West Hollywood Division of LASD, but the address her iPhone frequently shows up at is in the LAPD’s jurisdiction.

“I called LAPD, staked out the joint like I was one of Charlie’s Angels, and knocked on doors with my collie stick just in case. Showed the neighbors pictures, went down every driveway looking for his car,” Miller said.

It’s been five days, and she still hasn’t been able to find him. Before the interview, she said she had not been able to speak with a representative from Uber.

“Maybe he thought I had a lot of money because I had a Gucci bag or whatever, which I don’t… and that he can just go about his business… and nobody’s doing anything,” Miller said fighting tears.

A spokesperson for Uber told NBC 4 in an email, “We have a 24/7 customer support team ready to help with any issues, including lost items, and we are continuing to look into the rider’s report.”

NBC4 is also waiting to hear more details from police and the sheriff’s department.

The bookstores are widely recognized for bringing in world-class authors for talks and autographs. It is the oldest and largest independent bookstore in SoCal. Vroman’s and Book Soup have shown resilience, surviving a pandemic and navigating through an ever-changing retail landscape that closed the chapter of dozens of independent booksellers.

Joel Sheldon said he’s ready for a new adventure after owning the brick-and-mortar bookstores for over five decades.

The owner said he’s looking carefully at all buyers, making sure their passion for the place is the same as his. “We hope the only changes are positive changes with enthusiasm and maybe some new ideas,” said Sheldon.

Customers were also assured that they would not see a difference for the time being. “Hours are the same, everything’s the same. We’re not changing a thing at the moment,” said Sheldon.

That news comes as a relief to loyal fans like Rhonda Williams, who said her memories date back to her childhood, picking up newspapers for her grandparents and trotting upstairs to ‘will-call’ for her mom.

“I thought that was the greatest thing, for a nine-year-old to go and buy a book for their parents,” said Williams.

Those memories are what Sheldon says he wouldn’t change for the world.

“The whole idea of this is to continue the legacy of Vroman’s in the Southern California community,” said Sheldon.

Vroman’s bookstore was opened in 1894 by Adam Clark Vroman who moved to Pasadena from the state of Illinois in hopes that the weather would improve his wife’s health.

When Vroman passed away in 1916 he left the bookstore to longtime employees, one of which was Sheldon’s great-grandfather.

Deputies responded to the 9000 block of Rangely Avenue shortly after midnight Friday to a report of an attempted burglary, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said. The suspect, Hardy Arriaza, allegedly followed a woman who was entering her apartment and got into brief struggle with her, with the woman escaping into a neighbor’s apartment, the department said.

Sheriff’s officials said deputies responded to the 9000 block a second time around 1:55 a.m. to another call of a residential burglary.

“The same suspect removed a kitchen window at a nearby residence. The victim heard the suspect and screamed as he entered her residence. The suspect continued to enter the residence and threatened the victim. The victim was able to flee her apartment,” the department said in a statement.

Investigators identified Arriaza as the same suspect from the previous investigation. He was later located by West Hollywood deputies inside the victim’s residence and was taken into custody.

Anyone with information regarding the burglaries or similar offenses was urged to contact Detective Zeff at 310-358-4033 or bgzeff@lasd.org. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

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As we map out the year ahead, or at least attempt to make a few meaningful inroads where our goals are concerned, we might consider those special and spirited occasions that are already pre-mapped for us.

After all, having anyone provide us helpful perimeters in a time of such sheer openness — that would be the start of a new year — is always a good thing.

And the bike-loving buffs at CicLAvia are doing just that with the unveiling of the first map of 2024.

CicLAvia, of course, is all about people biking/strolling/skating along major streets that have been closed to motorized traffic. Popping up every now and again — think three or four times a year — CicLAvia regularly attracts thousands of participants.

It’s free, too; no ticket/reservation/booking is required.

So where will you be pedaling or perambulating on the final Sunday of February?

CicLAvia will rose, er, rise to the moment on Melrose Avenue.

The shop-strong, iconoclastic, club-fun, oh-so-itself thoroughfare will be in the late-winter spotlight, giving participants the chance to pedal from Fairfax Avenue to Vermont Avenue.

That’s four miles in all, and, as any Melrose maven knows, there will be plenty to stop and savor along the way, with restaurants, shopping, entertainment, and attractions beckoning bicyclists off the road.

There will be three hubs in all, giving everyone a chance to stretch, chat with other locals, pick up community info, and bask in the sunshine (fingers crossed on that topic, of course).

By the by, the Feb. 25 event is the 50th CicLAvia outing.

The popular spokes-and-sneakers spectacular kicked the kickstand up in October 2010 and has never looked back; a host of neighborhoods, from the Heart of Los Angeles to South Los Angeles to The Valley, have been visited, and with some return frequency, too.

“The moment that we met them and they walked through our home, we felt that instant connection,” said Chung.

The couple signed a three-month agreement with the Compass agent to sell their four-story West Hollywood condo. They’d already bought a new house, so they needed to sell their condo fast. 

“We took a calculated risk that we would put everything we have into the new house. But we would be okay, because we really believed this house would sell really quickly,” said Schwid.

And it did. The couple left town so Isbell could show the home. Two days later, they got an offer and entered into escrow. But within a matter of days, they were hit with a major problem. 

“We received frantic text messages and calls from our neighbor saying that there were fire alarms going off and water was leaking out of our house,” said Chung.

Schwid and Chung raced home to find the sprinklers on the third floor had activated, flooding the entire home and destroying nearly everything. They said it’ll cost $200,000 to put the home back together. 

The couple slowly started to piece together what they believe happened. 

“I walked past the fireplace and noticed the switch to the fireplace was on. Which I found very strange. Is this what caused it? Did someone turn the fireplace on?” said Schwid.  

A remediation company also noticed the fireplace switch and took a picture.

The next big clue: the natural gas bill, broken down hour by hour. It shows there was no gas usage in the unit, but it spiked just after home security video shows Isbell arrived at the home for a showing. It then stayed that way for the next four days, while no one was in the unit. Finally, the sprinklers activated. 

“Our best guess is that the fireplace remained on for four days. It heated the room to about 135 degrees, which is what triggers the fire sprinklers to break and explode. And that water is what ruined everything in our house,” said Schwid. 

Schwid and Chung told Isbell and Compass what they found. They said both have dodged them. The couple said they then asked Isbell and Compass to walk away from the deal, allowing them to work with another agent. But they say they refused. 

“We feel both abandoned and trapped at the same time,” said Schwid.

Meanwhile, the couple is carrying two mortgages, and they don’t know when their condo will close. But they do know that if they sell to the original buyer, who’s still interested, Compass will collect more than $100,000 in commission, with a portion of that going to Isbell. 

“We thought they had a reputation for service and integrity and honesty,” said Schwid.

The I-Team reached out to Compass and Matt Isbell. Isbell said he didn’t want to comment on the couple’s allegations. Compass told us it would not discuss the matter publicly, but that it would try to resolve it through mediation. Since then, the two sides did try to mediate, but Schwid and Chung said they got nowhere. 

Real estate attorney Stephen Vokshori said most brokers carry an errors and omissions insurance policy, to cover incidents like this. The I-Team asked Compass why it wasn’t filing a claim, but it didn’t answer our question. 

Vokshori says Schwid and Chung’s next step it to sue. 

“I think they’ve got a great case. I’d be asking for them to be made whole. So you’ve got your carrying costs for your mortgage, your property taxes, you’re probably going to have attorneys fees,” he said.

Schwid and Chung don’t want to take legal action, but they feel it’s the only was to hold Compass accountable. 

“It’s just so tragic that this is the end memory of it. It’s so unfair this is how we have to say goodbye to it,” said Chung. 

The home on Sierra Bonita Avenue near Santa Monica Boulevard is still standing but red tagged by the city as unsafe. The property caught fire almost two weeks ago and there is a heavy ash smell in the air.

Now, neighbors are worried and they want it cleaned up.

The odor forced neighbors like Olga Cross to stay indoors. 

“We cannot have fresh air in our unit because the fire is so intense,” Cross said. “It’s a health hazard. People are having trouble breathing, eyes tearing up sneezing and coughing and nothing is being done.” 

On Monday night, several neighbors expressed their frustration to the West Hollywood city council hoping to get the property cleaned up but they say nothing was done. Stefanie LaHart lives next door to the burned home and says it’s been a nightmare even before the fire. 

“We have been dealing with trespassing garbage buildup and all transients coming in and fights,” LaHart said. 

A city spokesperson told NBCLA an active Code Enforcement investigation is underway and have even placed block by block security Ambassadors at the home around the clock for safety reasons. When NBC4 reached out for more information, the request was denied.  

LaHart says she will keep speaking up until her next door eye sore is gone – even creating an online blog to document any steps taken because she says placing a security ambassador is not enough. 

“We know it’s causing a health risk and they are sitting there without protection and I gave them a box of face masks, LaHart said. 

NBC4 reached out to LA County fire for an official cause of the fire but have not heard back. NBC4 also reached out to the property representative listed. but we were told they no longer have the listing. 

No one was injured, but the crash Thursday morning damaged Trendsetters Barber Shop in the 1200 block of North La Brea Avenue.

The dramatic scene unfolded when a pickup with no one inside rolled out of a gas station across the street. Video showed the driver running alongside the extended cab pickup, trying to stop it before it rolled across traffic lanes, hopped a curb and collided with the storefront.

An employee and customer were inside the barbershop when window glass shattered as the pickup partially entered the business, knocking over a large vending machine. Video showed the employee appear to spin the chair in which the customer was reclined out of the way as the vending machine narrowly missed them.

The shop remained closed Monday for repairs

“Thankfully no one was hurt. Minor setback but we’ll have a MAJOR comeback,” Trendsetters said in an Instagram post.

It was not immediately clear whether the truck was left in neutral or there was a mechanical malfunction.

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In a post on its Instagram page, the iconic venue announced this week it would be under new ownership.

“Never did I think when I started going to the abbey 20 years ago would I own it,” said new owner Tristan Schukraft. “I am very honored to take over the reigns for David Cooley and the legacy that he has built here in the community.”

The Abbey has been known as an LGBTQ+ landmark not only in West Hollywood, but around the world, since David Cooley founded it more than 30 years ago. 

In a statement, Cooley said, “The Abbey is more than just a bar. Its been a sanctuary for the LGBTQ+ community through tough and good times alike, from the AIDS crisis to the fight for Marriage Equality and Transgender Rights.”

Cooley added it was time for a new person to lead and that he trusts Schukraft to look after the community, guests and the team.

Despite the deal, long-time management team and employees will stay in place.

The sale will be finalized within a few months and Schukraft said he will be working with Cooley during this time for a smooth transition

“I am excited to make it a space for all in the community, so other people can say the same years from now,” said Schukraft.

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Road closures will make it difficult to get to the event via car. Available meter parking and structures are sprinkled around town but space is limited.

Carnaval-goers are invited to take public transportation or a rideshare service.

West Hollywood’s ride service The Pickup and Cityline shuttles will be offering modified routes for the event throughout the night.

To avoid being stuck in nightmarish traffic, use this map to find your way to the Halloween Carnaval:

Thousands of Angelenos are expected to attend the Halloween Carnaval as it makes its return to the city following a two-year break.

The event will begin at 6 p.m. and go on until 11 p.m. although many roads will remain closed until the next day early morning. Below is a list of street closures provided by the city of West Hollywood.

Street closures for the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval

• North San Vicente Boulevard between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue from 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday to no later than 7 a.m. on Wednesday.
• All alleyways between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue from 12:01 a.m. Tuesday to no later than 7 a.m. on Wednesday.
• Santa Monica Boulevard between North Croft Avenue/Holloway Drive and North Doheny Drive from 10 a.m. on Tuesday through 6 a.m. Wednesday.
• La Cienega Boulevard between Holloway Drive and Willoughby Avenue from 10 a.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday.
• North San Vicente Boulevard between Santa Monica Boulevard and Cynthia Street from 10 a.m. on Tuesday trough 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
• North Robertson Boulevard between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue from 10 a.m. on Tuesday through 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
• North La Peer Drive between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue from 10 a.m. on Tuesday through 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
• North Almont Drive between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue from 10 a.m. on Tuesday through 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
• Sunset Boulevard eastbound and westbound turn lanes onto southbound La Cienega Boulevard from 10 a.m. Tuesday through 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Residential permit parking will be lifted citywide between 11 a.m. Tuesday and 12 p.m. Wednesday.

The West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval, a free street celebration first launched in 1987, is back after a two-year break due to the COVID pandemic. The event draws thousands of visitors from throughout Southern California and beyond for a Halloween costume party in the heart of West Hollywood.

Here’s what to know about this year’s event.

When is the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval?

The Halloween Carnaval is Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Street closures go into effect earlier Tuesday. Scroll down for a full list of when and where.

Where is the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval?

The event is on a one-mile stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard between North Doheny Drive and North La Cienega Boulevard. A stage is set up at Santa Monica Boulevard and North San Vicente Boulevard, where DJs will perform. Celebrations also are planned at area bars, restaurants and entertainment venues.

Street closures for the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval

Below is a list of street closures provided by the city of West Hollywood.

• North San Vicente Boulevard between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue from 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday to no later than 7 a.m. on Wednesday.
• All alleyways between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue from 12:01 a.m. Tuesday to no later than 7 a.m. on Wednesday.
• Santa Monica Boulevard between North Croft Avenue/Holloway Drive and North Doheny Drive from 10 a.m. on Tuesday through 6 a.m. Wednesday.
• La Cienega Boulevard between Holloway Drive and Willoughby Avenue from 10 a.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday.
• North San Vicente Boulevard between Santa Monica Boulevard and Cynthia Street from 10 a.m. on Tuesday trough 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
• North Robertson Boulevard between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue from 10 a.m. on Tuesday through 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
• North La Peer Drive between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue from 10 a.m. on Tuesday through 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
• North Almont Drive between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue from 10 a.m. on Tuesday through 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
• Sunset Boulevard eastbound and westbound turn lanes onto southbound La Cienega Boulevard from 10 a.m. Tuesday through 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Residential permit parking will be lifted citywide between 11 a.m. Tuesday and 12 p.m. Wednesday.

Rules to know

• No alcohol or public drinking will be allowed.
• No backpacks, camera cases, tote bags, etc. will be permitted. Clear plastic bags will be allowed.
• No weapons, fireworks, or drones.
• Children and pets are strongly discouraged.

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Deputies from the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station were responding to a burglary call just before the crash occurred at 4:38 p.m. Deputies began a pursuit of the burglary suspect near San Vicente Boulevard and Cynthia Street, where investigators say the burglar made a U-turn and slammed into the deputies’ vehicle.

Both deputies were taken to Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where one is listed in serious but stable condition and the other is recovering from minor injuries, authorities said.

“These suspects obviously were trying to get away, they were dangerous. Deputies tried to intercede and they got injured while trying to do that to protect our community,” Sheriff Robert Luna said.

Authorities said Friday that they are searching for the driver of a black Dodger Challenger with a Nevada license plate. The car might be missing its front plate.

Wending your way along damp stone passageways, the kind of corridors that crisscross through atmospheric old castles, can be an exercise in delights and frights, but if you’d rather go straight to the delight part?

Best skip the whole wending element and make for one of West Hollywood’s most notable niteries, E.P. & L.P., for a pop-up experience inspired by one of literature’s best-known horror characters.

Well, literature and film, of course, and just about every other frightful facet of pop culture: It’s Frankenstein’s monster we’re talking about, author Mary Shelly’s famous figure of dread.

While we’re apt to see more than one person applying costume neckbolts and rocking stacked shoes come October, there are few places where a lab-themed look is fashioning the glowing green scene of our dreams… and nightmares.

E.P. & L.P. is up for the Frank fun this Halloween season, thanks to a temporary, not-too-terrifying overlay at the rooftop bar.

The venue is lavishly lit in emerald hues, as befits the monster’s famous appearance, and the menu has five lab-ations, er, libations that pay homage to the story via each drink’s name.

The Igor, a nod to Dr. Frankenstein’s assistant, is a rum and blue Gatorade fantasia, while It’s Alive features Empress gin and orgeat, as well as other tempting additions.

A ticket is $23 — that includes a cocktail or non-alcoholic choice, if you prefer — while tables for two to four people may also be reserved for a separate fee.

Food is on the menu, too, for an additional price. Seasoned waffle fries, a cheeseburger, tacos, and other snacky options will keep things… lively at your table.

Upping the sense you’ve stepped inside a story of old? Tarot readings are also available if you’re seeking to heighten the velvety mood.

Best book your ticket faster than lightning strikes by visiting the Bucketlisters site.

Officers responded shortly before 10:30 a.m. Monday to the Barakat Gallery in the 900 block of North La Cienega Boulevard, between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, regarding a burglary, authorities said.

The statue from Japan’s Edo Period of 1603-1867 was stolen around 3:45 a.m. Monday, according to surveillance footage.

The thief broke into the entrance through a driveway gate and used a dolly to move the statue onto a truck within 25 minutes, officials said.

In addition to the Los Angeles location, Barakat also has galleries in London and Seoul.

Anyone with information about the stolen sculpture was urged to contact the Los Angeles Police Department at 1-877-275-5273.

The app, called SafeStop Driver, allows people who are pulled over to request a video call with deputies before they approach the vehicle. It’s an attempt to make traffic stops safer for everyone.

“Traffic stops are one of the most common and scrutinized law enforcement interactions between law enforcement and your community,” SafeStop Driver cofounder Jackson Lallas said during a video interview. “And with SafeStop, we kind of turn them on their head by starting them with a video call much like the one we’re having right now.”

Here’s how it works: people who are pulled over in West Hollywood can go to the SafeStop Driver app and call the deputy. The deputy will then get pinged, and if they determine it is safe to take a video call, they will do it before they ever approach the vehicle. 

“It’s just kind of an initial contact, certainly to allay any concerns from the driver and for the deputy, for any concerns about who they’re encountering – you know, if the car has tinted windows, we have no idea how many people are in the vehicle,” said West Hollywood sheriff’s station Capt. Bill Moulder said.

For privacy reasons, only the person who is pulled over can start the video call. In other words, deputies can’t start the call with the person they pulled over.

Additionally, the deputy doesn’t have to take the call. If the circumstances are not safe, they will not do it.

West Hollywood will pilot the app for the next six months. Lallas said that if it helps the community and is successful, they will try to roll it out all over the region and potentially nationwide.

The minimum wage in West Hollywood is $19.08 as of July, with some residents saying that’s not a living wage for the city. Local business owners, however, said they are unable to keep up with those wages and paid time off policies, and are even considering shutting down.

“We’re going to have to cut down the amount of hours, we’re going to have to cut down the amount of employees that we have for shifts, the wait times may increase, we’re going to do whatever we can to survive,” said Dimitri Komarov, co-owner of Tail O’ The Pup on Santa Monica Boulevard.

According to the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, business owners in the city banded together to make their voices heard. More than 50 businesses signed a letter with several requests for city leaders to pause future minimum wage increases and rollback on paid time off requirements.

Right now, the city’s policy requires employers provide at least 96 hours in compensated hours for full time employees and compensated hours in “increments proportional to that accrued by someone who works 40 hours in a week” for part-time employees.

“Most of our businesses in the critical state of business meeting that we recently had with city staff have said that they are looking at laying off 20% of their workforce just to adjust to the new expenses that they are facing,” said Genevieve Morrill, CEO of the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

One local restaurant worker said business owners aren’t the only ones struggling. Despite West Hollywood having one of the highest minimum wages in the U.S., workers still feel financially strapped.

“I’m renting a room from a friend, so that helps me with rent but even at that price point, with my rent, I still have moments where I’m like do I pay for this or pay my rent? Do I buy this or pay my rent,” said Christopher Lillian, who works at an area restaurant.

Right now, the search for some sort of middle ground remains.

“We love West Hollywood,” Komarov said. “We love the city, they’ve been very good to us on many levels, but I think they need to re-think some of these policies. Otherwise, it’s going to be very hard for many businesses to survive.”

37-year-old Andrey Thanh Nguyen — also known as “Cosmo” — has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of rape by use of drugs, three counts of sexual penetration by anesthesia or controlled substance and one count each of forcible rape, oral copulation by anesthesia or controlled substance, sexual battery and sale/transportation/offer to sell a controlled substance, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

The charges stem from alleged attacks on five women between the ages of 18 and 21 in 2021 and 2023, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Nguyen was arrested Wednesday by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Surveillance/Apprehension Team, and he has remained behind bars since then, jail records show.

“The violence and trauma that the five survivors in this case endured is abhorrent and will not be tolerated,” Gascón said in a statement announcing the case.

Authorities asked anyone with information about the case or any other alleged additional victims to contact the sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau at 877-710-5273 or by email at specialvictimsbureau@lasd.org, or to call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS, or use the website.

The men stole the victim’s phone and wallet at about 12:30 a.m. July 19 in the 800 block of Larrabee Street. The location near restaurants, nightclubs and other businesses is one block east of the intersection of Santa Monica and San Vicente boulevards.

In security camera video, the men were seen approaching the victim and holding him at gunpoint. He was pushed against a fence as the men took his belongings.

Detectives released the video this week in an effort to identify the robbers.

Anyone with information regarding the armed robbery was urged to contact West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station Detective Candie Gonzales at 310-358-4011 or by email at c2mgonza@lasd.org. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

A presentation of honors for Pride icons and allies was also scheduled. The honorees are model/activist Laith Ashley, who will receive the Breakthrough Icon Award; actress Niecy Nash-Betts and wife Jessica Betts, who will receive the Trailblazer Icon honor; and actress Melissa McCarthy, who was named WeHo Pride’s 2023 Ally Icon. “RuPaul’s Drag Race” will be celebrated as this year’s Drag Icon, with show host/judge Michelle Visage expected to accept the honor on behalf of the program.

“Our WeHo Pride Parade Icons embody queer joy and fierce allyship by creating spaces where our community can be celebrated, whether that’s on the red carpet or directly through their art and advocacy,” West Hollywood Mayor Sepi Shyne said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to celebrate the impact our Icons have in creating a more evolved and accepting world.”

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The WeHo Pride Street Fair runs from noon to 10 p.m. Sunday at Santa Monica and San Vicente boulevards, featuring an array of LGBTQ+ community groups and allied organizations.

WeHo Pride weekend officially began Friday with a “Friday Night @OUTLOUD” concert at West Hollywood Park featuring Idina Menzel, Jessie Ware, Shangela and Tinashe. Grace Jones headlined Saturday night’s concert and Carly Rae Jepsen will headline Sunday night.

Saturday’s event included the Women’s Freedom Festival, with performances from “emerging LGBTQ and BIPOC women and non-binary musicians, comedians, poets and activists.” The festival was followed at 6 p.m. by the annual Dyke March.

Sunday’s parade along Santa Monica Boulevard began at Crescent Heights Boulevard and was set to move west to Robertson Boulevard.

Streets throughout the festival area were closed, and attendees were urged to review parking and access information online at www.wehopride.com. The city will provide free shuttle service during the weekend to transport people to WeHo Pride events. Information is available at https://go.wehopride.com/3qfnasc.

San Vicente Boulevard will be closed until 10 a.m. Monday from Melrose Avenue to Santa Monica Boulevard.

Parking facilities in the area of West Hollywood Park — the five-story parking structure, the Library Garage, Aquatic and Recreation Center Garage and the Plummer Park South and Robertson lots — will remain closed until Monday.

Other streets closed for the event are:
 — Eastbound Santa Monica Boulevard from North La Cienega Boulevard to North Doheny Drive through 7 a.m. Monday;
— Robertson Boulevard from Santa Monica Boulevard to Melrose Avenue through 7 a.m. Monday;
— Westbound Santa Monica Boulevard from North La Cienega Boulevard to North Doheny Drive through 7 a.m. Monday; and
— San Vicente Boulevard from Santa Monica Boulevard to Cynthia Street through 10 a.m. Monday. Santa Monica Boulevard was closed from Fairfax Avenue to Doheny Drive
— including side streets one block north and one block south of Santa Monica — from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday to accommodate the parade.

Tens of thousands of people showed up Saturday for the annual WeHo Pride festival, billed as one of the largest celebrations of LGBTQ+ pride in the world, but two attendees wound up behind bars.

Hunter Lee Darling was identified as the suspect in a cell phone robbery April 19 at the West Hollywood library. An arrest warrant was issued for Darling on May 31, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Information Bureau.

Deputies spotted Darling at a Saturday Pride event, arrested him and booked him for suspicion of robbery, vandalism and battery, sheriff’s officials said. A friend of Darling, Abby Nicole Thomas, was arrested for allegedly interfering and obstructing an arrest after attempting to keep deputies from
taking Darling into custody, authorities said.

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WeHo Pride Weekend: One of California’s most celebrated Pride festivals is here, with three days of music, shopping, meet-ups, marches, art shows, and community events. The popular WeHo Pride Street Fair is happening on both June 3 and 4, with the WeHo Pride Parade scheduled for June 4 (Santa Monica Boulevard between N. Crescent Heights Boulevard and N. Robertson Boulevard is the route). For all of the happenings, including the creative fun set to continue beyond the weekend and throughout the month around the city, click here.

27th Annual Gilmore Heritage Auto Show: The Original Farmers Market is synonymous with so many sweet celebrations, but for lovers of classic cars, this early June jamboree really takes the cake, er, brake. For dozens of well-maintained vehicles will park around the public market, all to give visitors a chance to look closer. In the spotlight? Woodies and vintage wagons. The date? Vroom-vroom: Be at Third & Fairfax on Saturday, June 3. Your entry price? Free, yay.

Downtown Burbank Arts Festival: Jackalope, the mondo “Indie Artisan Fair,” is famous for hopping by Pasadena twice a year, but it also has a biannual date with beautiful Burbank. Admission is free, over 180 vendors will be purveying all sorts of pretty handmade items, from tees to toys, and your pet is welcome (just make sure your furry pal is leashed). Also nice: This is a two-day to-do, unfurling on June 3 and 4.

Monsterpalooza: It’s seriously gloomy out (goodbye, May Gray and hello, June Gloom) and Halloween is in the air, thanks in large part to the return of this oh-so-frightful convention. Movie make-up, the kind that brings on-screen creatures to shivery life, is a focus, but so are vendors, star sightings, and lots more. Flap like a bat (or the flying beastie of your choice) for the Pasadena Convention Center, where the monsters will be monstering from June 2-4.

“Living in a Wildlife Corridor”: This new Descanso Gardens exhibit, presented in partnership with the Arroyo & Foothills Conservancy, ponders the amazing critters that live in our hills, canyons, and all around us. Exquisite photos and poignant paintings fill the show, which opens at the leafy location’s historical Boddy House on June 3. Love our big cats, hooting owls, and other fabulous fauna? Check it out through Oct. 1, 2023.

The three-day WeHo Pride Weekend starts Friday and will feature a street fair, concerts and other events at West Hollywood Park, which closed Monday. West Hollywood Park is not expected to reopen until 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The city will provide free shuttle service during the weekend. Information is available here.

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Here’s what drivers should know about street closures.

• Beginning at 7 p.m., San Vicente Boulevard will be closed from Melrose Avenue to Santa Monica Boulevard, with the closure remaining in place through 10 a.m. Monday.
• Eastbound Santa Monica Boulevard will close from North La Cienega Boulevard to North Doheny Drive from noon Friday through 7 a.m. Monday.
• Robertson Boulevard will close from Santa Monica Boulevard to Melrose Avenue from 3 p.m. Friday through 7 a.m. Monday.
• Westbound Santa Monica Boulevard will be closed from North La Cienega Boulevard to North Doheny Drive from 6 a.m. Saturday through 7 a.m. Monday.
• San Vicente Boulevard will be closed from Santa Monica Boulevard to Cynthia Street from 6 a.m. Saturday through 10 a.m. Monday.
• Santa Monica Boulevard will be closed from Fairfax Avenue to Doheny Drive, including side streets one block north and one block south of Santa Monica Boulevard, from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday to accommodate the WeHo Pride Parade.

WeHo Pride events will begin Friday with “Friday Night @OUTLOUD,” a concert at West Hollywood Park featuring Idina Menzel, Jessie Ware, Shangela and Tinashe. OUTLOUD concerts will continue over the weekend, with Grace Jones headlining on Saturday and Carly Rae Jepsen headlining Sunday.

Saturday’s event will also include the Women’s Freedom Festival, including performances from “emerging LGBTQ and BIPOC women and non-binary musicians, comedians, poets and activists.” The festival will be followed at 6 p.m. by the annual Dyke March.

The WeHo Pride Street Fair will run from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Santa Monica and San Vicente boulevards, featuring an array of LGBTQ+ community groups and allied organizations.

Sunday’s event will be highlighted by the WeHo Pride Parade at noon. Honorees during the parade will be model/activist Laith Ashley, who will receive the Breakthrough Icon Award; actress Niecy Nash-Betts and wife Jessica Betts, who will receive the Trailblazer Icon honor; and actress Melissa McCarthy, who was named WeHo Pride’s 2023 Ally Icon. “RuPaul’s Drag Race” will celebrated as this year’s Drag Icon, with show host/judge Michelle Visage expected to accept the honor on behalf of the program.

The parade along Santa Monica Boulevard will begin at Crescent Heights Boulevard and move west to Robertson Boulevard.

Parking facilities in the area — the five-story parking structure, the Library Garage, Aquatic and Recreation Center Garage and the Plummer Park South and Robertson lots — will also close at 7 p.m. Thursday and remain closed until Monday.

Larisa Pereshivaylova, a 57-year-old nurse, died Sunday, according to her 21-year-old son, Max Buydakov. After the shooting – in which she was struck twice – Pereshivaylova was diagnosed with liver cancer, for which she was not able to seek treatment due to her injuries, Buydakov said.

Her son said one bullet damaged her kidney, liver and spine, and the other landed in her neck.

“She was my pillar of support, both mentally, emotionally, financially,” Buydakov said.

The sheriff’s department said that on April 7, Joshua Findlay, Pereshivaylova’s neighbor across the hall, fired multiple shots in his unit at the Dylan Apartment Complex. The bullets went through the wall and hit Pereshivaylova in the kitchen next door as she was cooking breakfast.

Buydakov said his mother called 911 and then called him.

As emergency responders rushed Pereshivaylova to the hospital, dozens of deputies, the SWAT team and a sheriff’s department helicopter tried to get Findley into custody.

However, Findley, who already had two warrants for his arrest unrelated to the incident, had taken off. 

“It feels like these days it doesn’t matter how much of a crime lord or a criminal you are. As long as you have money, you can get yourself into a luxury apartment,” Buydakov said.

It took more than a month for investigators to make the arrest.

While the investigation continued, Pereshivaylova was initially discharged, then re-admitted to the hospital. After the shooting, doctors informed that she also had liver cancer.

“And she wasn’t able to seek treatment after she was diagnosed, because of the consequences of getting shot in her liver and her spine,” Buydakov said.

Ultimately, her condition worsened and Pereshivaylova died Sunday night.

“She wasn’t able to speak for close to a week now, but about a week ago she asked me – I’m fairly certain these were her last words – she said, ‘Don’t you think it’s time for me to go, for you to let me go?”

Buydakov was at his mother’s side on her deathbed. He said he apologized to her because she could not receive the treatment she needed.

On top of it all, Buydakov said he’s hardly heard from the Dylan; they just dropped off a gift basket when he wasn’t home. The 21-year-old college senior said he would have felt better had the company not given anything and instead sent people to visit him at the apartment.

Buydakov was close to his mother, with whom he lived. Pereshivaylova was born in Russia but raised her son in Los Angeles. Buydakov said no other family members live in the United States.

“I’m trying to take things one step at a time, but it’s overwhelming,” he said.

He has set up an online fundraiser to help with the expenses associated with his mother’s death.

“We still have to pay rent and I’m unemployed. I am a full-time student and I have been since I enrolled in school, and now I have to cover the cost of funerals, of burials, of all sorts of legal things,” Buydakov said.

Findlay remains in custody. NBC4 reached out online and over the phone, trying to reach the Dylan management to ask how Findley was able to even live at the complex and about their response in the days after the shooting. They did not reply.

Buydakov said his mother didn’t want to be remembered for the shooting but for her impact as a nurse and her help for so many patients.