If it’s one thing I’ve learned in life is that you don’t fuck with the Police. When interacting with standered issued street soldiers, you gotta be honest, to the point and most importantly not shoot at them. Ever. As of noon today, LAPD officers involved in a drug bust, possibly at a home on Michigan and Matthews NOT CONFIRMED, were shot at. I CAN’T CONFIRM that officers were hit, just shot at. However, considering that everything is on lock down from Wabash all along Mott all the way through Michigan. Then all along Michigan through Breed st. Then all along Breed up to Cesar Chavez continuing along Chavez to Fairmount, with traffic diverted all along First st. and Wabash. They got everything on lock down son. Now that you know what’s up, here’s some pics and my twitter feed as I made my way to First st. passing by and seeing all the craziness unfold.
First my tweets as I made my way through the streets :
~ 5-0 is all up in Boyle heights right now closing off blocks and checking peoples trunks !! about 4 hours ago from txt
~ They have everything closed from Chavez all the way to wabash about 3 hours ago from txt
~ Then it’s closes off from Mott going to soto about 3 hours ago from txt
~ They ain’t playing. They got 2 ghetto birds at once flying up and down about 3 hours ago from txt
~ It’s a drive by that happened on Matthews/Michigan. It’s been heated here lately #eastla
~ Ambulances, K-9 units and detectives all rolling through fudge !! about 3 hours ago from txt
~ A few unmarked white trucks rolled by in hurry. What got killed I’ve never seen so many cops about 3 hours ago from txt
~ AVOID BOYLE HEIGHTS right now. Traffic jams everywhere being diverted to 1st #eastla
~ 2 more detective Cars rushed outta hollenbeck police station about 3 hours ago from txt
~ There go two more detective Cars about 3 hours ago from txt
~ And another about 3 hours ago from txt
~ And another 2 more about 3 hours ago from txt
~ Turns out there was a drug bust & cops were shot at via @wendycarrillo about 3 hours ago from txt
~ Boyle Heights on Lock down, writing the blog post as we speak, but first some cafe and pan to get me going 🙂 21 minutes ago from web
I was meeting up with someone and by the time we finished it was 3 p.m. Ironically, during our meeting we talked about how on LAeastside I unofficially became one of the main, if not only people reporting out of Boyle Heights and what’s going down. It’s my home after all.
As I mentioned before, the LAPD had whole blocks closed of with no one allowed to go in, only out. This all started at noon and it was still in full affect when I was making my way across BH. A lot of people gathered on corners and other spots, waiting for the cops to let them get through. This totally sucked because kids are already getting out of school and it’s raining out.
Even businesses got shut down. I wanted to go to the bank and get some money, but no dice. It’s always interesting to be a fly on the wall with the crowds because of the banter that goes on among all the neighbors. They all whisper and banter among each other about what happened and when it’ll be over. They all swap stories of other times in which lock downs have taken place. No one is new to this song and dance.
See ? what else is there to do if the cops don’t let you go home or about your business. You huddle in a group and gossip among yourselves, that’s what you do. It’s what brings a community together, gossip and the cops.
Sheridan Elementry was also on lock down with a heavy police presence. This must have gotten a lot of parents picking up their kids nervous. As I walked along, every time I would stop to take pics, near by officers would eye ball me and wonder what they hell was I doing. Since everything was closed off I had to navigate the back streets in order to get home, even though at every block there was a cop cruiser and an officer telling me that they don’t know when the lock down is going to be over and that my only option is to wait it out. Pfft silly cops, I made it home despite the lock down hahah whadaya know about that huh ? Although it makes me think that if I could get through them, then the people they’re looking for might get through too. This has been El Random Hero reporting live from Boyle Heights, back to you in the studio Tom.
That large of a restricted area does seem unnecessary. Sounds like they’re sending a message. Someone shoots at a cop, and everyone in the neighborhood pays. Such reactive behavior by the police just drives a wedge further between them and the community, and then they wonder why they don’t get the support they expect.
@robthomas
or maybe they are searching for the person who shot at the police. So they have to cordon off an area to look for them.
Dont be so quick to condemn the police. Police-Community relations are a give and take relationship. The community has to understand if they seek to be understood.
the LA Times take on the event.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/01/school-locked-down-in-boyle-heights-after-suspects-exchange-gunfire-with-officers.html
ots,
I don’t buy it, sorry. They’ve got practically everything east of I-5 quarantined. Looks like some sort of a statement to me. And, an unnecessary one, at that.
i was in that area today looking at a little bungalow right on wabash at fickett, wondering what was going on….naturally, i figured there’d be something on here. i’ve always felt safe enough in boyle heights (same as in highland park, lincoln heights and cypress park but spent less time there), but it concerned me a little bit. is there anything you think i should know before committing to a lease? (ie, matthews and michigan being hot, notable gang activity, serious lack of street parking for a single woman walking alone back home at night, how fickett is if coming back from goldline, etc.) i’m doing my own research too, but i’d really appreciate yr thoughts! thanks.
Thanks for the update. I’m up in Oregon and like to keep tabs in the old barrio. La Jefa doesn’t always give me a accurate depiction of all the action. Keep up the good Boyle Heights beat reporting.
it’s all good. This was just an isolated incident that got big really fast. There’s crime anywhere and if you go the LAPD web site and look up Boyle Heights, most of the crimes are GTA and theft, nothing serious to scare anyone away. It’s all families. I live around that bungalow and if you need someone to walk you home on any given night, holla at me. 🙂
sweet! thank you so much. it’s a cute little place….we will see what happens! i figured the whole police shootout / close all streets was random timing.
Collective punishment, anyone?
This definition is from Wikipedia.
Collective punishment is the punishment of a group of people as a result of the behaviour of one or more other individuals or groups. The punished group may often have no direct association with the other individuals or groups, or direct control over their actions. In times of war and armed conflict, collective punishment has resulted in atrocities, and is a violation of the laws of war and the Geneva Conventions.
Estoy contigo Caxcan, I understand the LAPD wanting to gaffle up any shooters, but to lock down huge areas of the city without regard to the peoples lives is not good PR. I know it is a tired retort but it must be asked continuously, would this action by the LAPD happen in Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Encino,?
I think not.
I was wandering what the fuck was going on, i never see that much traffic on breed. the bank gets crowded but not the whole block.
Maryam – Im a part time resident of BH, and I can tell you that is not as bad as ppl say it is (ppl that don’t live there) I live in the south bay and ppl over here freak out when they hear East LA. Breed has a gang that supposedly hangs out a block away from where I stay and I’ve never seen a cholo or anything crazy going on. East LA only has the bad reputation from what was happening a while back. I think that Inglewood and Compton are a lot worst, but it all depends on who you ask.
Did anyone hear anything about a homiside on sat. night at around 12am close to el tepeyac?
Caxcan
January 27th, 2010 | 8:26 am
In times of war and armed conflict, collective punishment has resulted in atrocities, and is a violation of the laws of war and the Geneva Conventions.
………..
Interesting point. The police often violate peoples’ basic civil rights in ways that the military wouldn’t even get away with in a war zone. It’s amazing how much power we’ve given to police. There needs to be reform, no doubt. I think the democratic process is going to catch up with them, and I think it’s a couple of generations away, perhaps even one. A lot of young people of all different races and economic backgrounds don’t like the attitudes of many in law enforcement today, where at one time it was only the poor and minorities who voiced their opinions on law enforcement.
Yes just another day in Boyle Heights, if you can’t handle this, please stay where you are or move back out of California because eventually all of California will be like this.
This stuff happens ALL the time in Boyle Heights. Those who have lived here a while know it and deal with it.
I heard that there were some guys trying to steal a car So what really happened? I just found out about this side and I like it 🙂 sometimes I search for what type of crimes Are going on when I hear the cops and the helicopter now I know where to come 🙂
hey! inglewood is alright, there are families over here too you know
There was a story about south LA, in the times regarding what characteristics make for a peaceful neighborhood versus hostile one.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-homicide26-2010jan26,0,7890734.story
I think its interesting when you apply that to Boyle Heights or the rest of the Eastside. The Disparity between one area and another.
Maryam, Boyle Heights is arguably a hodgepodge of streets and micro-neighborhoods. With some streets being fairly nice and peaceful and others much more active.
@ robthomas, sorry but i’m not selling anything just telling you they way things are from what i’ve seen and experienced myself.
OTS, while I myself have been fortunate enough to not experience any kind of blanketed punishment by police, I have spoken to, and read accounts by, many people who live in neighborhoods like Boyle Heights who have. A couple of them left comments on this thread, actually. In fact, the author of the article seems to be insinuating the same thing that I said, as well.
I just moved to Boyle Heights from Watts before Watts I was in Rampart Area of L.A. were I was born and raised. So I have seen and been around my share of Los Angeles action. From my experience of living in all this areas in Los Angeles and having friends in all areas of Los Angeles one thing remains the same every neighborhood has a certain unity and respect. So just relax and enjoy this beautiful city and show respect and you will be fine.
I agree with what Pachuco3000 said 100%.