A former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department recruit, who spent about 14 weeks through academy training, was arrested on suspicion of threatening a man with a handgun in Lynnwood.
Kiwan Newbel, 36, was arrested by the LASD Internal Criminal Investigation Bureau on March 10 on suspicion of felony assault with a firearm.
Newbell posted a $30,000 bond and was released from custody.
He was at the academy and was employed by LA County at the time of the alleged assault.
He was fired the day after his arrest, the Sheriff’s Office said.
As of Tuesday, no criminal charges appeared in LA County Superior Court in Newbell’s name, allowing the defense to be identified.
According to the department, the agent assigned to Lynnwood Station received the attack report on March 2.
“After further investigation, the detectives obtained information that led to recruits at the Sheriff’s Department’s academy,” the department said.
Several law enforcement sources say in NBC Los Angeles, where the person they threatened to be driving captured the license plate of the car, detectives were able to connect the driver with the car, and then the information they gathered had put the driver at the academy during training time.
“The Sheriff’s Department holds all staff, including trainees, to the highest standards of conduct and professionalism,” LASD issued a written statement Tuesday.
“This incident does not reflect the values our personnel support. We do not allow the actions of one individual to undermine their reputation or undermine the great work done daily by dedicated men and women in this department,” the statement said.
It was not clear whether the gun used in the attack was said to be a firearm issued by the department.
In 2018, a LASD recruit was arrested on suspicion of stealing about $120,000 in what was called a “sleek” robbery at Newhall.
Julio Cesar Zimenez, 35, later pleaded guilty to grand theft and arson charges and was sentenced to six months and five years of probation in prison.
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