Gun violence grew in Los Angeles during the COVID-19 pandemic. But as coronavirus cases subside, the bloodshed has not.
Los Angeles is rapidly recovering from the pandemic, with COVID-19 cases flattening and businesses reopening.
But in some parts of city, that progress is being marred by an increase in violence. As Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said:— L.A. has seen 465 shootings since Jan. 1, an almost 67% increase over the same period last year.— Preliminary data from the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department show that homicides in surrounding areas increased by more than 113% in the first three months of this year, with 64 killings, compared with 30 during the same period in 2020.
As The Times’ Kevin Rector reports: “Police say gangs were often to blame; disputes at homeless encampments were another major factor. Victims have included people shot during robberies, drivers randomly shot in their cars and pedestrians gunned down on the street. A 12-year-old girl was shot at an outdoor birthday party; a 6-year-old boy was shot at an apartment building.”