From Long Beach to Whittier, a Path of Gunfire, Arson and Looting

Here is a recap of riot-related incidents in Long Beach and other Southeast cities.

Compton

A wave of looting and fires peaked Thursday night in Compton . City police were aided by National Guard troops and officers from Riverside and San Diego counties. Most liquor stores in the city were looted or burned, police said, as were scores of businesses along Long Beach, Compton and Alondra boulevards and Rosecrans Avenue. Police officers were involved in a fatal shooting Thursday afternoon. About 12:30 p.m. a 30-year-old black man was shot to death by police near Rosecrans and Chester avenues. Later in the day, a group of black men killed a 25-year-old Asian-American man by shooting several rounds into the victim’s truck as he drove down Alondra Boulevard.

* Deaths: Two.

* Injuries: One officer (twisted ankle in pursuit of suspect). No reports of civilian injuries, although there were three officer-involved shootings.

* Fires: 136 (includes several rekindled on their own or as a result of repeated arson.)

* Damage: $100 million.

* Looting/Vandalism: 179 buildings.

* Arrests: 335; many for looting, 108 for curfew violations.

* Other: 275 National Guardsmen and 195 officers from various Southern California departments on site to help the city’s 130-person police force.

Huntington Park

Looters and vandals damaged at least 25% of the city’s commercial district, mostly on or near Pacific Boulevard. A nightclub and two clothing stores were among the businesses that went up in flames along the shopping corridor. About 65 businesses were wrecked. Army troops are still on duty near Pacific Boulevard.

* Deaths: None.

* Injuries: Two officers.

* Fires: Five.

* Damage: At least $4 million.

* Looting/Vandalism: Mostly food, clothes and shoe stores. One record store was cleaned out.

* Arrests: 403, most on suspicion of looting and on curfew violations.

Long Beach

The city exploded with its worst series of fires and looting in its history Thursday night and into Friday. Concentrated in the southwestern part of the city, looters and vandals roved through hundreds of stores along major commercial strips, including Anaheim Street and Pacific Avenue.

At its worst, firefighters were scrambling to keep up with new fires that were reported every three minutes, including a devastating fire at the Department of Motor Vehicles on Pacific Avenue. National Guardsmen, along with sheriff’s deputies from as far away as Riverside County, were called in Thursday as the city manager declared a state of emergency and imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew.

In the most violent incident, a man and his uncle were pulled from a motorcycle, flung to the ground, beaten and robbed Thursday night. As Matthew Haines, 32, lay in the street, he was killed with a shot to the back of the head. His nephew, Scott Coleman, 26, was shot three times but was able to make it back home. Police arrested at least five suspects.

Local hospitals reported at least six other shooting victims and police said at least two men were dragged from their cars and beaten a couple of blocks from police headquarters. On Friday, hundreds of store owners boarded up their businesses in an effort to deter further looting.

* Deaths: One.

* Injuries: At least 361--21 of which were called critical.

* Fires: At least 423, including 159 buildings.

* Damage: $18.2 million (structures only).

* Looting/Vandalism: Unknown.

* Arrests: 1,221, most for looting.

Lynwood

Citywide violence hit Wednesday night and lasted into Friday, according to authorities. A firefighting strike team from Ventura and scores of reserves were called in to help with fires throughout the city. By Saturday morning, at least 14 major fires had devastated a number of businesses in the city and the neighboring Willowbrook area. Several businesses, including Clark Drugs, Bill’s Ranch Market and Jolly Jug Liquor, were burned to the ground. More than 100 National Guardsmen were called in to help patrol areas where businesses were still standing. Fires also destroyed five Shell gasoline stations.

* Deaths: None.

* Injuries: Three, including one firefighter who was injured when beer bottles were hurled at the fire engine, shattering the windshield.

* Fires: 76.

* Damage: At least $6 million.

* Looting/Vandalism: At least 66 cases reported.

* Arrests: 390, most on assault, burglary and curfew violations.

Bell

Authorities reported 86 arrests, mostly involving looting suspects trying to sell stolen goods, and those held on curfew violations.

Bell Gardens

Police reported 46 riot-related arrests, mainly people driving through the city with stolen goods. Five people were caught making Molotov cocktails. There were seven weapons-related arrests. One palm tree was set on fire.

Cerritos

Windows were shattered Thursday night at an Asian market, dentist’s office, photo mart, yogurt shop and sporting goods store in a Cerritos mini-mall at Pioneer and Del Amo boulevards.

Hawaiian Gardens

A Korean-owned market was gutted by fire Sunday and windows were shattered at five business buildings Thursday. The interior of the Golden Supermarket on Carson Street was destroyed in what the owner claimed was a riot-related incident, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Lakewood

At a Lakewood mini-mall at South Street and Lakewood Boulevard, windows at a tuxedo shop and a carpet store were broken out two successive nights.

Maywood

Plate-glass windows were shattered in three stores Thursday night. Police reported one riot-related burglary arrest.

Santa Fe Springs

Two attempted arsons were reported Thursday in Santa Fe Springs, according to the city. In one, youngsters threw a lighted towel against the wall of Santa Fe Springs Ecology, an auto wrecking yard, but it fell without doing any damage. In the second, would-be arsonists broke a window at the Santa Fe Springs Mall but fled when city public safety officers and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrived. There were no arrests in either case.

South Gate

A pickup truck was driven through the barred front door of a South Gate gun shop early Thursday evening in an apparent attempt to steal guns and ammunition. Police quickly responded to the 6 p.m. break-in at Weatherby Sporting Goods on Firestone Boulevard after a call from a passer-by, but the unidentified assailant had already driven away. Owner Ed Weatherby said it appeared that nothing was stolen. Looters also hit an auto parts store, a coin-operated laundry, a gas station and a liquor store. A delivery truck driver was pulled from his vehicle and beaten. One resident was shot in the leg at his home. Police put up barricades at major streets Thursday and Friday to reduce traffic in and out of the city. There were 146 arrests.

Whittier

A group of 25 to 30 youths Saturday night smashed windows with a baseball bat and looted merchandise such as cigarettes, sandwiches, beer and snacks from the Stop n Go Liquor Market at the corner of Beverly Boulevard and Pickering Avenue. Neighbors called police, who arrested five suspects and returned some of the merchandise.