OCT 2025. Blues Vol 41 No.10

according to NBC News.

according to NBC News. WhitneyDecker reportedly told detectivesthat her ex-husband had alwaysbeen communicative about theirchildren and previously returnedthem when he was supposed to.A parenting plan in effect sinceSeptember 2024 required Travisto seek mental health treatmentand domestic violence angermanagement counseling, but hehad not done so, according tocourt documents.In June, Whitney Decker spokepublicly about her daughters'killings for the first time. "Theywere incredible," she told acrowd of thousands of mourners."I truly hope that the legacy ofthe girls' lives lives in everyone'sheart."HALF-NAKED MAN STEALSAMBULANCE WHILE MEDICSWERE RESPONDING TO FATALSTABBINGBy Alex WigglesworthLos Angeles TimesLOS ANGELES — A man wasstabbed to death near a LosAngeles County library on Saturday,and another man stole anambulance that responded to thescene, police said.Officers responded to a reportof a stabbing victim in front ofthe Downey Library shortly after9:30 a.m. , the Downey PoliceDepartment said in a news release.The man died at the scene,according to investigators. Hisidentity was not released pendingnotification of his familymembers, police said.Witnesses reported the assailantran toward DowneyHigh School , prompting a lockdown of both the library andhigh school, police said. Officersarrested a 23-year-old suspecton the high school campus. Hisidentity was not released.In an incident investigators believeto be unrelated to the stabbingitself, a man stole a DowneyFire Department ambulancethat was parked at the scene asemergency personnel tended tothe victim, police said.Downey police chased theambulance, which crashed intoa parked vehicle, and took thedriver into custody, according toinvestigators. He was identifiedonly as a 52-year-old Los Angelesresident.RETIRED NOPD OFFICER DIESBY SUICIDE INSIDE DEPART-MENT HEADQUARTERSBy Joanna Putman, Police 1Editor’s note: If you or someoneyou know is struggling or havingthoughts of suicide, you are notalone — and help is always available.Call or text the 988 Suicide& Crisis Lifeline to connect with atrained counselor, or chat onlineat 988lifeline.org. Whether you’reseeking support for yourself orsomeone you care about, pleaseknow that it’s never too late toreach out. You deserve help. Youdeserve hope. Someone is readyto listen.NEW ORLEANS, LA. —A retiredNew Orleans Police officer diedby suicide in NOPD headquarters,WDSU reported.Officers from the departmentresponded to the DXC Technologybuilding, home to NOPDheadquarters. They found a mansuffering from a gunshot wound.The man, identified as a retiredofficer, was transported to ahospital, where he succumbedto his injuries, according to thereport.“Our department mourns thetragic loss of one of our ownofficers. Our officer took his lifetoday at work,” SuperintendentAnne Kirkpatrick said. “…Policework brings with it at timesheavy burdens and private hurtsand wounds that sometimescreate heavy, heavy hearts. Andright now our priority is … supportingour people.”Kirkpatrick reminded thepublic and fellow officers thatresources are available to helpthose experiencing thoughts ofself-harm.“I encourage any [officer] whois struggling, whether current66 The BLUES OCTOBER ‘25

or retired, to reach out. There iscourage in reaching out,” Kirkpatricksaid.OFFICER SHOT WHILE TRY-ING TO ARREST TEENS IN STO-LEN CARBY Wayne ParhamA probationary officer attemptingto arrest a suspectedcar thief was shot over theweekend, and his field trainingofficer returned fire, hitting thesuspect. Chief Phil Smith, of theEvansville Police Department(Indiana), was moved to tearsduring today’s press conferencein which he shared that the officeris in stable condition but mayhave lost the use of his lowerextremities.“Please forgive me if my voicegets a little shaky or if I get alittle emotional. This is somethingvery near and dear to me.This is one of my officers that I'mabout to discuss,” Smith said beforeproviding the details of theshooting that seriously woundedOfficer Sam Taylor.“He ran toward the danger thatother people run away from,” thechief said.Around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, officersspotted a blue 2019 ToyotaCorolla that had been reportedstolen. Smith said officers usedpatrol vehicles to surround andblock the Corolla at the drivethroughwindow of a Rally’s.Both suspects fled on foot,leaving the car in gear.“The passenger, now identifiedas Jailani Chew, can be seenreaching toward his waistbandas he exits the vehicle,” Smithexplained as he played videoduring a Monday press conference.The chief added that Chewhad just turned 18 last month.The driver, a 15-year-old juvenilemale, was pursued by anofficer who deployed a conductedelectronic weapon to gaincompliance.While attempting to handcuffthat suspect, the officer overheardgunshots and then radiotraffic that another officer wasdown. The officer immediatelyresponded, and the teen suspectthen ran off with the wires fromthe taser still attached.Chew had fled across the streetto a gas station and was attemptingto carjack a female, thechief explained. Smith said Chewpointed his gun at the woman,and she exited the vehicle.As officers were closing in onChew, he fired.“At this time, Chew realizedthat officers were gainingground on him, and instead ofsurrendering to law enforcement,Chew made the consciousand intentional decision to takea shooting stance and fire severalrounds at officers. At leasttwo of the rounds fired by Chewmade contact with probationaryOfficer Sam Taylor,” Smith said.One bullet grazed Taylor onthe left side of his head, and theother struck him in the upper leftarm, according to the chief.“Officer Taylor immediatelygoes down when he is struck.He did not have an opportunityto draw his weapon and returnfire,” Smith explained.Taylor’s field training officer,Officer Seth Gorman, was behindTaylor and saw him go down.Gorman returned fire, strikingChew, who officers then tookinto custody.Taylor was rushed to the hospitalby an officer, and Chew wastransported by ambulance.The other suspect, the 15-yearold,was located hiding on top ofa school.CLICK HERE FOR YOURFREE SUBSCRIPTIONThe BLUES - OCTOBER ‘25 67