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Morning Briefing: LAist Reporter Arrested For Doing Her Job
The scene near the Willowbrook Metro station tonight. (Josie Huang/LAist)
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On Saturday night, after covering a press conference held by L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, KPCC/LAist reporter Josie Huang was arrested by Sheriff’s deputies.
Josie was attempting to film the arrest of a protester outside a hospital in Lynwood where two deputies were being treated after being shot in Compton. In a video taken by our friends at ABC7, Josie can be seen with five male deputies pinning her to the ground. In another video, taken with her own phone, which continued filming even after it was dropped, she can be heard screaming in pain and repeatedly stating that she is a reporter with KPCC as the deputies handcuff her and hold down her legs.
Josie was in police custody for five hours and faces an obstruction of justice charge, as LASD alleges she interfered with an arrest. After her arrest, LASD tweeted a lie, stating that she “did not identify herself as press.” As of this writing, that tweet is still up on the LASD account.
Our organization has requested that the charges against Josie be dropped. We’ll provide ongoing updates on her situation, our newsroom’s response, and LASD’s response. And we will, of course, also report on the shooting itself and what we hope will be a full recovery for the deputies.
Keep reading for more on what’s happening in L.A. today, and stay safe out there.
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Coming Up Today, September 14
Latino/as account for more COVID-19 cases and deaths than any other ethnicity in California, and the virus is also affecting their financial health. Jackie Fortiér reports on a new poll from NPR and Harvard, which found that 70% of Latino/as in L.A. report serious financial problems due to the pandemic.
Celebrate Mexican Independence Day with "El Grito" online, learn about the architecture of the LBC, enjoy a pre-Code film about a ne'er-do-well plastic surgeon, and more. Christine N. Ziemba has this week’s best online and IRL events.
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The Past 24 Hours In LA
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L.A. Sheriff’s Department: Two deputies were in critical condition Sunday night after being shot multiple times while sitting in a patrol car in Compton. While covering the shooting of those deputies, KPCC/LAist reporter Josie Huang was arrested by L.A. County Sheriff's deputies Saturday night. She explains what happened in her own words.
More LASD News: Protesters expressed anger at the fact that the deputies who killed Dijon Kizzee are not being named, and that LASD decided to place a security hold on Kizzee's autopsy.
Wildfires: The El Dorado Fire has burned more than 14,200 acres in the San Bernardino Forest, and is at 41% containment. The Bobcat Fire has burned more than 33,000 acres in the Angeles National Forest, and is at 6% containment.
Coronavirus Updates: L.A. County reported 816 new cases of the coronavirus and 11 new deaths attributed to the disease, while Orange County reported 170 new cases and no new deaths.
Photo Of The Day
Mel Cohen removes family photos from his home on Highland Vista during evacuations as the Bobcat fire approaches the foothill community of Arcadia.
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(Brian Feinzimer/LAist)
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This post has been updated to reflect changes in what's coming up for today.
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