A spectrum of events, from a bridge-top residence with a price tag that raised eyebrows to a teacher's dramatic encounter with a tornado, were captured on camera in 2023 in Southern California.
Here is our list of the 10 most-watched videos on NBCLA.com in 2023.
10. Protest shuts down 110 Freeway in downtown LA
Protesters, organized by a group advocating for a lasting Israel-Hamas War ceasefire in Gaza, disrupted traffic on the 110 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles, causing significant delays. The demonstration, which led to 75 arrests, was the first of a string of protests throughout Los Angeles that caused similar traffic backups near airports and busy intersections.
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9. Day laborers say Tarzana murder suspect hired them to move body parts
Day laborers hired to move trash bags from a Tarzana home linked to a murder investigation revealed in an NBC4 interview that they discovered body parts inside the bags. Samuel Haskell, the man detained on suspicion of murder, allegedly paid the workers $500 to remove what he claimed were bags filled with rocks from his garage. Upon lifting the bags, the laborers sensed that they contained meat, prompting them to inspect and find body parts.
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8. Heat may be to blame in Lake Elsinore middle schooler's death
Yahshua Robinson, a 12-year-old middle school student, tragically died after collapsing during a physical education class in Lake Elsinore. Family and friends gathered for a memorial at Rosetta Canyon Community Park, suspecting his death to be heat-related. The school district denied claims of dress code penalties and emphasized prompt action when the student showed signs of distress, cooperating with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department in the investigation.
7. 30 to 50 robbers swarm Nordstrom in SoCal mall
SoCal was not short of smash-and-grab robberies in 2023. A Nordstrom store in Woodland Hills was seen robbed by a group of at least 30 individuals, all captured in cell phone videos posted on Twitter. The robbers, many masked and in hoodies, smashed displays, seized clothing and bags, and fled the scene leaving a security guard to be treated for bear spray exposure.
6. Attempted kidnapping caught on camera in Murrieta
In a chilling incident captured on camera, a Murrieta father sounded the alarm after a kidnapping attempt on his 10-year-old daughter. The father-daughter duo was playing volleyball in their driveway when, in a brief moment when the father stepped away, a stranger approached the daughter, demanding to see her shirt. Swiftly reacting to the danger, she ran inside, screaming that she was being kidnapped. Although the subject quickly vanished, the traumatic encounter left the family shaken
5. Costa Mesa Gucci store target of smash-grab-robbery
Another SoCal smash-and-grab robbery. The Gucci store at South Coast Plaza in Orange County fell victim this time, with a group of five to 10 thieves making off with over $100,000 in merchandise, mainly handbags.
4. SoCal hit with earthquake and storm Hurriquake on same day
The famed #Hurriquake. Los Angeles experienced an unusual double whammy on with its first tropical storm in over 80 years, followed by a magnitude-5.1 earthquake centered near Ojai. The seismic event, accompanied by at least six aftershocks, sparked the trend #Hurriquake on X, where users turned to humor as a coping mechanism amidst the rare combination of a tropical storm and a significant earthquake.
3. SoCal one-bedroom home on a bridge lists for $250K
A house on a bridge in Alhambra sold for $430,000, well above its initial asking price of $249,950. The one-bedroom, one-bathroom home, strategically located above a concrete flood channel, not only defied gravity but also exceeded all real estate expectations. Apparently, having almost direct access to the street comes with a premium—flood channel views included!
2. Teacher nearly sucked out of classroom curing Montebello tornado
During a tornado in Montebello, cellphone video captured the dramatic moment when a teacher at Vail High School was sucked out of her classroom and knocked to the ground after attempting to open a door. The tornado damaged 17 buildings in the city, with 11 red-tagged, and had winds ranging from 86 to 110 mph, classified as an EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. The video showed students helping the teacher, who reportedly sustained minor injuries.
1. Frazier Park liquor store sells winning Powerball ticket
Our most viewed video is also the biggest winner. A lucky player in California snagged a staggering $1.73 billion Powerball jackpot, ending a 35-drawing streak without a top prize winner. The winning ticket was sold at Midway Market & Liquor in Frazier Park. This massive jackpot became the world's second-largest lottery prize, following 36 consecutive drawings without a winner.
