Blatant disregard for authority and peace
A sad day when PD officers on the scene of a fire outnumber the firefighters
Gaurdsmen watch for snipers as suspects are arrested
Postal Police gaurd the main post office while hundreds attempt to get their 'Government Checks' that were due to come out on May 1st, I guess at this point the checks meant more than the stance they were taking a few hours/days before.
Incredible
LAs bravest trying to do their best
A fire raging unchecked due to the volume of fires LAFD responded to
A local store owner exchanges gunfire with looters
Victims lay dead on the street while PD interviews friends (also wounded)
Snipers gaurding the burgers
On April 29th the verdict and aquital of the officers involved in the Rodney King beating trial came out. For 4 days the citizens of LA and really most of the country lived in fear. The fear wasn't that the mayhem would spread, it was based on the fact that this, monster that was loose in LA could grow and breed into other monsters across the country. In all over 50 were killed (53 I believe), over 4,000 suffered injuries, and 12,000 were arrested, and a record estimate of (in 1992 dollars) $1 billion in damages. A total of 35 people died from gunfire, 8 by PD and 2 by gaurdsmen. Multiple deaths were reported due to traffic accidents including people run over in the streets and left. Stabbings, stranglings, and beatings were common. The fire department ran thousands of fire calls. Highly trained police helicopters were forced to the ground by gunfire, noise violation parties turned into shots fired calls then into gunfights with police and party goers.
The governer activated 4,000 National Gaurdsmen and marched them into the city along side of county, and city PD as well as CHP officers. Businesses across the city were closed, post offices shut down, schools let out, curfews imposed, and relative martial law followed. Millions of Americans tuned in fixated on the television by the unreal events unfolding before them. In the photos you can see the total disregard for safety and the amazing events that unfolded. Take note of the army sniper on the roof of a Burger King, the soldiers marching the streets with bayonets attached to M16s, note the raging fires, and the various scenes of mayhem. The events inspired sweeping changes in the handling of rioting people and the stance the fire service would approach scenes such as these. The music group Sublime performed a song based on and entitled April 29 1992. Books have been written to document the days of the riots and careers have ended due to the entrie case and riots.
Shooting and arson photos from this website: http://www.kang.org/LARiot.html
other sites of interest on this day of destruction are: http://www.citivu.com/ktla/sc-ch1.html
http://www.urbanvoyeur.com/lariots/
this last site offers a range of information and insights on the riots a link to photos is provided that show before and after shots of the destroyed businesses and homes.
http://www.streetgangs.com/topics/2002/042902tenyearslater.html
The photos posted here are from the previously mentioned websites and are only a few of the amazing photo documents that exist displaying the tragic events of these days of violence. Hats off to the men and women who risked their lives to protect and serve during this lawless day, and condolences to the families of the innocents who perished by the few that took to the streets.
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