BEL AIR—On September 12, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) issued the latest update on the brush fire that broke out on Wednesday, September 9. Newest reports indicate that after burning 25 acres, firefighters have the fire 90 percent contained. The fire is consuming brush alongside the northbound lane of the 405 freeway near the Getty Center in Bel-Air. LAFD personnel have referred to this fire as the “Getty Fire.” The fire is near the Getty Center, close to the location of the Getty Fire in 2019, which consumed 745 acres of land. On September 11, the 2026 Getty fire update showed 40 percent containment. On September 10, the evacuation was lifted. LAFD Air operations and dozens of LAFD battalions have responded to the call for assistance in extinguishing the fire. A reported $100 million was raised through a FireAid benefit concert. Governor Gavin Newsom has come under severe scrutiny for distributing funds raised for fire victims to local non-profits. Gubernatorial candidate Spencer Pratt asked a question on his X social media page. Why would the John Paul Getty Trust need $500,000 in benefit funds from the FireAid concert, when their 2023 declared revenue was over $370 Billion. Some commenters cited the Newsom Getty connection. Another commenter referred to the donation as “money between friends.” Billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Rick Caruso, quoted Einstein on his X social media page. “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”-Albert Einstein. “I always say, what’s predictable is preventable. Yesterday, we had a fire in Brentwood because 40-year-old brush was on fire. It’s insanity that 20 months ago, 7,000 homes were destroyed by fire, yet no brush clearance has occurred,” Caruso stated. He then recommended his readers call Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park and Mayor Karen Bass to share their disdain for their incompetence. Caruso also took time to thank the LAFD firefighters for all of their hard work and dedication. By Sharon

SANTA MONICA—On August 22 at 1:46 PM, the Santa Monica Police Department announced an officer-involved shooting in the 1400 block of Ocean Avenue. On September 12 at 8:43 a.m., the SMPD announced that it had released the officer’s body-camera footage on the department’s YouTube page along with an audio recording.

The department released this information in a Critical Incident Community Debriefing Video. The video also includes information from the preliminary investigation to help Santa Monica residents understand the events leading up to the shooting and the response that followed.

At approximately 12:49 p.m. on August 22, two uniformed officers arrived near Broadway and Ocean Avenue after receiving a report that a man was chasing a woman near the Broadway stairs. They began speaking with witnesses, including vendors, pedestrians, and park visitors. As they collected statements, they observed a man, later identified by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner as Michael Rodriguez, wearing a black shirt, grayish pants, light-colored sneakers, and a backpack, holding a large knife overhead.

He approached one officer and the people the officer was speaking with. In response, the officer drew his weapon. He and his partner instructed Rodriguez to drop the knife. When Rodriguez did not, the officer being approached stepped back. Rodriguez then moved faster, closing the distance while still holding the knife. The officer told him several times to put it down. He did not. The officer fired one shot, hitting Rodriguez in the chest and causing him to fall onto the sidewalk next to a parking meter and drop the knife.

Afterward, the first officer knelt and spoke with Rodriguez, telling him to “Come here, buddy, come here, buddy.” The officer then contacted the station, reporting that shots had been fired, that he needed help, that he was taking them into custody, and that he was providing his location. He then told all the witnesses to remain, after which he asked the department to have the Santa Monica Fire Department respond to a man with a gunshot wound to the chest.

While doing so, the officers put on gloves to examine Rodriguez and search him for additional weapons. One officer removed a second knife from Rodriguez’s right pants pocket, and a third knife was seen sticking out of the backpack.

The officers then began providing medical assistance. They applied gauze and a chest seal to the wound and started chest compressions, which a third officer continued until the paramedics arrived. In the video, one officer can be heard encouraging Rodriguez, telling him he can breathe and that he can do this, while another says he needs to move the seal quickly. Once the paramedics arrived, they continued providing medical care. Rodriguez was transported to a local hospital, where he died at around 1:49 p.m.

The knife Rodriguez carried was a large fighting/utility knife. It had a long, substantial clip-pointed blade, a protective handle, and a metal grip. Part of the blade’s spine was serrated.

Neither any of the officers nor any civilians were injured during the shooting.

Under California State Law, video footage and audio recordings of officer-involved shootings must be released within 45 days. The SMPD releases Critical Incident Community Debriefing Videos to be transparent with the community and to help the public understand the circumstances related to officer-involved shootings.

The SMPD asks anyone with video of the shooting or who witnessed it to contact Sergeant George Burciaga by email at George.Burciaga@santamonica.gov or by calling the watch commander at 310-458-8427. The SMPD is conducting an ongoing criminal investigation. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office will review the shooting while the SMPD’s Internal Affairs Section conducts its own investigation.

The video does not reflect any conclusions by the investigators, and additional information may be released to the public as appropriate.

By Daniel Diquinzio

BEVERLY HILLS—On September 12, the Beverly Hills Police Department wished the Jewish community of Beverly Hills a happy and peaceful Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.  It also announced that it would increase patrols during the holiday.

Patrols will occur around synagogues, schools, and other important public spaces.

The BHPD is committed to ensuring that city residents can worship, gather, and celebrate with their friends and family members.

For non-emergencies, citizens should call 310-550-4951, and to report emergencies they should call 9-1-1.

Rosh Hashanah runs from September 11 to September Sep 13, 2026, and it’s one of the Jewish high holy days.

By Daniel Diquinzio

WESTWOOD—On September 11, Steve Lurie, Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Campus & Community Safety at the University of California, Los Angeles, announced that the Regents of the University of California will visit the UCLA campus for a regular meeting.

The meeting will run from September 14 to 16 and will take place at the Luskin Conference Center.

This will give students and community members an opportunity to speak with the regents about public topics. A designated free-speech expression zone will be outside the center, adjacent to the James West Center.

UCPD will also increase its presence on campus to keep the community and the regents safe and to limit disruptions. Security officers will have a temporary increased presence to protect key areas of campus, and they will work with the police. Those traveling through these areas are advised to plan extra time and follow posted guidance.

Steve Lurie looks forward to welcoming the regents to campus and welcoming members of the community to the meeting, and hopes it will be a productive and early start to the fall quarter.

More information about how to express views to the regents is available on the university’s time, place, and manner website. https://tpm.ucla.edu/

By Daniel Diquinzio

MALIBU—An unidentified woman trespassed onto the Malibu property of former Vice President Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff’s making it to the front door before security intervened. The incident transpired on Friday, September 11, around 10:30 p.m. The woman agreed to leave voluntarily and was not arrested.

No motive has been released, but the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department was notified of the incident. In an interview with the LA Times, Lieutenant Jason Duron said law enforcement is increasing patrols around the property for safety.

The couple purchased the property for roughly $8.15 million in January 2026, after deciding to move out of their longtime home in Brentwood. The home is approximately 4,000 square feet with four bedrooms and six bathrooms.

The property is located in Point Dume, an exclusive Malibu neighborhood known for its surfing beaches and high-end estates. Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, and Jeff Bezos are a few high-profile celebrities with homes in the area.

By Milan Manesh

GRIFFITH PARK—A permanent bronze statue titled “Earth to City, Rhapsody of the Wild King” is set to be installed in honor of the late mountain lion P-22, who lived in Griffith Park for over a decade. Adam Matano is sculpting the statue as part of the National Wildlife Federation’s SaveLACougars campaign. It will be funded entirely through a donation from Orange County philanthropist Joann Randall.

The memorial will be located at the Griffith Park Visitors Center on Crystal Springs Drive, where it will be open to the public. No installation or unveiling date has been announced yet.

The project honors P-22, who rose to fame after surviving a crossing of both the 101 and 405 freeways to reach Griffith Park. A National Geographic photo of him walking in front of the Hollywood sign later went viral, cementing his legacy as one of the country’s most famous wild cats.

His story prompted many Angelenos to reconsider how the city coexists with wildlife, sparking wider conversation about the need for protected corridors linking the region’s fragmented natural habitats.

In December 2022, P-22 began exhibiting unusual behavior, including attacking a leashed dog near the Hollywood Reservoir. He was subsequently captured by wildlife officials, who found injuries consistent with a vehicle strike, along with kidney disease and a parasitic skin infection. He was euthanized shortly after due to the severity of his condition.

By Milan Manesh

HOLLYWOOD HILLS—A 911 call came in at 9:34 p.m. Saturday, September 12 of a suspect armed with a knife. The Los Angeles Police Department arrived on the scene and attempted to apprehend the suspect, which led to shots being fired.

The suspect was armed with a knife and was asked by officers to drop the weapon. The suspect refused and was shot.

The incident occurred in the 9300 block of Warbler Way. No officers were injured during the encounter.

The LAPD indicated the investigation is still in its early stages. Detectives plan to review eyewitness testimony, bodycam footage, and physical evidence as they work to determine what led to the shooting.

By Milan Manesh

HOLLYWOOD HILLS—The Los Angeles Police Department shot and killed a man who was armed with a knife on Saturday, September 12. The incident was reported on the 9300 block of Warbler Way near Doheny Drive after 9 p.m.

Authorities were called to the scene and found an individual suffering from a knife wound, CBS Los Angeles reported. The suspect was ordered by police to drop the weapon but ignored requests from police.

The suspect was then shot by one officer, and he was announced deceased on the scene. The name of the suspect has not been disclosed to the public.

No details on what led to the altercation with the suspect and the victim who suffered the knife wound has been disclosed by authorities. There were no officers injured during the incident the LAPD reported.

By Danny Jones

BEL AIR—On Wednesday, September 9, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported a brush fire at 4:17 p.m. on the Northbound 405 freeway. Smoke could be billowing in the sky from miles away. As a result, evacuation warning issues for Genasys zones LFD-0895 and LFD-0967 were implemented as a result of the fire.

By 5:49 p.m. the LAFD reported that the brush fire was an estimated at 20 acres. LA County Fire Department assisting with hand crews and helicopters.

By 6:12 p.m. forward progress on the brush fire was stopped at an estimated 25 acres. Approximately 185 LAFD members remain on scene for mop up and containment operations.

At 8:38 p.m., evacuation warnings for the Getty Fire were lifted by the Incident Command. Genasys zones LFD-0895 and LFD-0967 have returned to normal status. Crews will continue working on scene until full containment of the fire is declared. The exact cause of the fire has not been disclosed and there were no reported injuries during the incident.

By Danny Jones

MALIBU—A naked man was found dead in the water off Puerco Beach in Malibu on Wednesday, September 9, around 3:30 p.m. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene after receiving reports of a body floating in the water.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department pronounced the man dead at the scene. Canyon News reached out to the LA County Medical Examiner’s Office, which confirmed the man was 36 year old Braden Pontoli and that the location of death was the 24700 block of Malibu Road. The cause and manner of death have not yet been determined and will be updated once available.

Pontoli had been reported missing since Tuesday, September 8. According to a public Facebook post from his partner, Tommy Lei, Pontoli traveled to Santa Monica for an in-person interview near Broadway Avenue and 4th Street around 10 a.m. that day and had not been heard from since. Lei said a police and missing person’s report had been filed, and described the disappearance as out of character.

A missing person flyer circulated by family and friends listed Pontoli as 5’11”, about 200 pounds, and last seen wearing a blue button-up shirt with black pants. The flyer also referenced that he drives a blue 2019 Nissan Kicks with license plate 8LSW685.

A video captured by KTLA showed the body covered by a green canopy on the beach as law enforcement investigated the incident. Some earlier reports suggested the man may have experienced a medical emergency, though this has not been confirmed by officials.

By Milan Manesh