All posts tagged: Torrance

What we know about Cole Tomas Allen, Torrance teacher suspected in WHCD shooting

What we know about Cole Tomas Allen, Torrance teacher suspected in WHCD shooting

Published by Sam Flores

A man taken into custody after gunfire rang out at the White House Correspondents’ Assn. dinner on Saturday was identified by law enforcement sources as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance. Suspect movements Law enforcement sources told The Times the FBI is examining Allen’s electronics and writings, and spoke to family and friends since the shooting seeking to determine a clear motive. Along with his home, agents searched a 10th-floor room at the Hilton in Washington. Acting Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche said the suspect revealed he was targeting members of the Trump administration. Blanche said on “Meet the Press” that the man traveled from California to Chicago and then on to Washington by train. Blanche told CNN the suspect fired two shots before being taken down by authorities. He added the suspect “barely got past the perimeter,” Blanche said. “He was immediately subdued, and, yes, he got off a couple shots.” The scene at the annual event in Washington turned chaotic when a man dashed toward the dining area and was met with gunfire. A …

Charges dropped against Torrance officers in killing of Black man

Charges dropped against Torrance officers in killing of Black man

Published by Sam Flores

Manslaughter charges were officially dismissed Thursday against two Torrance police officers charged in the 2018 shooting death of Christopher Deandre Mitchell, a car theft suspect who was holding an air rifle at the time he was killed. Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman announced his intention to drop the case, which was filed by his predecessor late last year. But Superior Court Judge Sam Ohta delayed a decision on the motion to dismiss due to a number of technical issues over the past six months, before finally ending the case against Matthew Concannon and Anthony Chavez on Thursday morning. Concannon and Chavez were indicted in 2023 for killing Mitchell, 23, in 2018. Mitchell was sitting in his car in a supermarket lot with an air rifle between his knees at the time he was killed. While Mitchell never pointed the weapon at either officer, Concannon told authorities he saw Mitchell reaching for what he believed was a real gun when he opened fire, according to court records. The case spanned three district attorney’s office …

Classic and new Japanese restaurants in Gardena and Torrance

Classic and new Japanese restaurants in Gardena and Torrance

Published by Sam Flores

On bustling Western Avenue in the heart of Gardena, Sakura-Ya and Chikara Mochi sit about 250 feet away from each other, frequented by South Bay residents for decades for fluffy mochi and cakey manju. They’re two of the only traditional Japanese mochi shops in L.A., with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it signage. Just a block away is Meiji Tofu Shop, a nearly 50-year-old producer that churns out fresh soy milk and tofu daily. Cross the street to find Otafuku — where the Akutsu family has been serving traditional Tokyo soba since 1997. You’ll find similar clusters of diverse Japanese food in strip malls across Gardena as well as Torrance, which has the largest East Asian population in all of L.A. The two neighboring cities are home to the biggest suburban Japanese community in the United States — and a decades-old restaurant landscape that feels like a time capsule, yet continues to flourish as a haven for classic Japanese cuisine and hospitality. “It’s like we’re stuck in the ’90s,” said South Bay native Daniel Son, the chef and owner of …