Authorities swarmed a street takeover in the South Los Angeles area early Saturday in a large show of force, issuing hundreds of citations, arresting 66 people and impounding hundreds of vehicles.
The response took place around 3:20 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of South Figueroa Street and West Alondra Boulevard, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson said.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell held a news conference at the scene Saturday afternoon in which he promised “This is only the beginning.”
A task force including more than 150 LAPD officers and counterparts from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and California Highway Patrol staged the takeover sting in a crowd of more than 700 people, McDonnell said.
They arrested 66 people, including one for suspicion of assault on a police officer, one for suspicion of battery and one suspected of obstructing or interfering with an arrest, he said.
Some 570 citations were issued, McDonnell said, with 442 people cited for being a spectator at a speed contest, and 128 juveniles between the ages of 11 and 17 for curfew violations. Seven firearms were seized and an undisclosed amount of nitrous oxide was recovered.
More than 200 vehicles were impounded, he said. Some were stolen, some were rented and some were borrowed from unknowing parents. “Nobody’s going to do that with their own vehicle.”
McDonnell urged parents to “Know where your kids are. One single reckless decision can ruin their life.” He added, “This is not harmless fun. This is criminal behavior.”
The chief also promised that “This is not a one-off.” He said officers would swarm more takeovers as short staffing allowed, making more arrests and seizing more vehicles, which he would like to see crushed.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass praised the operation. “Let me be clear: There is zero tolerance for illegal street racing and street takeovers in Los Angeles,” she said. “These are inherently dangerous and put the lives of drivers, spectators and innocent bystanders at risk. We will continue to prioritize prevention, deterrence and enforcement to protect Angelenos, businesses and neighborhoods and ensure those involved face consequences.”
She promised to keep the pressure on street takeovers.
Video from the scene showed a massive number of law enforcement personnel at the scene, which appeared to include sheriff’s department personnel as well as police.
Other media outlets reported a chaotic scene as police arrived, with people climbing fences and running into yards to evade authorities and some vehicles crashing into each other in an attempt to flee.
“With this being the first night of Labor Day weekend, the LAPD was ready for the takeover that did occur here,” City Councilman Tim McOsker told reporters. “Officers shut down the intersection and made sure folks couldn’t escape. They have confiscated or are impounding the cars with the official police car garages. Individuals who were driving were booked — other folks were cited.”
” … We have an apartment building just right around the corner and we have good families and folks who are trying to live their lives. Every single weekend this intersection was taken over by this illegal racing,” McOsker added. “So we’re sticking up especially for the families who need to live in our neighborhoods and live in peace.”
The illegal gatherings have plagued the county for the last few years but have increased markedly in recent weeks, with some takeovers leading to robberies of nearby retail stores. Until recently, most of the takeovers resulted in no arrests, as participants and spectators scatter when police arrive.
Last month, the LASD detailed measures it has launched to combat the wave of street takeovers and associated crimes, stating that it was working to “identify and hold organizers and participants accountable through arrests, vehicle impounds, citations and criminal prosecution.”
The LAPD has also formed a Street Racing Task Force.