Stow beating assailant is arrested by LAPD
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA (BDCi) — The LAPD arrested a man in East Hollywood early Sunday morning they believe to be one of the two aggressors in the brutal beating of San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow at Dodger Stadium on Opening Day. Almost two months later Stow, a Santa Cruz paramedic and father of two, remains hospitalized with severe brain damage from the incident.
Speaking at a news conference at Dodger Stadium Sunday afternoon, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck confirmed the arrest, but would not release the name of the suspect; he said that the name would be released at the time of the booking Sunday night. BDCi has since learned that the suspect’s name is Giovanni Ramirez, a 31-year old with 3 prior convictions including armed robbery and firing a weapon in a public place. The Chief also said that the Police are gathering evidence that can lead to the other aggressor suspect, but that “We must keep that investigation as confidential as possible to avoid giving up our next move.”
Chief Beck was joined at the news conference by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, District 1 Councilman Ed Reyes and a Dodgers spokesperson. The Mayor and the Chief both stated that the Stow family has been an “inspirational influence” on their efforts to pursue the suspects.
Councilman Reyes, who governs an area of the city which includes Dodger Stadium had some harsh advice for the other suspects in the case. “To the other assailant in this case, I ask you to turn yourself in and stop wasting the police’s time. To the woman who drove the (getaway) vehicle, you need to turn yourself in too.”
Unnamed Police sources of the Los Angeles Times told the newspaper that hundreds of tips had been processed, but the tip of a parole agent put the police on the right track. Once the person was identified, he was tailed for much of the weekend and found in an apartment building on Mariposa Avenue in Hollywood according to the Times. At 7am Sunday morning the LAPD surrounded and evacuated the apartment until the suspect was apprehended. Witnesses said that the suspect did not resist arrest.
At the news conference, the police handed out a Community Alert document which asks anyone with tips on the 2nd assailant as well as the female getaway driver to contact them in either of the following ways: call 1-800-222-TIPS, text CRIMES (274637) or submit on website www.LACrimeStoppers.org.
By: Don Weinstein
Date: May 22, 2011