LAPD takes into custody suspect in Bryan Stow beating, bringing hope for justice

Admit it, you had probably begun to wonder if the Los Angeles Police Department would ever nab the two suspects who had brutally beaten Giants fan Bryan Stow on opening day.

It was closing in on two months since the beating left Stow with brain damage, and despite mountains of publicity and a priority focus of the LAPD, time went by without an arrest.

Despite the attention, the reward money, the composite sketches -- that in truth, hardly distinguished the suspects -- and the recent billboards plastered around the city, time did not seem to be working in the LAPD’s favor.

The fear was that,  despite it all, they just didn’t have enough hard evidence to work with. Or that the suspects had long since fled the area and vanished into foreign obscurity.

Only early Sunday morning, the Los Angeles Times’ Joel Rubin reported that a SWAT team descended upon a three-story East Hollywood apartment building and took into custody one of the men the LAPD suspects of beating Stow.

The LAPD has said nothing officially, and taking someone into custody is not the same as being prosecuted or, certainly, found guilty. And even if they do have the right man, that still leaves one suspect at large.

Yet it should spark hope for the Stow family, and all those in Los Angeles and elsewhere pained and embarrassed by this crime, that these criminals will be brought to justice.

Stow, 42, remains in critical condition. Doctors in San Francisco reported a measure of optimism this week that his seizures had been brought under control.

Any optimism has been hard to come by regarding the Stow beating, but this early-morning event brought a sliver, and real hope for more.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: In the aftermath of the beating at Dodger Stadium, sketches of the suspects were placed on billboards in the L.A. area. One of the two suspects is now in custody. Credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[N.P.Krohn]

In talking with the Stow Family these last couple months their two biggest hopes have been for Brian's recovery and a close second; some headway made in the investigation. Any news is good news at this point and there are at least 2 people who got a really good look at both suspects so as soon as they can make the line up we will all know if the LAPD has got at least one of their men. The media has taken a big hit for alot of things in recent years but i got to give propers to all of em for keeping the pressure up, on a national level but especially to the men and women at the LA Times. And a special thanks to you Steve. I was supposed to be at that game with Brian and have had a real hard time reconciling all the issues involved but it has been a constant source of comfort to know that you weren't gonna let the story die; blogging updates every week, sometimes more. Thanks for keeping the pressure up. Here's to hoping we got one of them.

[waus]

Finding two suspects in Los Angeles that look like is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

[These Dodgers Suck!]

Make sure he does his time at San Quentin in general population ......

and he'll get his.

[vtadave]

NP - Please pass along our thoughts and prayers to the Stow family. I'd trade all the victories in the world for his full recovery.

[Charles Learned]

Since when does the LA Times open a news story with the familiar, "Admit it" and end with references to personal embarassment vs. senseless random crime? No wonder your print sales are down. In the immortal words of that fictional Angeleno, Joe Friday, "Just give the facts ma'am/sir" and leave your familiar style for the water cooler.

Please help your readers make sense of the senseless instead of trying to be hip and worrying about penetrating social networks.

[FormerLifelongDodgerFan]

busted!

[Steve Dilbeck]

Charles Learned: This was not a news story, but a reaction to one. The actual news story was linked. As to personal embarrassment, I know not of which you speak. And if my ilk are responsible for the decline in print sales, that's curious, since blogs are internet creatures.

[alanw19]

That we lost another game means nothing compared to justice being served against Stow's attackers. And I say that bleeding Dodger blue as much as anyone possibly can.

(and why someone takes a shot at dilbeck on this I have no idea - I've critiqued dilbeck before, but on this, he and the LATimes crew has been doing a fine job; ditto for their work in taking court filings in the divorce and putting even more out there on frank and jamie, which without that journalism you probably wouldn't have selig's crew in LA monitoring.....nobody needs to stroke your ego and tell you, but regardless, you're doing fine dilbeck and company, keep up the good work.

lapd - catch the other attacker and the woman driver ... put all 3 under the jail...and great job getting one...congrats indeed.

[bruce]

when will we hear from Frank taking the credit? Good job LAPD

[RobotOctober]

It took them 2 months, not 2 years to find a suspect in a large metropolis teeming with men fitting the description of the suspect. What's with all the criticism?

Thanks, internet, for creating a society of armchair Google detectives who expect immediate gratification.

[bessiesnow]

I'm glad they located and arrested this mutt. Unfortunately, serious damage was already done physically to the victim & emotionally to the family http://bit.ly/l4v4LC