LA Street Takeovers Spark Fire, Looting

Los Angeles street takeovers erupted into fire and looting early Saturday, as two separate scenes in the city turned chaotic within hours of each other. The incidents unfolded in East Los Angeles and the Gramercy Park neighborhood, adding fresh urgency to a problem that has repeatedly rattled residents and drawn a growing city response.

In the southern part of the city, a car fire followed a street takeover around 4:52 a.m. Los Angeles fire officials said an engine responded to the auto fire and knocked down the large blaze. Video from the scene showed Los Angeles Police Department officers standing by as skid marks covered the pavement. A police spokesperson said officers had arrived minutes earlier to disperse a large crowd taking part in the takeover and that fireworks were also being set off. Police took a report on the burned vehicle, and no information was released on arrests.

In a separate incident, an AutoZone at 1131 S. Atlantic Blvd. was broken into and looted after a street takeover around 2:20 a.m. Deputies from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department responded to the burglary. The store’s front glass door was shattered, and video from the scene showed merchandise scattered across the floor. Car batteries, wiper fluid and other auto accessories were seen inside the damaged shop, along with a spilled Modelo beer can in one of the aisles.