🚨 Chaos and Lawlessness Sweep Through South L.A. and Long Beach as Street Takeovers Turn Violent
- Citizens Coalition Admin
- Jul 15
- 3 min read
Long Beach & South Los Angeles – Monday Morning Mayhem
In the early hours of Monday morning, July 14, 2025, residents in Long Beach and South Los Angeles witnessed another wave of dangerous and coordinated street takeovers—once again leaving business owners devastated and communities shaken.
A takeover was first reported around 1:00 a.m. near Orange Avenue and Harding Street in Long Beach, where “dozens” of youths shattered the glass storefront of J & G Market, looted the store, and began to flee before officers arrived. Police observed a vehicle performing burnouts as the crowd dispersed. It is yet to be determined how much was stolen.
Just hours later, around 4:00 a.m., another coordinated street takeover occurred near Gage and Compton avenues, roughly five miles north of Compton. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported that approximately 70 vehicles were involved. Deputies arrived to find the crowd had already fled.
While investigating, multiple emergency calls came in reporting a string of burglaries tied to the chaos:
El Super: Looted by minors; alcohol stolen and major damage reported.
Walgreens: Merchandise stolen; store vandalized.
Pizza Loca: Damaged, but nothing stolen.
Nearby Nail Salon: Damaged; unknown if anything was taken.
Residents near both takeover sites voiced outrage, noting that these criminal events disrupt not only daily life but also compromise public safety, endanger police officers, and threaten local business survival.
🗣️ Statement from the Citizens Coalition for Change
“The communities of Compton, South Los Angeles, and Long Beach are sick and tired of this lawlessness. Our neighborhoods are under siege by reckless individuals who treat our streets like playgrounds and our businesses like loot boxes. We are heartbroken for our small business owners who are being robbed, vandalized, and terrorized while trying to make an honest living.” “We are sincerely disappointed that the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has not been able to put an end to this chaos. These are not spontaneous events—they are organized, anticipated, and avoidable. Law enforcement agencies have access to a wide array of cutting-edge technology that should already be deployed to prevent and respond to these takeovers swiftly and effectively.”
The Citizens Coalition for Change calls on city and county officials to immediately take the following actions:
🚓 Demand for Full Deployment of Available Technologies and Legal Reforms
Law enforcement has access to tools and systems that are not being used to their fullest potential, including:
Aerial drones with thermal imaging for real-time crowd tracking
Surveillance cameras and traffic light sensors in known hot spots
License plate readers (LPRs) to track fleeing vehicles across jurisdictions
Facial recognition technology, where permitted, to identify repeat offenders
AI-powered crowd monitoring systems to detect illegal gatherings in real time
GPS-based traffic re-routing and digital barricading systems to block access to major intersections
Geofencing alerts to notify police the moment crowds form or illegal activity is coordinated on social media
Real-time monitoring of store security feeds and deployment of facial recognition systems within businesses located near street takeover hot spots, enabling rapid identification and evidence collection when looting occurs
In addition to technological deployment, legislative and judicial reforms are urgently needed:
Specialized courts or judicial task forces should be established to rapidly process street takeover offenders and looters, ensuring swift justice and deterrence.
Stricter penalties must be enacted, including mandatory jail time and restitution for damages.
Permanent driver’s license bans should be imposed on individuals caught organizing, participating in, or performing stunts during street takeovers—especially those involving reckless driving, vandalism, or looting.
🛑 Enough is Enough: Let’s Take Back Our Communities
We must send a clear message: lawlessness will not be tolerated. The residents, families, and businesses of South Los Angeles, Compton, and Long Beach deserve peace, safety, and justice. Our streets belong to the people—not to vandals and thrill-seekers.
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