Month: September 2025

By Carlos E. Castañeda

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    SAN JOSE, California (KPIX) — Police in San Jose arrested a security guard who was seen earlier this month allegedly assaulting an unhoused person while brandishing a weapon, the department said.

The incident happened on Sept. 2 at about 5:30 p.m. in the area of West San Carlos Street and Leland Avenue between Bascom Avenue and Leigh Avenue. The San Jose Police Department said officers were dispatched to investigate a report of someone brandishing a gun in the area. The officers learned that a suspect had chased a homeless person, pushed him to the ground, and pointed a gun at him, police said.

It was reported that the suspect was wearing a silver badge on his belt and appeared to be a law enforcement officer or security guard, police said. The victim was not hurt, and the suspect fled before officers arrived, police said.

During the course of the investigation, detectives identified 43-year-old San Jose resident Demont Taylor as the suspect, and it was discovered that he was working as a security guard for a San Jose-based security firm, police said.

On Sept. 11, officers and the department’s tactical unit served Taylor with search and arrest warrants in San Jose, as well as an emergency gun violence protection order forcing him to surrender any weapons and ammunition. He was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for assault with a deadly weapon, police said.

Jail records show Taylor was transferred at some point to the Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas, where he was being held without bail. He was scheduled for a court appearance on Sept. 29.

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By Ashley Sharp

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    LAKE TAHOE, California (KOVR) — A mother black bear and her cub are causing quite the stir in South Lake Tahoe, as some neighbors are now rallying community support for the duo.

It comes as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed to CBS Sacramento on Wednesday that they are monitoring the bears and plan to euthanize the mother, which is identified by its tag number as bear number 753.

“CDFW had determined that the bear is ‘habituated’ – meaning it has learned to associate people, homes and neighborhoods as sources of food and has become completely reliant and dependent on those human food sources. Consequently, CDFW has determined that management action is required, and bear 753 has been approved for lethal removal,” a spokesperson for the agency told CBS Sacramento in a statement.

On both Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, Tahoe’s nonprofit BEAR League and south shore neighbors teamed up to call attention to the plans and send a message that bears should not be killed. They hosted a roadside protest near the Tahoe Keys Marina.

The Tahoe community has lovingly named the mother, Hope, and her playful cub, Bounce.

Walnut Creek police launch homicide investigation after 2 women found dead in home

“We want to evolve. We want to coexist,” said Staci Baker at the roadside rally Wednesday night.

Baker is a veterinarian of 30 years in the greater Tahoe region.

“We can be kinder and smarter. We can do this as a community. We don’t want CDFW trapping and slaughtering anymore,” Baker said.

The CDFW said the approved “lethal removal” follows a series of more than a dozen home break-ins by the bears this summer.

“This sow and now its dependent cub have repeatedly broken into homes, including occupied homes and including situations that were no fault of the property owners. Obviously, this creates an unsafe situation when an adult bear is actively looking to break into homes and other buildings. From our long experience in the Tahoe Basin and other parts of the state, this conflict behavior is likely to continue and escalate over time as the bears persist in seeking out human food sources. While this bear has not shown aggressive behavior toward people, that is too often the outcome in situations such as this, once a bear has lost its natural fear of people,” a spokesperson for the agency told CBS Sacramento.

Kathi Zollinger, a volunteer team leader for the BEAR League, says she has been working round-the-clock daily to humanely ‘haze’ the bears with paintball guns, vehicles and other non-lethal options to help push the bears back to the wild where they belong.

“People call and we will go haze her out of mainly the keys, sometimes up to 9 hours a day,” said Zollinger, describing the work as a full-time job.

She says now it feels like time is running out since CDFW confirmed its plans to euthanize the mother.

“I cry regularly about it. It’s awful they think the only thing they can do is kill the bear,” Zollinger said. “She’s not the only one doing this. There are six moms in the area we are aware of. What are they going to do? Kill them all? That is ridiculous.”

Zollinger says the BEAR League would rather see the animals relocated and even offered to pay for it.

“It’s not the perfect answer but it’s better than her being dead,” Zollinger said. “You can’t kill your way out of this. That doesn’t solve the problem.”

CBS Sacramento asked CDFW what will happen to ‘Bounce’ the cub if its mother is euthanized.

“The cub will be evaluated if and when we are able to catch it. Our goal was to get the cub into a permitted wildlife rehabilitation facility – to break this generational pattern of human conflict and home invasions – and return it to the wild in the spring when it is big enough and old enough to care for itself and when there are a lot of natural resources on the landscape to support its transition to being a wild bear,” a spokesperson for CDFW responded.

The agency clarified it is not actively setting traps for any bears in this area at this time.

BEAR League advocates disagree with CDFW’s approach and say human error can be at least partly to blame for the “break-ins.”

Zollinger says in several cases their group believes home doors were left unlocked or windows were left open, which allowed the bears easy entry and says they cannot be blamed for searching for food to survive in bear country, where the loss of habitat is threatening their kind.

“We do want people to learn how to coexist with the bears. We do that through education. We want people to wire their homes now,” Zollinger said.

She says electric wiring homes in the Tahoe region, which will administer a non-lethal shock when the bears get too close, is the best way to save the animals and protect property.

They also advocate that Tahoe neighbors keep their doors and windows shut and locked, properly secure and dispose of garbage, clean up fallen fruit from trees in their yards and actively work to scare away any bears near a home so they do not get too comfortable.

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Kevin Harrington
7-9473

By Kristie Keleshian

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    NEW YORK, NY (WCBS) — Two New York City police officers involved in the deadly shooting of a 19-year-old last year could potentially face disciplinary action.

Advocates are calling for the officers to be fired.

NYPD Officers Salvatore Alongi and Matthew Cianfrocco Tased and fatally shot 19-year-old Win Rozario on March 27, 2024, after responding to a mental health crisis call at his Queens home. The shooting happened in front of Rozario’s mother and brother, and was captured on police-worn body cameras.

The Civilian Complaint Review Board substantiated disciplinary charges against the officers, and the NYPD confirms they were served to the officers on Thursday.

The CCRB can’t disclose what the disciplinary charges are, however, because it’s still an open case within its Administrative Prosecution Unit.

The next step now is for the officers to respond and say if they’ll fight the disciplinary charges at an Internal Affairs trial. If they do want to fight the charges, the NYPD will set a date for the trial.

Advocates, loved ones call for officers to be fired Rozario’s family, advocates and lawmakers gathered at police headquarters Thursday, calling for top penalties for the two officers.

“We have endured more than a year of pain, and Officers Alongi and Cianfrocco are a danger to New Yorkers,” father Francis Rozario said through an interpreter.

“Police Commissioner Tisch, you must do the right thing and charge these officers and fire them,” mother Notan Eva Costa said through an interpreter.

Rep. Harvey Epstein is one of nearly 40 advocates and lawmakers who wrote a letter to the NYPD and mayor Thursday, demanding that the officers be disciplined.

“The NYPD cannot respond to mental health crises. They have no skills and training and ability to do that,” he said.

“This family called for help. Every step of the way, the wrong decision was made,” Public Advocate Jumaane Williams said.

In a statement, the CCRB said, “We are pleased that the NYPD has served the charges against the two accused officers, and we are prepared to present the case as it continues through our standard process for substantiated allegations of serious misconduct.”

A spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams said, “Our deepest condolences go out to the Rozario family. Out of respect for the ongoing process, we will refrain from further comment until it has fully concluded.”

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By Mahsa Saeidi

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    NEW YORK, NY (WCBS) — An exclusive CBS News New York investigation is exposing a cheating scandal at the City University of New York.

A unique program at the school has long been celebrated for helping local students become doctors, but investigative reporter Mahsa Saeidi has uncovered questions about that legacy and how the program is run.

The Sophie Davis Biomedical Program at the CUNY School of Medicine trains local students to become doctors in seven years. Former graduate-turned-high school teacher Dean Saghafi has recruited many to his alma mater.

“Even though I didn’t practice medicine, I became a musician and a high school teacher,” Saghafi said. “I owe City College and the Sophie Davis Program everything.”

One of his former students has been sidelined after being accused of cheating, Saghafi said. That student is not alone.

Six months later, however, there’s been no proof, no hearing and no defense.

“My student, I completely believe, didn’t cheat,” Saghafi said.

The other student who has been caught up in the cheating controversy is also speaking out. CBS News New York spoke with both, who are maintaining their innocence, but didn’t want to be identified since their cases are still open.

For purposes of this investigation, we will refer to them as Student 1 and Student 2.

“I am really scared of … them coming for me for speaking up,” Student 1 said.

Student 2, who is also accused of cheating, was asked if they did it.

“Absolutely not,” Student 2 replied. “I wanted my moment to present the evidence and the proof … demonstrating my innocence.”

Emails accuse them of cheating in the “Organ Systems” undergraduate course.

“One of the deans said that they found a total of 17 people from my cohort, specifically, that were engaging in this behavior,” Student 2 said.

Faculty notes “a list of students” who left the exam room early and then logged back into the test portal from a different device.

“They said that I submitted the exam from a different IP address,” Student 1 said. “I don’t think there’s any technical evidence for what’s going on.”

“I know that there’s students who did cheat and never got caught, and a lot of them were able to go to the white coat ceremony and celebrate, and I just feel robbed,” Student 1 said.

The alleged cheating took place in January and February. The accusation came in April. For months, the accused students requested a hearing. Now, they’ll finally get one. Just eight minutes after CBS News New York told CUNY our story would air Tuesday, the school set a date for the first of two hearings. The students were also provided evidence they’d requested.

In an email, CUNY said any suggestion that outside pressure influenced its decision is “completely false.”

“A traumatizing experience”

“We’re going to continue to produce the doctors that New York needs and that New Yorkers want to see,” Dean Carmen Renée Green of CUNY School of Medicine said in July.

Green oversees the Sophie Davis Program, which is partially taxpayer funded. CBS News New York repeatedly requested an interview to discuss the scale and history of cheating. Her team declined, saying in the undergrad program “each allegation was thoroughly investigated,” adding that “additional testing safeguards” have been implemented.

The following is the full statement issued by a CUNY spokesperson:

“The City College of New York is committed to the highest standards of ethics and academic integrity and take cheating and allegations of cheating very seriously. In line with the university’s Academic Integrity Policy, each allegation was thoroughly investigated and as a result, additional testing safeguards have been implemented and the majority of the students involved have been disciplined. A few cases remain open pending a formal hearing requested by these students. Given privacy rules and the ongoing investigation, we can’t comment further.”

“It’s been, like, such a traumatizing experience,” Student 1 said.

“At a minimum … due process is required” As the semester slips away for the accused students, CBS News New York has confirmed that admitted cheaters were quickly offered a path back, which includes an ethics course and retaking the Organ Systems undergrad course.

“In most cases in medical schools, if you admit to cheating, the school will dismiss you,” attorney Joseph Lento said. “It’s not altogether consistent with what would typically take place.”

Lento, who represents of the students who maintains their innocence, is preparing legal action.

“CUNY is a public institution, so at a minimum, like, due process is required,” he said. “The court can force them to act in accordance with what is right.”

Lento claims the school failed to provide oversight.

“In some instances, students may have been leaving within 15 minutes of the start of the exam,” he said. “That absolutely should be a red flag.”

“It’s completely unconscionable to allow this to happen,” Saghafi said.

The school stresses Sophie Davis is one of the most unique programs in the country. The students were about to finish their Bachelor of Science degrees and enter the medical portion of the program.

As for how pervasive the alleged cheating was, CBS News New York has obtained records that suggest repeated cheating. In one class alone, students attempted to cheat on exams more than 50 times over the course of three months.

CBS News New York will keep working to get answers.

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By Matthew Rodriguez

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    LOS ANGELES (KCAL/KCBS) — Los Angeles County deputies are searching for a burglar who allegedly broke into his old apartment and killed his former roommate’s dog.

The detective handling the case said the suspect, Anmol Bhatia, 27, had recently been kicked out of the West Hollywood apartment. He allegedly broke into the unit, located in the 1200 block of Harper Avenue, a little after 11:35 p.m. on Sept. 4, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Deputies said security camera video shows Bhatia beating the dog to death immediately after breaking into the apartment. He did not steal anything during the burglary, investigators said.

The LA County Sheriff’s Department released a photo of Bhatia. They described him as a 5-foot-10 man, with black hair, brown eyes and weighing 160 pounds.

Detectives urged anyone with information about Bhatia’s whereabouts to call the West Hollywood Sheriff’s station at (310) 855-8850.

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By Julie Sharp

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    HUNTINGTON BEACH, California (KCAL/KCBS) — A Huntington Beach man who suffered a brain injury while protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations earlier this summer in Santa Ana is taking legal action against Orange County, seeking $50 million in damages.

Tony Olson joined his attorney, James DeSimone, at a Thursday news conference to announce the filing of a tort claim against the county for the actions of the Orange County Sheriff’s deputies, the first step to a civil rights lawsuit.

DeSimone said Olson’s right to freely assemble and freedom of speech were violated the night of June 9, as he joined a group of protesters near the intersection of 4th Street and Broadway in Santa Ana.

According to the filing, a projectile from a deputy’s shotgun, which was fired during the protest, struck Olson in the upper right side of his head. He collapsed and was bleeding profusely from the wound before he was transported to the hospital.

Olson was hospitalized for days, with a skull fracture and brain bleeding, according to the filing.

“I promised my children when I left that I would be okay. That wasn’t the case,” Olson, father of three, said. “I went to the protest as a peaceful protester, and I never imagined that I would be severely injured for exercising my First Amendment right.”

Olson said around 10:15 p.m., law enforcement began shooting indiscriminately at protesters after an agitator threw a firework in the middle of the intersection where the protest was taking place.

Sheriff’s spokesperson Carrie Braun said on June 9 that the Orange County Sheriff’s Department responded to assist the Santa Ana Police Department with crowd control “after SAPD declared the protest an unlawful assembly and gave multiple dispersal orders.”

“During this effort, individuals in the crowd threw water bottles, rocks, and fireworks mortars/explosives at law enforcement. OCSD deployed kinetic energy projectiles and chemical agents in response to those specific threats,” Braun said.

Olson’s attorney said Tony was “not a threat when he was walking briskly away from the officers, on a sidewalk in Santa Ana, where he had every right to be.”

The impacts of Olson’s brain injury have long-term implications, he said, as he now has vertigo, dizziness, headaches, and difficulty concentrating.

“I am fighting back for justice, to hold law enforcement accountable for their actions and to give me peace,” Olson said.

DiSimone said deputies targeted peaceful protesters with excessive force. “The Sheriff’s Department’s reckless and indiscriminate use of force violated the Constitution and California civil rights law,” he said.

The department would not comment on Olson’s claims. “In reference to this specific incident, the Department does not comment on pending litigation,” Braun said.

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