TheNewsGuru

Tag: Los Angeles

  • LA wildfires: 3 arrested on arson suspicion as death toll rises

    LA wildfires: 3 arrested on arson suspicion as death toll rises

    The death toll in the major wildfires that have been ravaging the Los Angeles area rose to 25 on Tuesday, as police highlighted three “noteworthy” arrests of arson suspects.

    Seventeen of the fatalities are related to the Eaton Fire near Pasadena, the city’s medical examiner said on Tuesday, while the other eight are related to the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades district.

    Fourteen people were arrested in relation to the Palisades fire, Los Angeles Police Department’s Steve Embrich said at a Tuesday news conference.

    “We have three noteworthy arrests throughout the outside of the fire zone, very significant to our efforts,” Embrich said.

    The three arson suspects were arrested on Sunday and Monday.

    Embrich said that the other suspects have been detained for violating curfews, impersonating a firefighter and police officer, vandalism, and burglary.

    “Looting is not just a crime against property, it also takes away any sense of security from evacuated residents and it will not be tolerated,” he said.

    Embrich also said that at least 13 people were still considered missing in connection with the Palisades Fire, but they are not presumed dead.

    Authorities also reported progress in fighting the blazes. The Palisades Fire is now 14 per cent contained.

    The fire department said on Tuesday afternoon that the flames had hardly spread over the previous few hours. The flames have charred an area of almost 96 square kilometres within a week.

    The Eaton Fire was 33 per cent under control. Firefighters warned that the danger was not over yet, as a red flag warning remained in place as strong winds were expected through Wednesday morning.

    The winds were not expected to significantly drop until Thursday, when temperatures were also expected to cool.

  • Los Angeles wildfire death toll hits 24

    Los Angeles wildfire death toll hits 24

    No fewer than 24 people have died DUE major wildfires continue to ravage the Los Angeles area in the U.S. state of California, the city’s medical examiner said on Sunday.

    The medical examiner said that 16 of the fatalities are related to the Eaton Fire near Pasadena, and eight others to the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades district.

    There have been several major fires in the region since Tuesday, but these two are the most severe.

    According to the officials, the death toll may continue to rise, since it may take days before emergency services can safely access all areas impacted by the fires.

    Firefighters were preparing for gusts to pick up again in the coming days, exacerbating what officials said could be one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history.

    The U.S. weather service forecast wind speeds of up to 110 kilometres per hour for Sunday, which combined with dry vegetation, favours the rapid and unpredictable spread of both existing and new fires.

    The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) warned of critical fire weather through to Wednesday.

    “Life-threatening winds and dangerously low humidity are forecast for much of Southern California from Ventura to San Diego creating a significant risk of rapid fire spread,’’ the department wrote on X.

    It warned the wind would increase fire activity and urged people to avoid mowing their lawns and parking their vehicles on dry grass and to ensure all campfires were extinguished.

    According to Cal Fire officials, some 12,300 buildings have been destroyed or damaged.

    Since Tuesday, almost 163 square kilometres of land have gone up in flames, a space almost the size of Washington D.C.

    California Governor, Gavin Newsom, speaking to broadcaster NBC, said the wildfires would be the worst natural disaster in U.S. history, in terms of the scale and scope, as well as the costs it has caused.

    Newsom went on to sign an executive order to temporarily suspend environmental regulations for destroyed homes and businesses.

    “Just issued an Executive Order that will allow victims of the SoCal fires to not get caught up in bureaucratic red tape and quickly rebuild their homes,’’ he wrote on X.

    According to a preliminary estimate by the private U.S. weather service AccuWeather, the fires have caused more damages of more than 135 billion dollars.

    Arnold Schwarzenegger was among the Hollywood actors living in and around areas impacted by the fires.

    “Don’t worry about me, or my animals, and certainly not my house,’’ the film star and former governor of California said, asking fans to think instead of the heroic firefighters.’’

    As the fires rage on, attention has increasingly turned to the people fighting them.

    Among the fire fighters are several hundred prisoners being paid a maximum of 10 dollars a day for gruelling work trying to contain the blaze.

    Californian authorities said the prisoners had undergone several days of training and are working voluntarily on removing flammable material and creating so-called firebreaks, or gaps in vegetation to stop the spread of fire.

    They were given another 1dollar per hour for emergency work.

    Each day spent working as a rescue worker shortens the prison sentence by two days.

    Only inmates who are serving a prison sentence of a maximum of eight years and are not serving time for crimes such as rape or arson are deployed as helpers.

  • Wildfire death toll hits 24 as Los Angeles set for more strong winds

    Wildfire death toll hits 24 as Los Angeles set for more strong winds

    At least 24 people have died as major wildfires continue to ravage the Los Angeles area in the U.S. state of California, the city’s medical examiner said on Sunday.

    No fewer than 16 of the fatalities are related to the Eaton Fire near Pasadena, and eight others to the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades district.

    There have been several major fires in the region since Tuesday, but these two are the most severe.

    Officials fear the death toll may continue to rise, since it may take days before emergency services can safely access all areas impacted by the fires.

    Firefighters were preparing for gusts to pick up again in the coming days, exacerbating what officials say could be one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history.

    The U.S. weather service forecast wind speeds of up to 110 kilometres per hour for Sunday, which, combined with dry vegetation, favours the rapid and unpredictable spread of both existing and new fires.

    The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) warned of “critical fire weather” through to Wednesday.

    “Life-threatening winds and dangerously low humidity are forecast for much of Southern California – from Ventura to San Diego – creating a significant risk of rapid fire spread,” the department wrote on X.

    It warned the wind would increase fire activity and urged people to avoid mowing their lawns and parking their vehicles on dry grass and to ensure all campfires were extinguished.

    According to Cal Fire officials, some 12,300 buildings have been destroyed or damaged. Since Tuesday, almost 163 square kilometres of land have gone up in flames – a space almost the size of Washington D.C.

    California Governor Gavin Newsom, speaking to broadcaster NBC, said the wildfires would be the worst natural disaster in U.S. history, in terms of the “scale and scope,” as well as the costs it has caused.

    Newsom went on to sign an executive order to temporarily suspend environmental regulations for destroyed homes and businesses.

    “Just issued an Executive Order that will allow victims of the SoCal fires to not get caught up in bureaucratic red tape and quickly rebuild their homes,” he wrote on X.

    According to a preliminary estimate by the private U.S weather service AccuWeather, the fires have caused more than $135 billion in damage.

    Arnold Schwarzenegger was among the Hollywood actors living in and around areas impacted by the fires.

    “Don’t worry about me, or my animals, and certainly not my house,” the film star and former governor of California said, asking fans to think instead of the “heroic firefighters.”

    As the fires rage on, attention has increasingly turned to the people fighting them, among them several hundred prisoners being paid a maximum of $10 a day for gruelling work trying to contain the blaze.

    Californian authorities say the prisoners have undergone several days of training and are working voluntarily on removing flammable material and creating so-called firebreaks or gaps in vegetation to stop the spread of fire.

    They are given another $1 per hour for emergency work. Each day spent working as a rescue worker shortens the prison sentence by two days.

    Only inmates who are serving a prison sentence of a maximum of eight years and are not serving time for crimes such as rape or arson may be deployed as helpers.

  • Winds forecast to pick up as Los Angeles fires expand

    Winds forecast to pick up as Los Angeles fires expand

    The largest of the Los Angeles fires spread toward previously untouched neighbourhoods Saturday, forcing new evacuations and dimming hopes that the disaster was coming under control.

    Across the city, at least 11 people have died as multiple fires have ripped through residential areas since Tuesday, razing thousands of homes in destruction that US President Joe Biden likened to a “war scene.”

    Despite huge firefighting efforts, the Palisades fire’s expansion prompted evacuation orders in ritzy neighbourhoods along its eastern flank, which include the famous Getty Center art museum.

    Winds were forecast to pick up again on Saturday after a brief lull, posing the risk of new fires as embers are blown into dry brush.

    Los Angeles residents have increasingly demanded to know who is at fault for the disaster as they grapple with the ruin and local anger rises over officials’ preparedness and response.

    Residents like Nicole Perri, whose home in the upscale Pacific Palisades burnt down, told AFP that officials “completely let us down.”

    “I don’t think the officials were prepared at all,” said James Brown, a 65-year-old retired lawyer across the city in Altadena.

  • Matthew Perry laid to rest in Los Angeles

    Matthew Perry laid to rest in Los Angeles

    American actor Matthew Perry of the hit sitcom “Friends” was laid to rest at a Los Angeles cemetery during a private funeral attended by family and co-stars on Friday.

    The 54-year-old, known for his role as Chandler Bing in “Friends,” which aired from 1994-2004, was found dead six days ago.

    According to Sky News, a private funeral took place at the Forest Lawn cemetery in the Hollywood Hills less than a mile away from the studios where the hit sitcom was filmed.

    Several  US media outlets, including celebrity news website TMZ, also reported that Perry was laid to rest at a “low key” funeral attended by castmates Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow.

    Perry’s mother, father and stepfather also attended, according to the media reports.

     

     

  • BET Awards: How Tems, Burna Boy shone in Los Angeles

    BET Awards: How Tems, Burna Boy shone in Los Angeles

    Nigerian singer, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems and Afro-pop singer Burna Boy were big-time winners at the 23rd BET Awards held on Sunday night in Los Angeles.

    Whilst Tems and Burna scooped home one award each, another Nigerian singer,  Davido delivered an electrifying performance at the event.

    After losing two of her three nominations, Tems snagged the “Best Collaboration” gong for her contribution to Future’s ‘Wait For U’ which also features Canadian rapper, Drake.

    ‘Wait For U’ won the ‘Best Melodic Rap Performance’ at the 2023 Grammys.

    The BET is the second major award the song, which debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart last year, has won.

    Prior to winning an award plaque at the 2023 BET Awards, Tems lost the “Best Female R&B/Pop Artist” category to SZA, and the “Viewer’s Choice” award to Beyoncé.

    Similarly, Burna Boy lost the “Best Male R&B/Pop Artist” to Chris Brown and Usher, and the “Best Video Director” to Teyana Taylor.

    However, the ‘African Giant’ crooner scooped the “Best International Act” award for a record fourth time.

    Beyoncé and SZA tie for most wins at this year’s BET Awards (3 each).

  • ‘John Wick’ actor, Lance Reddick is dead

    ‘John Wick’ actor, Lance Reddick is dead

    American actor, Lance Reddick, famous for his roles in “The Wire” and the John Wick franchise, has passed away at 60 due to natural causes at his home in Los Angeles.

    The death of Lance Reddick struck many by surprise and has since left the internet space with memories and tribute to the actor.

    The Wire creator David Simon released a statement to the Hollywood Reporter to express his grief.

    “A consummate professional, a devoted collaborator, a lovely soul and a friend. This is just gutting and way, way, way too soon for any of us who knew and loved him to contemplate,” he wrote.

    ‘John Wick’ actor, Lance Reddick is dead
    Lance Reddick

    In a tweet, Wendell Pierce, Reddick’s co-star in the show paid tribute.

    “A man of great strength and grace. As talented a musician as he was an actor. The epitome of class. A sudden unexpected sharp painful grief for our artistic family. An unimaginable suffering for his personal family and loved ones. Godspeed my friend. You made your mark here. RIP,” he wrote.

    Reddick’s acting credits also include the sci-fi series Fringe and the action thriller White House Down. He was recently doing interviews for his role in the upcoming John Wick: Chapter 4 but chose not to attend the film’s New York premiere earlier this week.

    His most notable role was playing Baltimore police lieutenant Cedric Daniels in HBO’s crime drama The Wire, which had a predominantly black cast, making it a rare and extraordinary experience for Reddick.

  • Check out the full list of 2023 Grammy Awards winners

    Check out the full list of 2023 Grammy Awards winners

    The 65th Grammy Awards ceremony was held last on Sunday February 6th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, U.S.

    The most prestigious music ceremony in the world once again lived up to expectations as it has been hailed as one of the very best music awards in the globe.

    The Awards saw major wins for world finest music artiste as Adele and Beyoncé, Harry Styles and Kendrick Lamar came out tops of the event.

    Beyonce set a world record by the first artiste to have won 32 plaques at the ceremony since she was launched into prominence many years ago.

     

    See Full List Below

     

    Best new artist
    Anitta
    Domi & JD Beck
    Latto
    Måneskin
    Molly Tuttle
    Muni Long
    Omar Apollo
    Samara Joy – WINNER
    Tobe Nwigwe
    Wet Leg

    Record of the year
    ABBA – Don’t Shut Me Down
    Adele – Easy on Me
    Beyoncé – Break My Soul
    Brandi Carlile Featuring Lucius – You and Me on the Rock
    Doja Cat – Woman
    Harry Styles – As It Was
    Kendrick Lamar – The Heart Part 5
    Lizzo – About Damn Time – WINNER
    Mary J Blige – Good Morning Gorgeous
    Steve Lacy – Bad Habit

    Song of the year

    Adele – Easy on Me
    Beyoncé – Break My Soul
    Bonnie Raitt – Just Like That – WINNER
    DJ Khaled Featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend & Fridayy – God Did
    Gayle – ABCDEFU
    Harry Styles – As It Was
    Kendrick Lamar – The Heart Part 5
    Lizzo – About Damn Time
    Steve Lacy – Bad Habit
    Taylor Swift – All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (The Short Film)

    Best pop solo performance

    Adele – Easy on Me – WINNER
    Bad Bunny – Moscow Mule
    Doja Cat – Woman
    Harry Styles – As It Was
    Lizzo – About Damn Time
    Steve Lacy – Bad Habit

    Best dance/electronic album
    Beyoncé – Renaissance – WINNER
    Bonobo – Fragments
    Diplo – Diplo
    Odesza – The Last Goodbye
    Rufus Du Sol – Surrender

    Best rap album
    DJ Khaled – God Did
    Future – I Never Liked You
    Jack Harlow – Come Home the Kids Miss You
    Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers – WINNER
    Pusha T – It’s Almost Dry

    Best musica urbana album
    Rauw Alejandro – Trap Cake, Vol. 2
    Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti – WINNER
    Daddy Yankee – Legendaddy
    Farruko – La 167
    Maluma – The Love & Sex Tape

    Best pop duo/group performance
    Abba – Don’t Shut Me Down
    Camilla Cabello and Ed Sheeran – Bam Bam
    Coldplay and BTS – My Universe
    Post Malone and Doja Cat – I Like You (A Happier Song)
    Sam Smith and Kim Petras – Unholy – WINNER

    Best country album
    Luke Combs – Growin’ Up
    Miranda Lambert – Palomino
    Ashley McBryde – Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville
    Maren Morris – Humble Quest
    Willie Nelson – A Beautiful Time – WINNER

    Best R&B song
    Beyoncé – Cuff It – WINNER
    Mary J Blige – Good Morning Gorgeous
    Muni Long – Hrs & Hrs
    Jazmine Sullivan – Hurt Me So Good
    PJ Morton – Please Don’t Walk Away

    Best pop vocal album

    Abba – Voyage
    Adele – 30
    Coldplay – Music of the Spheres
    Lizzo – Special
    Harry Styles – Harry’s House – WINNER

    Best dance/electronic recording
    Beyoncé – Break My Soul – WINNER
    Bonobo – Rosewood
    David Guetta & Bebe Rexha – I’m Good (Blue)
    Diplo & Miguel – Don’t Forget My Love
    Kaytranada Featuring Her – Intimidated
    Rüfüs Du Sol – On My Knees

    Best global music performance
    Arooj Aftab & Anoushka Shankar – Udhero Na
    Burna Boy – Last Last
    Matt B & Eddy Kenzo – Gimme Love
    Rocky Dawuni Featuring Blvk H3ro – Neva Bow Down
    Wouter Kellerman, Zakes Bantwini & Nomcebo Zikode – Bayethe – WINNER

    Best country solo performance
    Kelsea Ballerini – Heartfirst
    Maren Morris – Circles Around This Town
    Miranda Lambert – In His Arms
    Willie Nelson – Live Forever – WINNER
    Zach Bryan – Something in the Orange

    Best R&B performance
    Beyoncé – Virgo’s Groove
    Jazmine Sullivan – Hurt Me So Good
    Lucky Daye – Over
    Mary J. Blige Featuring Anderson Paak – Here With Me
    Muni Long – Hrs & Hrs – WINNER

    Best rap performance
    DJ Khaled Featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend & Fridayy – God Did
    Doja Cat – Vegas
    Gunna & Future Featuring Young Thug – Pushin P
    Hitkidd & Glorilla – FNF (Let’s Go)
    Kendrick Lamar – The Heart Part 5 – WINNER

    Best metal performance
    Ghost – Call Me Little Sunshine
    Megadeth – We’ll Be Back
    Muse – Kill or Be Killed
    Ozzy Osbourne Featuring Tony Iommi – Degradation Rules – WINNER
    Turnstile – Blackout

    Best rock performance

    Beck – Old Man
    The Black Keys – Wild Child
    Brandi Carlile – Broken Horses – WINNER
    Bryan Adams – So Happy It Hurts
    Idles – Crawl!
    Ozzy Osbourne Featuring Jeff Beck – Patient Number 9
    Turnstile – Holiday

     

    Best alternative music album
    Arcade Fire – WE
    Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
    Björk – Fossora
    Wet Leg – Wet Leg – WINNER
    Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down

     

    Best progressive R&B album
    Cory Henry – Operation Funk
    Steve Lacy – Gemini Rights – WINNER
    Terrace Martin – Drones
    Moonchild – Starfruit
    Tank and the Bangas – Red Balloon

    Best R&B album
    Mary J Blige – Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe)
    Chris Brown – Breezy (Deluxe)
    Robert Glasper – Black Radio III – WINNER
    Lucky Daye – Candydrip
    PJ Morton – Watch the Sun

    Best rap song
    Jack Harlow featuring Drake – Churchill Downs
    DJ Khaled featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend & Fridayy – God Did
    Kendrick Lamar – The Heart Part 5 – WINNER
    Gunna & Future Featuring Young Thug – Pushin P
    Future Featuring Drake & Tems – Wait for U

    Best comedy album

    Dave Chappelle – The Closer – WINNER
    Jim Gaffigan – Comedy Monster
    Randy Rainbow – A Little Brains, A Little Talent
    Louis CK – Sorry
    Patton Oswalt – We All Scream

     

    Best country song
    Maren Morris – Circles Around This Town
    Luke Combs – Doin’ This
    Taylor Swift – I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)
    Miranda Lambert – If I Was a Cowboy
    Willie Nelson – I’ll Love You Till The Day I Die
    Cody Johnson – ‘Til You Can’t – WINNER

    Album of the year
    ABBA – Voyage
    Adele – 30
    Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti
    Beyoncé – Renaissance
    Brandi Carlile – In These Silent Days
    Coldplay – Music of the Spheres
    Harry Styles – Harry’s House – WINNER
    Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
    Lizzo – Special
    Mary J Blige – Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe)

    Best rock album
    The Black Keys – Dropout Boogie
    Elvis Costello & the Imposters – The Boy Named If
    Idles – Crawler
    Machine Gun Kelly – Mainstream Sellout
    Ozzy Osbourne – Patient Number 9 – WINNER
    Spoon – Lucifer on the Sofa

    Best folk album
    Judy Collins – Spellbound
    Madison Cunningham – Revealer – WINNER
    Janis Ian – The Light At The End Of The Line
    Aoife O’Donovan – Age of Apathy
    Punch Brothers – Hell on Church Street

    Best traditional R&B performance
    Snoh Aalegra – Do 4 Love
    Babyface featuring Ella Mai – Keeps on Fallin’
    Beyoncé – Plastic Off the Sofa – WINNER
    Adam Blackstone featuring Jazmine Sullivan – ‘Round Midnight
    Mary J Blige – Good Morning Gorgeous

  • BRAIN ANEURYSM: Dr. Dre reveals how ICU doctors prepared for his death

    BRAIN ANEURYSM: Dr. Dre reveals how ICU doctors prepared for his death

    American rapper and music producer, Dr. Dre, has revealed that when he faced his health scare and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) last January, doctors welcomed in his family because they feared he would die from the incident.

     

    He pointed out that the doctors brought in his family “so they could say their last goodbyes”.

     

    The rapper faced his health scare at the start of last year when on January 4, he was admitted to the ICU at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles.

     

    In a recent appearance on Dolvett Quince’s Workout the Doubt podcast, the music producer shared a few details about his two-week experience in the ICU.

    BRAIN ANEURYSM: Dr. Dre reveals how ICU doctors prepared for his death
    Dr. Dre

     

    Dr. Dre assured fans a day later that he was “doing great”, however he would stay in the ICU for two weeks.

     

    According to him, doctors thought he was going to die after he had a brain aneurysm in 2021.

    Dr. Dre received support from colleagues like Ice Cube and Ice-T.

    In an interview, Dr. Dre said “They weren’t allowing anybody to come up – meaning visitors or family or anything like that – because of COVID,” Dre told host Dolvett Quince.

     

    “But they allowed my family to come in [and] I found out later, they called them up so they could say their last goodbyes because they thought I was outta here. I didn’t know it was that serious… Nobody told me, I had no idea. That was crazy.”

     

    Dr. Dre went on to speak about the hourly procedures involved in his recovery, where “because of what was going on in my brain, they had to wake me up every hour, on the hour, for two weeks to do these tests that were basically like sobriety tests – touch your nose, rub your heel on your calf and all that shit.”

     

    Though he admitted to feeling incredibly tired throughout his ICU stint – “as soon as the doctors would leave, I would try to go to sleep because I knew they were coming back in the next hour”.

     

    Dr. Dre explained that he never worried about the potential of any serious complications, let alone death.

     

    He said: “I never felt like I was in trouble. I felt like, OK, I’m just going through a procedure, and I’m ready to go home. I’m hungry. I didn’t eat for two weeks. That was a really crazy experience.”

     

    Dr. Dre was released from hospital by January 15 last year, and was spotted in the studio just a few days later.

     

    Within a month, Dr. Dre had turned his experience into the basis for a new song.

     

    His first live performance since he suffered the aneurysm came in February of this year, where he appeared alongside Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent and Anderson, for this year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show.

     

    While he was in hospital, Dr. Dre’s house was targeted by burglars, leading to four people being arrested after they set off his infrared cameras.

     

    Meanwhile, Dr. Dre received support from colleagues like Ice Cube and Ice-T.

     

    The rapper opened up about his treatment last June, saying in an interview that the aneurysm itself was “a really weird thing” because he’d never experienced any contributing symptoms.

     

    He said: “I’ve never had high blood pressure And I’ve always been a person that has always taken care of my health. But there’s something that happens for some reason with black men and high blood pressure, and I never saw that coming. But I’m taking care of myself.”

  • 5 RANDOM KILLINGS: Los Angeles man sentenced to life imprisonment

    5 RANDOM KILLINGS: Los Angeles man sentenced to life imprisonment

    A Los Angeles man who opened fire on people at random in 2014, killing five people and wounding seven others, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

    Alexander Hernandez, 42, from the city’s Sylmar neighborhood, was sentenced on Thursday to multiple consecutive life terms for the rampage.

     

    The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office initially sought the death penalty for Hernandez but dropped that request in 2021. After his 2020 election, District Attorney George Gascón issued a policy that in general bars prosecutors from seeking capital punishment.

     

    Authorities said Hernandez attacked people in the city’s San Fernando Valley, mainly between March and August 2014. In addition to killing or wounding people, he was charged with opening fire on four people, including two 12-year-old children who were in a car with their parents.

     

    Many victims were shot while in their cars, driving home from work, or heading to church or other activities. One man was killed while standing in a parking lot, another while walking in a Sylmar park, and a teenager was shot in his car and paralyzed after dropping off his girlfriend after their high school prom, authorities said.

     

    Authorities said there was no discernible motive for the attacks. In some of them, Hernandez fired from his own vehicle, emblazoned on the back with stickers of “a white skull” and the numerals “666,″ authorities said.

    5 RANDOM KILLINGS: Los Angeles man sentenced to life imprisonment

     

    In others, he stalked victims before opening fire with a shotgun, prosecutors said.

     

    Hernandez pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity but withdrew the plea before his trial, which stretched on for years while he remained in custody.

     

    He was convicted last May of five counts of murder with special circumstances, 11 counts of attempted murder and more than a dozen other charges, including animal cruelty and being a felon in illegal possession of a firearm.

     

    Before his murder trial, he pleaded no contest to shooting several dogs, killing two of them.