Northeast Shootout
Ξ February 24th, 2008 | → | ∇ 90041, 90042, 90065, Glassell Park, Highland Park, Press |
When he made a three point turn to follow me up towards Fig, I knew I was in trouble. I just hoped he wasn’t going to nail me for a bogus rolling stop. A few seconds later, he hit the lights, and drowned out my car in a spotlight that ate through my paintjob.
“Sir, do you know why I stopped you?”
I can’t deal with the LAPD without smiling just a bit, thinking about the Colbert line: “I don’t see race. I know I’m white because police officers call me sir”.
I suppressed a smile and thought, “Ahhhh, because some of the locals boys shot at the police yesterday in Cypress Park and now you’re looking for a pretext to search my car for drugs and guns?” But I figure the cops have it tough enough without taking lip from me so what I really said was: “No”
For those of you that missed the local news, front page of the Times, and the snarled traffic, the Avenues shot it out with the LAPD in Glassell Park after a driveby in Cypress Park on Thursday. After shutting down about a dozen square blocks, calling in the SWAT team, and loosing the K9 units, the final score: 1 Murdered bystander (the target of the original driveby), 1 dead gang member (shot by the police), and one wounded gang member. The Times wrote a riveting account of the gunfight with a follow-up in today’s front page. (Read the respective articles here and here).
I thought their map was pretty poor, (They place Oxy on the wrong side of Eagle Rock Blvd. for example) so I redid it through Google.
As usual, I can’t help but chirp up when our neighborhood makes the news, either good or bad. What this event had me pondering was that Northeast Los Angeles seems to be an increasingly balkanized region of the city. Do any of us see this happening in Eagle Rock? The border of Silverlake and Echo Park used to erupt in violence but today, the most dangerous confrontation is likely to be between hipsters and writers over space in the Pinkberry parking lot. I even have a hard time imagining the “sketchy because there’s no Starbucks” Highland Park erupting in this kind of large scale gang violence. I’d like to think I’m not naïve. I see the guys hanging out on the corner, I hear the gunshots and sirens, and I see the tags. Still, does anyone else feel Cypress Park is a world away from the bordering neighborhoods of Glassell Park and Eagle Rock? On the other side of Forrest Lawn, Drew St. seems like it’s on the other side of the San Gabriels.
Still in my car, waiting for Officer Doce to write me a fixit ticket for my headlights, I can think of at least one positive for the neighborhood. Chief Bratton, who is in love with statistics, desperately wants to keep his COMPSTAT rates low, and Villaraigosa wants to have a legacy of lowering crime when he seeks reelection and eventually higher office. Priority number one is going to be to flood Northeast with uniforms for the foreseeable future. Just be extra cautious when driving because LAPD is looking for any reason to roust you.
UPDATE: Saw this today while on a walk. It’s a little hard to read because of the water, but with my basic understanding of tag the point seems to be paying respect to their fallen comrade with a not so subtle threat to the police. If anyone konws more than me, feel free to post it below.
on February 24th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
I commonly shoot up little streets and traverse the lesser known routes to get back home and avoid pile ups on Alvarado and the 2. Being the genius that I am, I thought I could skip off of the 2 and slide down San Fernando Fletcher/Ave 31 up to Eagle Rock. My luck wasn’t really a burning torch that day, and it was grid lock after grid lock everywhere I turned, so I took a small bypass and took that little street that goes up the back alley of Eagle Giant rather than patiently waiting for either my car to overheat or my turn to pop on through the funnel. What I didn’t know was that I’d end up looking at a SWAT operation that had really generated some local interest. I thought it was a wedding or something at first, bystanders were out there with smiles on thier faces and a certain kind of gloss in thier eyes. I thought of just driving on through the mess, but prior to making that decision, I had this small glimpse of a reality where I drive my little 300zx into the darkness. I don’t want to be dead, so I played by more realistic and survivable rules which forced me to go down to Atwater Village and take Chevy Chase to Adams, to York.
I had volunteered to cover a shift for someone that day and ended up to work an hour late. As much as I wanted to know what had happened, I just don’t watch enough television to find out. There still one thing I don’t understand. What’s with all the bystanders? Don’t bystanders get shot? When this sort of thing happens in my hood, I go inside, make a sandwich and watch the television.
on February 24th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Most people in Cypress Park will tell you Highland Park is worst. As far as the feeling that it is world apart from Eagle Rock…you’re right they are, but Glassell Park, Cypress Park and Highland Park have the same attached stigma. I have lived in all three, I don’t feel any safer in any of them. It is all the same. Same gangs blah blah blah…hell you have real estate agents out in Cypress Park telling you to buy ’cause the white folks are coming. Honestly, it is not like they’re shooting up random people. They shoot their target and life goes on…
on February 24th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Cypress Park does not border Eagle Rock. The cop shootout was in Glassell Park not Cypress Park. Besides the gang problem out in NELA is all due to the thugs in Highland Park. I don’t know Highland Park isn’t better than any of these areas. I find it to be worse. I’m black and I have been hassled in Highland Park…my buddy lives in Cypress and he has never had any problems….
Don’t you think the mayor should be doing more for the area considering all this happened right next to his Mt. Washington home.
on February 24th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Wow what contrast on what is HP LA Magazine just did a story in the March issue which praise the progress of our area and all the joints openning. Then we get the shoot out story in the Times you know we live in a complicated world. I know there are still elements within our area which have bad and destructive intensions on our neck of the woods and I see signs of it from time to time. But I must say the picture painted in the Times doesn’t seem to tell the story and events I see. Granted I don’t live in that immediate area but I do live in HP north of York. It seems when ever there is any positive stories done on our area there are follow up stories on all that is wrong. I am not suggesting any motives or disregarding these events because they are the reality of living in an urban city and in an area that had been neglected for years.What we all need is to get involved in cleaning up what is wrong and incourage all the positives no matter how small it my seem. I agree and hope there will be an effort to help our area continue to grow and rid us of the urban blight which target us all.
on February 24th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Jim, thank you. You’re right that the shootout was in GP, with the original shooting occuring in CP. The article has been updated accordingly.
Rewan, I couldn’t agree more. I am in the middle of writing another post with your exact observation.
Thank you all for the feedback.
on February 27th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
I drove down Drew Street yesterday…there is a large flower memorial under a classic Costco tent w a half a dozen homegirls sit and shiverin for their lost homey while behind them screened in behind the ghetto gates stood a dozen dudes lookin like they were ready for war…scarey and stupid and sterotypical…
I wanted to stop and learn these peoples story, but knew I’d not be welcomed w open arms, but rather fire arms…Why do they act like it’s 1990 all over again…can’t they see they are blocks away from prosperity and safety…seems like they are embracing their plight, proud of the violence…senseless ass shit for sure…
today I drove by Marshall High at recess…stuck in traffic at the foot of the Shakespear Bridge I saw two dudes jump out their car w a large knife and a claw hammer…they trapped a group of Marshall’s finest homeys between parked cars and began a serious looking event that I missed the end of…Wild ass shit for sure…what the hell is up w these kids…
on February 27th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
i live in CP, and highland park and glassell are not that different, but then again york blvd is different from fig. i think to myself im still in the hood.
on March 3rd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Unfortunately, gangs affect everyone sooner or later! i was threatened by a renter that our house would be burned as she thought that I called the police on her some time ago and some “harmless” homeboys as well as homegirls have drawn their fingers across their throats in a gesture as if slitting a throat while looking me straight in the face more recently. Just a little while ago, one guy told me straight to my faace “we’ll have you in a nursing home”(despite my relatively young age), and by another ” you’ll be living under an overpass”. Not to mention numerous incessant pestering and forms of harrassment accompanied by and including numerous requests to rent or sell our home to them. just let a little bit of grey, or your single status be detected by these parasitic hounds of hell and find out just how gangs eventually affect everyone. All they have to is see something you have that they want and they will manufacture a reason to that probably includes perjury if is it a statement given in court to pressure you out of it in the name of “la gente” which is the biggest lie of all. Remember, a crook is a crook, and that entails greed for all that surrounds them, and if you human you will age, and be subjected to their outrageous conduct. Highland Park is beautiful ,but it needs to be cleaned up no matter what realy interests say or do.
on March 3rd, 2008 at 2:25 pm
The photos of the graffiti are from an illiterate Avenues gang member (Aves Ce 57 Cyclones). His name is Russo (Russian) and what he’s trying to communicate, bare with me here the guy is obviously retarded, is the following: ‘Rest in peace Russo, yea right, next time use a .45.’ Russo was wounded by gunfire from a rival gang. He spray painted his message to mock whoever tried to kill him. I grew up in HP and that’s how I know what Russo’s message means. Pretty sad all around huh?
I grew up in HP during the seventies and eighties and HP was a much worse back then. The Avenues used to control the area north of York Blvd, particularly on Range View between Avenue 56 and 57 as well as along Meridian Street and Aldama. Back then gang members in the area were much more visible and their violence wasn’t as isolated as it is now. With gentrification, Metro Rail and rising home prices the area has a lot going for it. However, gangs have been entrenched there for decades and their presence will be there for decades to come. Basically, HP is a ghetto and those you who recently purchased homes there or are new to the area need to realize you live in an awful neighborhood that can erupt in violence at anytime. Buena Suerte!!!
on March 13th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Did anyone live in Echo Park in the early and mid 90’s? I did, and I moved because the shooting and the violence was too much for me. It was a war zone. And have you seen Echo Park lately, it hasn’t just calmed down, the gangs are practically gone! I’ve lived in HP for 4 years, and it doesn’t seem nearly as bad as Echo park was in 1995. Cheer up, there’s hope.
on March 14th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Hell is hot . When they die , they will answer to the high almighty God . I am very afraid for them.And they should be terrified. If only they knew . What would the first minutes be like when you die , commiting evil acts.God will never forgive you. You may get away with it in this world but NOT in the hereafter. So go on , act stupid and you’ll see.
on March 14th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
There is no Avenues , CP ,HP in the hereafter. Only fire burning you permanently when you will neither live nor die . And your only source of water will be boiling water that will tear through your bowels . This may sound like fiction or some crazy stuff but it is real. Turn to God and stop all the stupidity .I swear by almighty God this is true . Why would you kill some innocent bystander ? Why would you shoot somebody because of the color of their skin ? Why would you steal somebody’s hard earned money that they would eventually use to feed their families.I wish you could find out what is happening to yuour fallen comrades.Stop all the craziness and turn to God . God will forgive you.May God spread peace and love on earth.May God punish all the evildoers in this world and the hereafter if they do not repent and do right. Amen!.
on March 21st, 2008 at 10:24 am
I get the feeling that most of you Hipsters do not really understand where you really are when hanging on York Blvd. and driving down Drew St. All 3 neighborhoods, H.P., G.P., & C.P. have been run by extremley organized gangs for many years, and they don’t just hurt each other!! Consider yourselves lucky if you have not yet had a run in with these creeps! They are still very much here so don’t kid yourselves! Just because they put in a few pretentious bars on York and some trendy “cool” folks moved in does not mean the neighborhood has really changed for the better! Get Real Hollywood!!! The cops want you people to think they are actually doing something, when they are really just harrassing all of you drunks on York Blvd.!!!
on March 21st, 2008 at 10:28 am
Don’t forget…the cops are more afraid of the gang members than the members are afraid of the cops!!