WEST HOLLYWOOD—On August 15, 2025, deputies assigned to the West Hollywood Sheriff Station arrived in the area surrounding Westmount Drive and Rosewood Avenue in response to a report that a bicyclist had been assaulted.  On May 6, the West Hollywood Sheriff Station announced that a suspect in the case had been arrested.

The suspect was arrested in Los Angeles County by officers from the Major Crimes Bureau and deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department West Hollywood Station.

During the assault, the bicyclist claimed he was riding a bicycle when the suspect threw a knife from a vehicle hitting him in the neck. Investigators commenced an investigation that ultimately led to the arrest of the suspect. The name of the suspect has not been released to the public or details on where the individual was arrested.

By Daniel Diquinzio

SANTA MONICA—At the end of March 2026, the Santa Monica City government announced that the Santa Monica Airport would close on December 31, 2028. On Wednesday, May 6, residents tried to persuade the city government to keep the airport open, who are concerned about job loss including revenue for the city.

Santa Monica intends to convert the land on which the airport sits into open space, including cultural sites and athletic facilities. Residents of Santa Monica who support keeping the Santa Monica Airport open believe that “the airport can help with emergency preparedness” to fight future wildfires, according to KTLA 5 in Los Angeles.

Reasons for the planned closure of Santa Monica Airport include complaints complained about the noise from planes landing and taking off from the runways. In addition, to exhaust from jet engines negatively affecting air quality in the region.

Since the 1970s, there have been several legal disputes where residents of Santa Monica fought against the Federal Aviation Administration’s actions regarding aircraft operations and the use of the Santa Monica Airport’s facilities.

The Santa Monica Airport was built in 1923. Its original name was Clover Field, which was a tribute to the American Aviator and writer Greayer Clover, who served as a pilot in the French Army before he died in 1918. The aircraft company, Donald Douglas, was once based at the Santa Monica Airport.

In the late 1960s, the city of Santa Monica started working with other local airports and the Federal Aviation Administration, and the airport’s name changed from Clover Field to Santa Monica Airport.

According to the terms of the Santa Monica Settlement Agreement, which the city of Santa Monica reached in 2017 with the FAA, the city is legally required to continue operating the Santa Monica Airport until December 31, 2028.

By Daniel Diquinzio

BEVERLY HILLS/WOODLAND HILLS—On Wednesday, May 6 it was announced that a former account manager at a high-end Beverly Hills business management and tax firm was charged in an eight-count federal indictment with embezzling more than $2 million from one of the firm’s celebrity clients.

Frank Musoke, 38, a former resident of Woodland Hills, is charged with five counts of wire fraud and three counts of tax evasion. He is believed to have fled to Uganda, where he has dual citizenship with the United States.

According to the indictment in U.S. District Court, Musoke was employed as an account manager at a full-service business management and tax firm identified in court documents as “Company A.” The Beverly Hills-based firm primarily served high-net-worth celebrities in the entertainment industry.

Musoke was entrusted with managing the complete financial and business affairs of Company A’s elite clientele. His job was to help clients with asset protection, investment strategies, and financial planning to help them preserve and grow their wealth.

The victim, identified in the indictment as “Individual A,” is a well-known television host and producer and had been a Company A client for over 20 years. Musoke was Individual A’s account manager and had full access to Individual A’s financial accounts, including control of his debit cards.

From December 2019 to June 2023, Musoke gained unauthorized access to debit cards and the associated personal identification numbers (PINs) connected to Individual A’s business bank account. Without Individual A’s knowledge or consent, Musoke – in breach of his fiduciary duty – fraudulently used Individual A’s debit cards to withdraw approximately $1,733,688 at a bank’s ATMs, spend $165,270 on Amazon purchases, incur $191,543 in personal travel expenses, and spend more than $160,000 on other personal expenses.

Musoke embezzled more than $2 million from Individual A. Company A terminated Musoke in July 2023, after the fraud was discovered.

From May 2021 to May 2023, Musoke filed false federal income tax returns in which he failed to report a total of approximately $1,766,367 in income he embezzled through the unauthorized use of debit cards.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

If convicted, Musoke would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each tax evasion count.

By Danny Jones

MALIBU—On Tuesday, May 5, the city of Malibu responded to the deaths of two pedestrians killed during collisions. The city learned of two fatal vehicle vs. pedestrian collisions within 16 hours of each other on the same stretch of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) just north of Leo Carrillo State Beach in Los Angeles County, outside the Malibu city limit.

The first pedestrian collision transpired on Monday, May 4, approximately 4:40 a.m. The second pedestrian collision occurred about 8:30 p.m. the same day. No arrests were made; drivers in both incidents stayed on scene and cooperated with law enforcement.

“The City sends its heartfelt condolences to the loved ones of the two people who lost their lives. The City urges all highway users to drive cautiously and watch for pedestrians on PCH, especially at night,” the city of Malibu stated in a Facebook statement.

The names and ages of the victims have not been disclosed to the public.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is conducting an investigation and anyone with details about the collisions should call CHP West Valley at (747) 373-3000.

By Danny Jones

 

 

BEVERLY HILLS—On Tuesday, May 5, the Beverly Hills Police Department responded to an incident involving an individual armed with a gun.

The incident was reported at approximately 12:40 p.m., the Police Department received a report of a man with a gun in the 200 block of South Beverly Drive.

Officers responded promptly to the area and, out of an abundance of caution, initiated evacuations of nearby locations. A thorough and vigilant search of the area was conducted by responding personnel.

Officers determined that there was no evidence to support the presence of an armed individual. The scene was cleared, and there is no ongoing threat to the community.

The BHPD thanked the public and is committed to the safety and security of all residents, businesses and visitors.

By Danny Jones

WEST HOLLYWOOD—On Tuesday, May 5, the city of West Hollywood announced that it is recognizing May as Building Safety Month. It will host a Building and Safety Open House on Tuesday, May 19, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the West Hollywood City Hall Courtyard, located at 8300 Santa Monica Boulevard at N. Sweetzer Avenue.

The community is invited to meet city staff, learn about the work of the Building and Safety Division, and enjoy light refreshments.

Building Safety Month is an international campaign that takes place in May to raise awareness about building safety. It reinforces the adoption of modern, regularly updated building codes, and helps individuals, families, and businesses understand what it takes to create safe and sustainable structures.

West Hollywood’s Building and Safety Division is responsible for the enforcement of the building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical codes as adopted by the West Hollywood City Council. The Building and Safety Division is responsible for enforcement of California State accessibility regulations and energy conservation regulations. The Building and Safety Division reviews and processes building permit applications, performs plan check reviews of construction documents and performs building inspections for construction projects in West Hollywood. These services are provided directly to the community using a variety of methods including a public counter, website, phones, mail, e-mail, and extensive field site visits.

All communities need building codes to protect their citizens from disasters such as fires, earthquakes, weather-related events, and structural collapse. Building codes are the best way of protecting homes, offices, schools, manufacturing facilities, stores, and entertainment venues. Code officials workday in and day out to keep the public safe.

For more details about West Hollywood’s Building and Safety Division, please visit the Building and Safety area on the City’s website or contact Cynthia Zabala, West Hollywood’s Principal Plan Check Engineer, at czabala@weho.org or at (323) 848-6892.

By Danny Jones

WEST HOLLYWOOD—On Friday, May 1, officers with the Los Angeles Police Department chased 4 suspects through West Hollywood, who were later arrested. KTLA Los Angeles reported, all of these suspects were men who are accused of committing an assault with a deadly weapon and fleeing in a BMW sedan.   

An object was thrown from the vehicle during the police chase that started in West Hollywood and later downtown Los Angeles towards Pershing Square. The driver abandoned the sedan, causing the vehicle to crash. 

The Los Angeles Police Department has not released the names of the suspects or their ages. No details about any injuries related to the chase have been disclosed.

By Daniel Diquinzio

HOLLYWOOD HILLS—The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating a break-in that took place a multi-million dollar home in Hollywood Hills on Friday, May 1.

The property is located on Blue Jay Way and the incident transpired shortly after 10 p.m., where over 10 people were detained for attempting to break into the $22 million dollar property, ABC 7 News Los Angeles first reported.

No additional details about the incident and those detained and any items from the break-in taken.

Another incident involving a home invasion transpired on April 23 in the Hollywood Hills West region. The Los Angeles Police Department responded to a call of a possible robbery at a home after 8 p.m. on the 8500 block of Lookout Mountain Avenue.

Two suspects entered the property and demanded money from the female victim in her 70s and strangled her. The victim has been identified as heiress to Budget Rent-A-Car enterprise, which is a car rental company. The victim was transported to local hospital for treatment. The suspects fled the property in a White Honda. The suspects were wearing masks and hoodies during the incident and got away with cash and jewelry.

Actor Dylan Sprouse tackled a trespasser on his Hollywood Hills property on April 17. The suspect was held at gun point by Sprouse until authorities arrived on the scene. There has been a series of break-ins in the San Fernando Valley region in recent weeks with break-ins taking place in Sherman Oaks, Studio City, and other areas.

By Danny Jones

WESTWOOD—On Friday, May 1, the UCLA Police Department announced that a suspect was arrested on April 30 for stealing a scooter. A quick action and strong coordination by UCPD officers led to the arrest of a scooter theft suspect within the hour.

After receiving a report of a lock being cut near Schoenberg Hall, officers used on-scene camera footage to quickly identify the suspect and coordinate a response. Motor officers located the individual nearby, leading to a short pursuit and arrest.

The stolen scooter was recovered; officers were commended for helping to keep the campus community safe.

The UCLA PD is alerting the public that If You See Something, Say Something. Report suspicious activity to UCPD by calling Police Dispatch at (310) 825-1491 or 911 in an emergency.

The name and age of the suspect has not been disclosed to the public.

By Danny Jones

WEST HOLLYWOOD—On Monday, May 4, the city of West Hollywood announced that soccer games will be held at Plummer Park and West Hollywood Park as they are transformed into green spaces into vibrant Fan Zones, complete with live match screenings, food vendors, entertainment and fun for everyone.

Catch the U.S. games, enjoy a beer garden and family-friendly activities, and don’t miss Discofoot, a one-of-a-kind dance-meets-soccer performance bringing serious flair to the field.

Games at Plummer Park will take place from June 12-June 13. Games at West Hollywood Park will take place from June 25-June 28. The event is free and the city of West Hollywood Fan Zones are free public events.

For more details and ways to get involved visit: www.go.weho.org/fanzones.

By Danny Jones