latimes--2020-09-12--Desperate search for missing as death toll rises to 12 in Butte County

Every Wednesday afternoon , Mark Holder would get on the phone from his home in Tennessee and call his brother Larry Holder in Berry Creek in the mountains of Butte County .
Cell phone reception was spotty in the mountains so Larry , 61 , would drive about a mile away from his five-wheel trailer off Bay Ranch Road , near Village Market , and pull over on a turnout lane where he could get better service .
But there was no call this past week .
Now , Larry Holder is among the more than 20 people still missing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rural hamlets of this Northern California region , killing at least 12 and destroying hundreds of structures .
Officials announced Saturday that the remains of three more people were found .
Mark Holder , who lived in Berry Creek until December , is trying to get his head around the destruction but still holds out hope that his brother is alive .
“ One particular feature of my brother is that he is a survivor , ” he said .
As firefighters struggled to get a handle on multiple massive wildfires in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ search was underway for survivors — and more likely remains — among the missing .
The true death toll likely won ’ t be known for days , officials cautioned , as heat and flames prevented authorities from entering some areas to search .
“ There are still some areas that they are looking into but they have not been able to get into due to the fire activity that ’ s going on , ” said Capt .
Bruno Baertschi , public information officer for the California Department of Forestry and Fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , California wildfires have burned more than 3.2 million acres , an area larger than Connecticut , according to Cal Fire .
Nineteen people have died and more than 4,000 structures have been destroyed since mid-August .
More than 60,000 people have been forced from their homes .
The devastation prompted an announcement from the White House that President Trump will visit California on Monday to be briefed by emergency officials .
Many of the state ’ s dead and missing were in the area ravaged by the North Complex fire , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties and was 21 % contained as of Saturday morning .
The fire had been crawling for weeks through the Plumas National Forest and was more than half-contained Tuesday , when it jumped the Middle Fork of the Feather River and barreled into mountain communities in Butte County before residents could flee .
Among the dead were Josiah Williams , 16 , who was trying to drive out of the flames , and Millicent Catarancuic , 77 , who decided not to evacuate , authorities said .
Catarancuic ’ s partner , Philip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died .
Holder knew both of the victims .
“ They were all friends of mine , ” he said .
“ It ’ s unbelievable.
” For the past three days , Heather Kilgore , a friend of the family , has turned to Twitter to post photos of Larry Holder , described as stocky with long brown hair and a white burly goatee .
“ He has a lot of tattoos , mostly of dragons , ” Holder said of his missing brother .
“ He has them all over on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mark Holder said his brother would have fled either on his mid-'90s black Harley Davidson or in a gray Chevrolet truck .
He said his brother , a truck hauler , suffered a brain injury from a traffic accident that has made it difficult for him to retain information sometimes .
It ’ s partly the reason he moved to Berry Creek .
He said his brother enjoyed being around nature and living alone .
When Mark Holder heard about the deaths of his former neighbors , he immediately thought about his brother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the same neighborhood and dealing with the same health issues.
” For now , the family has been waiting anxiously for any news about his whereabouts .
“ We were in touch with Butte County Sheriff ’ s Office and they ’ re searching today , ” Holder said .
“ It comes down to today.
” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said Friday that he ’ s requested that urban search and rescue teams be deployed to help his department scour hamlets where the fire burned .
“ Right now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too hot and Cal Fire has asked us to wait to deploy those later when that is safe to be done , ” he said during a news briefing .
“ So we ’ re going to be evaluating that deployment starting on Monday.
” Deadly fires were also burning across other Western states .
In Oregon , fires had scorched more than 1 million acres and killed at least six people , including a 13-year-old boy who died in a car with his dog in his lap , according to an online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child was trying to save his grandmother , who also died .
Officials say they ’ re bracing for more bodies to be recovered .
“ We know we ’ re dealing with fire-related deaths and we ’ re preparing for a mass fatality incident based on what we know and the number of structures lost , ” Andrew Phelps , director of Oregon ’ s Office of Emergency Management , said Friday at a press briefing .
In Washington , fires burned more than 600,000 acres and resulted in the death of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California ’ s North Complex fire was sparked by lightning Aug. 17 but mushroomed in size this week , forcing some 20,000 residents in Plumas , Butte and Yuba counties to evacuate .
Firefighters reported no significant growth in acreage overnight into Saturday as they worked to hem the blaze in by conducting firing operations .
“ We build containment lines to join parts of the fire or a fire ’ s edge to a road or river or something like that , ” said Sean Collins , public information officer for California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And then from that we put a little bit of fire on the ground to enable it to create a buffer between that containment line or road and the main body of the fire.
” About 3,282 personnel were battling the fire .
Their fight was hampered by steep terrain and weather conditions that were causing the smoke to linger , preventing aircraft from dropping water , Collins said .
“ The smoke is being blown back over the fire which gives poor air quality to residents and firefighters and prevents aircraft from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the winds will be picking up from the west over the next couple of days , which should improve air quality and visibility.
” On the fire ’ s western flank , firefighters were scrambling to strengthen containment lines ahead of the shift in the winds , which they said could also pose problems .
“ Monday is obviously going to be one of our trigger points because we are going to see a change in the weather , ” Baertschi said .
“ The smoke may lift out and we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heating onto the vegetation , which could bring up fire activity.
” Fire officials had no estimate for when the fire would be contained .
“ We ’ ll be here continuing to work on this for some time , ” Baertschi said .
The North Complex fire is California ’ s deadliest so far this year and the 11th-deadliest in state history .
In addition , five deaths have been linked to the LNU Lightning Complex fire , which had burned 363,220 acres across the North Bay counties of Napa , Lake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yolo and was 95 % contained as of Saturday morning .
Two bodies were found earlier this week near Happy Camp , where about 150 homes were destroyed by the Slater fire , the Siskiyou County Sheriff ’ s Office said .
The fire has chewed through more than 122,000 acres in Siskiyou and Del Norte counties and across the border into Oregon .
One death has been confirmed in the CZU Lightning Complex fire , which has burned 86,509 acres and destroyed 1,490 structures in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month in the remote community of Last Chance in the Santa Cruz mountains , the Santa Cruz County Sheriff ’ s Office said .
Authorities believe he was trying to escape the flames when he died .
The state ’ s death toll also includes a firefighter who died in a vehicle accident while battling the August Complex fire in the Mendocino National Forest last month , and a pilot who died in a helicopter crash in Fresno County while on a water-dropping mission for the Hills fire .
In Southern California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 29,245-acre swath through the Angeles National Forest and was 6 % contained as of Saturday morning .
The eastern and western flanks of the fire were entering into old burn scars , which tends to reduce the rate of spread , officials said , but other areas being charred hadn ’ t burned in 60 years .
Firefighters were continuing to focus on beefing up containment lines to the south to keep the fire from spreading down into foothill communities .
The El Dorado fire near Yucaipa had burned 14,043 acres and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In San Diego County , the Valley fire near the Mexican border was at 17,665 acres and was 69 % contained , according to Cal Fire .
Poor air quality from the fires continued to choke residents throughout the region .
The Los Angeles Zoo announced it would close Sunday and Monday because of unhealthy air .
Zoo officials said they were monitoring animals who live outside and veterinary staff were prepared to respond if the air caused health issues .
Vives reported from Oroville , Calif. , and Wigglesworth reported from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Francisco and Doug Smith in Los Angeles contributed to this report .

Propane gas burns at a home on Zink Rd. destroyed in the North Complex fire on Friday in Berry Creek.
Every Wednesday afternoon, Mark Holder would get on the phone from his home in Tennessee and call his brother Larry Holder in Berry Creek in the mountains of Butte County.
Cell phone reception was spotty in the mountains so Larry, 61, would drive about a mile away from his five-wheel trailer off Bay Ranch Road, near Village Market, and pull over on a turnout lane where he could get better service.
But there was no call this past week. Now, Larry Holder is among the more than 20 people still missing after the North Complex fire swept into the rural hamlets of this Northern California region, killing at least 12 and destroying hundreds of structures. Officials announced Saturday that the remains of three more people were found.
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Mark Holder, who lived in Berry Creek until December, is trying to get his head around the destruction but still holds out hope that his brother is alive.
1 / 42 Lance Georgeson of Mammoth Lakes paddleboards on Tenaya Lake on Sept. 13 in Yosemite National Park. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 42 Thick smoke from multiple forest fires shrouds iconic El Capitan, right, and the walls of Yosemite Valley. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 42 Benjamin Lewis takes a photo for a group of San Diego firefighters in Yosemite. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 42 A deer grazes in Cook’s Meadow as thick smoke shrouds the iconic landmarks of Yosemite Valley. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 42 Thick smoke shrouds iconic Half Dome towering over Yosemite Valley in a view from Sentinel Bridge over the Merced River on Sept. 13. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 42 Thick smoke shrouds Tenaya Lake on Sept. 13 in Yosemite National Park. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 42 A Cal Fire truck passes a burned-out vehicle on Stringtown Road on Friday in Oroville, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 42 Propane gas burns Friday at the ruins of a home on Zink Road in the Berry Creek area of Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 42 Melted goggles lie on the ground next to the burned-out truck on Stringtown Road. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 42 A crew from Trinity River Conservation Camp, a prison facility, does mop-up work on Stringtown Road on Friday, the day after a flare-up in the area. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 42 Scorched cars in Brush Creek, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 42 A firefighter battles the Creek fire as it threatens homes in Madera County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 13 / 42 Flames from the Bear fire in Oroville, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 42 A horse in a field in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 42 Frank Martinez, left, and Rick Wolfe with their nine dogs in Oroville, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 42 A fox pauses amid burned brush in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 42 A statue is singed in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 42 Lake Oroville in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 42 Firefighters work to save a home in Butte County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 20 / 42 A burned truck in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 42 A firefighter battles the Creek fire in Madera County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 22 / 42 A plume rises from the Bear fire as it burns along Lake Oroville in Butte County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 23 / 42 A table stands outside the destroyed Cressman’s General Store in Fresno County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 24 / 42 A vehicle streaks by as Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeffery Shipman stands along California 168, with the Creek fire in the background on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 42 The Laguna Hotshots Crew out of the Cleveland National Forest battles the Creek fire as it approaches the Southern California Edison Big Creek Hydroelectric Plant on Sept. 6 in Big Creek, Calif. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 42 Members of the Laguna Hotshots Crew walk down Huntington Lake Road to battle the Creek fire on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 42 A member of the Laguna Hotshots Crew is silhouetted against a background of flames. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 42 The Creek fire burns along Huntington Lake Road on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 42 A vehicle streaks along California 168 as the Creek fire creeps closer to Shaver Lake, Calif., on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 42 A member of the Laguna Hotshots Crew battles the Creek fire on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 42 A firefighter conducts a back-burn operation along California 168 as the Creek fire approaches the Shaver Lake Marina. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 42 Firefighter Ricardo Gomez sets a back burn amid the Creek fire near Shaver Lake Marina on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 42 A firefighter works on the back-burn operation near Shaver Lake Marina. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 42 A duck swims in Shaver Lake as the Creek fire approaches on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 42 Firefighter Ricardo Gomez battles the Creek fire with a back burn. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 42 The sky glows orange around Shaver Lake on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 42 A firefighter conducts a back-burn operation amid the Creek fire near Shaver Lake on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 42 Flames leap into the sky as fire engulfs trees near Shaver Lake. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 42 The Creek fire approaches the Shaver Lake Marina on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 42 Firefighter Ricardo Gomez sets a back burn amid the Creek fire near Shaver Lake Marina on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 42 A man stands on a dock at the Shaver Lake Marina as the Creek fire approaches on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 42 Flames consume dry brush around Santa Barbara firefighters as they set a backfire along Oro Quincy Highway in the aftermath of the Bear fire in Oroville. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
“One particular feature of my brother is that he is a survivor,” he said.
As firefighters struggled to get a handle on multiple massive wildfires in Northern California on Saturday, a grim search was underway for survivors — and more likely remains — among the missing.
The true death toll likely won’t be known for days, officials cautioned, as heat and flames prevented authorities from entering some areas to search.
“There are still some areas that they are looking into but they have not been able to get into due to the fire activity that’s going on,” said Capt. Bruno Baertschi, public information officer for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Since the start of the year, California wildfires have burned more than 3.2 million acres, an area larger than Connecticut, according to Cal Fire. Nineteen people have died and more than 4,000 structures have been destroyed since mid-August. More than 60,000 people have been forced from their homes.
The Creek Fire approaches the Shaver Lake Marina. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
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The devastation prompted an announcement from the White House that President Trump will visit California on Monday to be briefed by emergency officials.
Many of the state’s dead and missing were in the area ravaged by the North Complex fire, which had burned 252,313 acres across three counties and was 21% contained as of Saturday morning.
The fire had been crawling for weeks through the Plumas National Forest and was more than half-contained Tuesday, when it jumped the Middle Fork of the Feather River and barreled into mountain communities in Butte County before residents could flee.
Among the dead were Josiah Williams, 16, who was trying to drive out of the flames, and Millicent Catarancuic, 77, who decided not to evacuate, authorities said. Catarancuic’s partner, Philip Rubel, is also believed to have died.
Holder knew both of the victims.
“They were all friends of mine,” he said. “It’s unbelievable.”
For the past three days, Heather Kilgore, a friend of the family, has turned to Twitter to post photos of Larry Holder, described as stocky with long brown hair and a white burly goatee.
“He has a lot of tattoos, mostly of dragons,” Holder said of his missing brother. “He has them all over on his arms, legs and torso.”
Mark Holder said his brother would have fled either on his mid-’90s black Harley Davidson or in a gray Chevrolet truck.
An overturned car on Bald Rock Rd. in the aftermath of the Bear fire in Brush Creek. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
He said his brother, a truck hauler, suffered a brain injury from a traffic accident that has made it difficult for him to retain information sometimes. It’s partly the reason he moved to Berry Creek. He said his brother enjoyed being around nature and living alone.
When Mark Holder heard about the deaths of his former neighbors, he immediately thought about his brother.
“Group of people who lived in the same neighborhood and dealing with the same health issues.”
For now, the family has been waiting anxiously for any news about his whereabouts.
“We were in touch with Butte County Sheriff’s Office and they’re searching today,” Holder said. “It comes down to today.”
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said Friday that he’s requested that urban search and rescue teams be deployed to help his department scour hamlets where the fire burned.
“Right now, the areas we need to search are too hot and Cal Fire has asked us to wait to deploy those later when that is safe to be done,” he said during a news briefing. “So we’re going to be evaluating that deployment starting on Monday.”
Deadly fires were also burning across other Western states.
In Oregon, fires had scorched more than 1 million acres and killed at least six people, including a 13-year-old boy who died in a car with his dog in his lap, according to an online fundraising page. Family members believe the child was trying to save his grandmother, who also died.
The Creek Fire approaches the Shaver Lake Marina. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Officials say they’re bracing for more bodies to be recovered.
“We know we’re dealing with fire-related deaths and we’re preparing for a mass fatality incident based on what we know and the number of structures lost,” Andrew Phelps, director of Oregon’s Office of Emergency Management, said Friday at a press briefing.
In Washington, fires burned more than 600,000 acres and resulted in the death of a 1-year-old boy, authorities said.
California’s North Complex fire was sparked by lightning Aug. 17 but mushroomed in size this week, forcing some 20,000 residents in Plumas, Butte and Yuba counties to evacuate.
Firefighters reported no significant growth in acreage overnight into Saturday as they worked to hem the blaze in by conducting firing operations.
A charred mailbox in North Complex in Brush Creek. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
“We build containment lines to join parts of the fire or a fire’s edge to a road or river or something like that,” said Sean Collins, public information officer for California Interagency Incident Management Team 4. “And then from that we put a little bit of fire on the ground to enable it to create a buffer between that containment line or road and the main body of the fire.”
About 3,282 personnel were battling the fire. Their fight was hampered by steep terrain and weather conditions that were causing the smoke to linger, preventing aircraft from dropping water, Collins said.
“The smoke is being blown back over the fire which gives poor air quality to residents and firefighters and prevents aircraft from flying,” he said. “But the winds will be picking up from the west over the next couple of days, which should improve air quality and visibility.”
The Laguna Hotshots Crew out of the Cleveland National Forest walk down Huntington Lake Road to battle the Creek Fire in Big Creek. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
On the fire’s western flank, firefighters were scrambling to strengthen containment lines ahead of the shift in the winds, which they said could also pose problems.
“Monday is obviously going to be one of our trigger points because we are going to see a change in the weather,” Baertschi said. “The smoke may lift out and we’re going to get more sun and heating onto the vegetation, which could bring up fire activity.”
Fire officials had no estimate for when the fire would be contained.
“We’ll be here continuing to work on this for some time,” Baertschi said.
The North Complex fire is California’s deadliest so far this year and the 11th-deadliest in state history.
The Creek Fire as it approaches Shaver Lake. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
In addition, five deaths have been linked to the LNU Lightning Complex fire, which had burned 363,220 acres across the North Bay counties of Napa, Lake, Sonoma, Colusa, Solano and Yolo and was 95% contained as of Saturday morning.
Two bodies were found earlier this week near Happy Camp, where about 150 homes were destroyed by the Slater fire, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office said. The fire has chewed through more than 122,000 acres in Siskiyou and Del Norte counties and across the border into Oregon.
One death has been confirmed in the CZU Lightning Complex fire, which has burned 86,509 acres and destroyed 1,490 structures in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties. Tad Jones, 73, was found last month in the remote community of Last Chance in the Santa Cruz mountains, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said. Authorities believe he was trying to escape the flames when he died.
The state’s death toll also includes a firefighter who died in a vehicle accident while battling the August Complex fire in the Mendocino National Forest last month, and a pilot who died in a helicopter crash in Fresno County while on a water-dropping mission for the Hills fire.
Melted goggles on the ground alongside a burned out camp crew truck on Stringtown Rd. in Oroville. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
In Southern California, the Bobcat fire had burned a 29,245-acre swath through the Angeles National Forest and was 6% contained as of Saturday morning.
The eastern and western flanks of the fire were entering into old burn scars, which tends to reduce the rate of spread, officials said, but other areas being charred hadn’t burned in 60 years. Firefighters were continuing to focus on beefing up containment lines to the south to keep the fire from spreading down into foothill communities.
The El Dorado fire near Yucaipa had burned 14,043 acres and was 39% contained as of Saturday morning. In San Diego County, the Valley fire near the Mexican border was at 17,665 acres and was 69% contained, according to Cal Fire.
Trinity River Conservation Camp crews work to mop up on Stringtown Rd. in Oroville. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Poor air quality from the fires continued to choke residents throughout the region. The Los Angeles Zoo announced it would close Sunday and Monday because of unhealthy air. Zoo officials said they were monitoring animals who live outside and veterinary staff were prepared to respond if the air caused health issues.
Vives reported from Oroville, Calif., and Wigglesworth reported from Los Angeles. Rong-Gong Lin II in San Francisco and Doug Smith in Los Angeles contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-09-12--Firefighters thought the California blaze was dying. Then it killed at least 12

Earlier this week , the North Complex fire was a dying giant that was more than half-contained , not the monster it would become .
Firefighters thought a river , one crew of firefighters and one incomplete line of bare earth might keep the Northern California fire from racing toward communities like Berry Creek , officials said .
At the time , firefighters said they had few options , so everyone hoped for the best .
Then the fire exploded , traveling with astounding speed into Butte County mountain communities , killing at least 12 people with more than 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ structures .
When the winds came , the firefighters were quickly overwhelmed .
There this fire and the fast-moving inferno that burned down much of Paradise two years ago , killing more than 80 .
Like the Camp fire in 2018 , which jumped the Feather River ’ s north fork and charged into Paradise in 2018 , powerful wind gusts of up to 50 mph carried embers from a wildfire over the Feather River , this time east over its scenic middle fork , and into the brittle conifer crowns on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Creek .
There , the winds were funneled parallel to the steep canyon walls , creating a blowtorch-like effect that blasted the burgeoning spot fire into an untamable beast that crews were helpless to stop as it raced toward several Butte County hamlets .
In both cases , some residents said they did not receive warnings to evacuate and ultimately chose to stay or were unable to leave .
There were also differences .
The Camp Fire burned into Paradise just hours after being sparked by power equipment .
Its path sent it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20,000 residents .
The North Complex fire burned for some time in remote forest land before making its run .
The path sent it into a more rural , less densely populated area of Butte County .
The North Complex spot fire became a crown fire , the most intense type of forest fire there is because of a combination of its unpredictable behavior , extreme heat and speed .
All crews can do is get out of its way as it scorches trees and plants in its path from top to bottom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The spot fire was located about 10 a.m. Tuesday and was 500 acres by 10:30 a.m. and 1,000 acres soon after , said fire public information officer Sean Collins .
Firefighters had been banking on the weather continuing to work in their favor the day the fire exploded back to life after jumping the water at a horseshoe bend .
For weeks , the North Complex fire had trudged along as three separate fires , then two as one went out on its own .
The twin blazes for days slowly crawled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the river as a heavy layer of smoke kept the fire ’ s activity low and firefighters exploited the opportunity to shore up defenses on its northern , southern and western flanks .
But a part of the fire ’ s eastern flank nearest the river was an open question .
Although the smoke had kept the fire down , it was having the same effect on aircraft , eliminating the chance to cake the area in retardant or attack hot spots with water-dropping helicopters .
Firefighters relied on drones with infrared cameras @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Tuesday , an operations sections chief on the fire , Jake Cagle , laid out how tenuous the situation was on Facebook during the fire ’ s morning update .
The video was posted online at 10:02 a.m. , after the fire had already jumped the river .
Much of the eastern side was contained but there was a chunk of the fire that was still burning hot and “ backing down ” the hills toward the river , a phrase for when a fire is slowly going downhill rather than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through there that we see , ” Cagle said , before noting that should the fire jump the river , there was a Canadian crew on the other side to monitor it .
The map also showed a distant “ contingency line , ” some earth scraped bare as a last line of defense to stop a ground fire .
But Cagle also hinted at firefighters ’ lack of options , should things go sour .
“ We ’ re expecting 45 mph gusts down those canyons , so if something were to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the safety of our resources so the plan here is to not get too committed , because this is extremely steep , ” he told viewers .
“ If it ’ s something they can pick up with air assets and utilize those air assets , we will.
” But , he continued , “ Air assets after 30 mph winds , it ’ s unsafe to fly those aircraft .
So if we are getting 45 mph out here , we may not be able to utilize those aircraft .
So we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Fire behavior analysts , he said , “ don ’ t see the huge potential for it to come out of here.
” Collins elaborated on firefighters ’ thinking going into that Tuesday morning .
“ Pretty much the river was being used as a break , ” Collins said .
“ The smoke , potential winds , we just wanted to leave the fire to come down , as it were , prior to the wind shift ... the fire conditions in the area were looking favorable , and all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we could get to and protecting the towns of Quincy , Bucks Lake , Haskins Valley and Meadow Valley.
” Ultimately , the Canadian crew were helpless to stop the fire once it jumped the river and it easily passed the only unfinished contingency line set up to hold it back from Berry Creek and nearby towns .
“ As the crowns burn , all those pine needles are forced in front of the fire , causing further spot fires in front of the fire and they kind of simultaneously grow together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Collins said .
That afternoon , just as evacuations were underway in Berry Creek , firefighters posted an update with a much more urgent message .
“ About 10 a.m. , it did come across the middle fork and with 45 mph [ winds ] it got into the crowns , it ’ s still making a crown run , ” Cagle told viewers .
“ About every 30 minutes , it ’ s burning a 1,000-acre run ... we ’ re projecting this is going to hit Oroville .
Check those websites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that area to be evacuated ... it makes it easier for us to do our job if you listen to those evacuations.
” Incident records and interviews by The Times found that the protection of those in harm ’ s way was hindered by evacuation orders that came by surprise , went unheeded and were impaired by a power outage .
Pacific Gas & Electric shut down its community resource center in Berry Creek about 2:30 p.m. because of the incoming fire , about an hour before residents there were told to leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we could , given the resources and time that we have , ” said Butte County Sheriff-Coroner Kory Honea , who has the grim job of overseeing the search for bodies .
“ That said , as I have said many , many times before , there is no way to guarantee 100 % saturation of your message , ” he added .
“ There ’ s no way to guarantee perfection .
It ’ s particularly difficult when we ’ re dealing with communities in remote and rural areas that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spotty coverage.
” Times staff writer Paige St. John contributed to this report from Butte County .

Propane gas burns at a home on Zink Road destroyed in the North Complex fire on Friday in Butte County, north of San Francisco.
Earlier this week, the North Complex fire was a dying giant that was more than half-contained, not the monster it would become.
Firefighters thought a river, one crew of firefighters and one incomplete line of bare earth might keep the Northern California fire from racing toward communities like Berry Creek, officials said.
At the time, firefighters said they had few options, so everyone hoped for the best.
Then the fire exploded, traveling with astounding speed into Butte County mountain communities, killing at least 12 people with more than 20 still missing, and destroying hundreds of structures.
When the winds came, the firefighters were quickly overwhelmed.
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There are troubling parallels between this fire and the fast-moving inferno that burned down much of Paradise two years ago, killing more than 80.
1 / 42 Lance Georgeson of Mammoth Lakes paddleboards on Tenaya Lake on Sept. 13 in Yosemite National Park. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 42 Thick smoke from multiple forest fires shrouds iconic El Capitan, right, and the walls of Yosemite Valley. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 42 Benjamin Lewis takes a photo for a group of San Diego firefighters in Yosemite. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 42 A deer grazes in Cook’s Meadow as thick smoke shrouds the iconic landmarks of Yosemite Valley. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 42 Thick smoke shrouds iconic Half Dome towering over Yosemite Valley in a view from Sentinel Bridge over the Merced River on Sept. 13. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 42 Thick smoke shrouds Tenaya Lake on Sept. 13 in Yosemite National Park. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 42 A Cal Fire truck passes a burned-out vehicle on Stringtown Road on Friday in Oroville, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 42 Propane gas burns Friday at the ruins of a home on Zink Road in the Berry Creek area of Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 42 Melted goggles lie on the ground next to the burned-out truck on Stringtown Road. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 42 A crew from Trinity River Conservation Camp, a prison facility, does mop-up work on Stringtown Road on Friday, the day after a flare-up in the area. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 42 Scorched cars in Brush Creek, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 42 A firefighter battles the Creek fire as it threatens homes in Madera County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 13 / 42 Flames from the Bear fire in Oroville, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 42 A horse in a field in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 42 Frank Martinez, left, and Rick Wolfe with their nine dogs in Oroville, Calif. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 42 A fox pauses amid burned brush in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 42 A statue is singed in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 42 Lake Oroville in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 42 Firefighters work to save a home in Butte County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 20 / 42 A burned truck in Butte County. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 42 A firefighter battles the Creek fire in Madera County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 22 / 42 A plume rises from the Bear fire as it burns along Lake Oroville in Butte County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 23 / 42 A table stands outside the destroyed Cressman’s General Store in Fresno County. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) 24 / 42 A vehicle streaks by as Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeffery Shipman stands along California 168, with the Creek fire in the background on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 42 The Laguna Hotshots Crew out of the Cleveland National Forest battles the Creek fire as it approaches the Southern California Edison Big Creek Hydroelectric Plant on Sept. 6 in Big Creek, Calif. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 42 Members of the Laguna Hotshots Crew walk down Huntington Lake Road to battle the Creek fire on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 42 A member of the Laguna Hotshots Crew is silhouetted against a background of flames. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 42 The Creek fire burns along Huntington Lake Road on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 42 A vehicle streaks along California 168 as the Creek fire creeps closer to Shaver Lake, Calif., on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 42 A member of the Laguna Hotshots Crew battles the Creek fire on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 42 A firefighter conducts a back-burn operation along California 168 as the Creek fire approaches the Shaver Lake Marina. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 42 Firefighter Ricardo Gomez sets a back burn amid the Creek fire near Shaver Lake Marina on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 42 A firefighter works on the back-burn operation near Shaver Lake Marina. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 42 A duck swims in Shaver Lake as the Creek fire approaches on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 42 Firefighter Ricardo Gomez battles the Creek fire with a back burn. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 42 The sky glows orange around Shaver Lake on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 42 A firefighter conducts a back-burn operation amid the Creek fire near Shaver Lake on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 42 Flames leap into the sky as fire engulfs trees near Shaver Lake. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 42 The Creek fire approaches the Shaver Lake Marina on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 42 Firefighter Ricardo Gomez sets a back burn amid the Creek fire near Shaver Lake Marina on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 42 A man stands on a dock at the Shaver Lake Marina as the Creek fire approaches on Sept. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 42 Flames consume dry brush around Santa Barbara firefighters as they set a backfire along Oro Quincy Highway in the aftermath of the Bear fire in Oroville. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Like the Camp fire in 2018, which jumped the Feather River’s north fork and charged into Paradise in 2018, powerful wind gusts of up to 50 mph carried embers from a wildfire over the Feather River, this time east over its scenic middle fork, and into the brittle conifer crowns on the other side, south of Last Chance Creek.
There, the winds were funneled parallel to the steep canyon walls, creating a blowtorch-like effect that blasted the burgeoning spot fire into an untamable beast that crews were helpless to stop as it raced toward several Butte County hamlets.
In both cases, some residents said they did not receive warnings to evacuate and ultimately chose to stay or were unable to leave.
There were also differences. The Camp Fire burned into Paradise just hours after being sparked by power equipment. Its path sent it straight into a city of more than 20,000 residents. The North Complex fire burned for some time in remote forest land before making its run. The path sent it into a more rural, less densely populated area of Butte County.
The North Complex spot fire became a crown fire, the most intense type of forest fire there is because of a combination of its unpredictable behavior, extreme heat and speed. All crews can do is get out of its way as it scorches trees and plants in its path from top to bottom, leaving woody skeletons in its wake. The spot fire was located about 10 a.m. Tuesday and was 500 acres by 10:30 a.m. and 1,000 acres soon after, said fire public information officer Sean Collins.
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Firefighters conduct a back burn operation along CA-168 during the Creek Fire as it approaches the Shaver Lake Marina. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters had been banking on the weather continuing to work in their favor the day the fire exploded back to life after jumping the water at a horseshoe bend.
For weeks, the North Complex fire had trudged along as three separate fires, then two as one went out on its own. The twin blazes for days slowly crawled toward each other in the wilderness along the river as a heavy layer of smoke kept the fire’s activity low and firefighters exploited the opportunity to shore up defenses on its northern, southern and western flanks.
But a part of the fire’s eastern flank nearest the river was an open question. Although the smoke had kept the fire down, it was having the same effect on aircraft, eliminating the chance to cake the area in retardant or attack hot spots with water-dropping helicopters. Firefighters relied on drones with infrared cameras to pinpoint where the flames were going.
On Tuesday, an operations sections chief on the fire, Jake Cagle, laid out how tenuous the situation was on Facebook during the fire’s morning update. The video was posted online at 10:02 a.m., after the fire had already jumped the river.
An overturned car on Bald Rock Rd. in the aftermath of the Bear fire. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Much of the eastern side was contained but there was a chunk of the fire that was still burning hot and “backing down” the hills toward the river, a phrase for when a fire is slowly going downhill rather than racing quickly uphill.
“No issues through there that we see,” Cagle said, before noting that should the fire jump the river, there was a Canadian crew on the other side to monitor it. The map also showed a distant “contingency line,” some earth scraped bare as a last line of defense to stop a ground fire.
But Cagle also hinted at firefighters’ lack of options, should things go sour.
“We’re expecting 45 mph gusts down those canyons, so if something were to establish, we have to look at the safety of our resources so the plan here is to not get too committed, because this is extremely steep,” he told viewers. “If it’s something they can pick up with air assets and utilize those air assets, we will.”
A charred mailbox in the the North Complex fire in Brush Creek. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
But, he continued, “Air assets after 30 mph winds, it’s unsafe to fly those aircraft. So if we are getting 45 mph out here, we may not be able to utilize those aircraft. So we’ll see how that goes today.”
Fire behavior analysts, he said, “don’t see the huge potential for it to come out of here.”
They were wrong.
Collins elaborated on firefighters’ thinking going into that Tuesday morning.
“Pretty much the river was being used as a break,” Collins said. “The smoke, potential winds, we just wanted to leave the fire to come down, as it were, prior to the wind shift... the fire conditions in the area were looking favorable, and all the effort was being utilized on the areas that we could get to and protecting the towns of Quincy, Bucks Lake, Haskins Valley and Meadow Valley.”
Melted goggles on the ground alongside a burned out camp crew truck on Stringtown Rd. in Oroville. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Ultimately, the Canadian crew were helpless to stop the fire once it jumped the river and it easily passed the only unfinished contingency line set up to hold it back from Berry Creek and nearby towns.
“As the crowns burn, all those pine needles are forced in front of the fire, causing further spot fires in front of the fire and they kind of simultaneously grow together and continue that flaming front,” Collins said.
That afternoon, just as evacuations were underway in Berry Creek, firefighters posted an update with a much more urgent message.
“About 10 a.m., it did come across the middle fork and with 45 mph [winds] it got into the crowns, it’s still making a crown run,” Cagle told viewers. “About every 30 minutes, it’s burning a 1,000-acre run... we’re projecting this is going to hit Oroville. Check those websites and please if you’re in that area to be evacuated... it makes it easier for us to do our job if you listen to those evacuations.”
Incident records and interviews by The Times found that the protection of those in harm’s way was hindered by evacuation orders that came by surprise, went unheeded and were impaired by a power outage. Pacific Gas & Electric shut down its community resource center in Berry Creek about 2:30 p.m. because of the incoming fire, about an hour before residents there were told to leave.
Trinity River Conservation Camp crews work to mop up on Stringtown Rd in Oroville. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
“We did the best job that we could, given the resources and time that we have,” said Butte County Sheriff-Coroner Kory Honea, who has the grim job of overseeing the search for bodies.
“That said, as I have said many, many times before, there is no way to guarantee 100% saturation of your message,” he added. “There’s no way to guarantee perfection. It’s particularly difficult when we’re dealing with communities in remote and rural areas that are hard to get to and sometimes have spotty coverage.”
Times staff writer Paige St. John contributed to this report from Butte County.


latimes--2020-09-13--L.A. County coronavirus numbers fall back to pre-surge levels

The L.A. County Department of Health reported 11 new coronavirus deaths Sunday , as daily hospitalizations continued to decline over the weekend .
About 800 people were hospitalized with the virus countywide , 35 % of them in an ICU , marking a significant decline from just a few weeks earlier .
The new numbers are similar to April , before the summer surge .
Hospitalization is an important metric for charting the course of the pandemic , because it captures how many people are seriously ill with the virus , health officials wrote in a statement .
To date @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and more than 18,000 have been hospitalized since the spring .
Of those whose deaths were reported Sunday , four were over 80 , four were between 65 and 79 , and two others were between 50 and 64 and 30 and 49 , respectively .
COVID fatalities have clustered among the elderly , though many younger people , including some children , have died from the disease .
The virus remains widespread across L.A. County , although the percent of positive tests has declined steadily , to about 3 % this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condolences to the families and friends who are grieving the loss of a loved one due to COVID-19 , ” said Barbara Ferrer , director of public health .
“ We will get to a place where we are reopening more business sectors and schools , but in order to do so we still need everyone to do their part to minimize spreading COVID-19 to other people .
Each of us has an opportunity and responsibility to save lives and to protect our vulnerable residents who are likely to have severe consequences if @ @ @ @ @

The L.A. County Department of Public Health reported 11 new coronavirus deaths Sunday, as daily hospitalizations continued to decline over the weekend.
About 800 people were hospitalized with the virus countywide, 35% of them in an ICU, marking a significant decline from just a few weeks earlier. The new numbers are similar to April, before the summer surge. Hospitalization is an important metric for charting the course of the pandemic, because it captures how many people are seriously ill with the virus, health officials wrote in a statement.
To date, 6,208 Angelenos have died from COVID-19, and more than 18,000 have been hospitalized since the spring. Of those whose deaths were reported Sunday, four were over 80, four were 65 to 79, and two others were 50 to 64 and 30 to 49, respectively. COVID fatalities have clustered among the elderly, though many younger people, including some children, have died from the disease.
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The virus remains widespread across L.A. County, although the percent of positive tests has declined steadily, to about 3% this week.
“I send my deepest condolences to the families and friends who are grieving the loss of a loved one due to COVID-19,” said Barbara Ferrer, director of public health. “We will get to a place where we are reopening more business sectors and schools, but in order to do so we still need everyone to do their part to minimize spreading COVID-19 to other people. Each of us has an opportunity and responsibility to save lives and to protect our vulnerable residents who are likely to have severe consequences if infected with COVID-19.”


latimes--2020-09-13--Extended video, radio calls provide details of ambush attack on L.A. County sheriff's deputies

New surveillance video and dispatch calls provide a more detailed account of how two Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies sitting in their car Saturday night were shot by a gunman before stumbling out to seek help .
The video reviewed by the Los Angeles Times shows a figure in dark clothes casually walk up a pathway near the Compton Blue Line station , approaching the deputies ’ parked patrol car from behind .
The person draws closer and turns to face the passenger ’ s-side door , his steps quickening .
Inches from the window , he raises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back the way he came .
Moments later , the passenger door opens and a deputy stumbles out , hand on head .
The driver ’ s-side door opens soon after .
On the radio , a shaky voice mutters : “ 998 Compton Pax.
” “ Compton Pax , deputies down , ” the voice says , almost unintelligibly .
“ Compton Pax 998.
” In the security footage obtained by The Times , an extended version of the footage released by the Sheriff ’ s Department , the shooter turns a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a second figure lingering on the sidewalk .
It ’ s unclear if the second person was involved in the attack .
A Sheriff ’ s Department spokesman declined to comment , citing the “ ongoing active investigation.
” L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger on Sunday introduced a $ 100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the shooter .
Sheriff Alex Villanueva told reporters Saturday night that the wounded deputies were alert when they arrived at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood .
Capt .
Kent Wegener said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lens , so the height and weight of the assailant were distorted .
Law enforcement sources told The Times that at least one of the deputies was shot in the face and the other in the head .
Both have undergone surgery and are recovering .
Villanueva said Sunday the condition of the deputies was a “ double miracle.
” One of them is a 31-year-old mother of a 6-year-old boy and the other a 24-year-old man , Villanueva said .
He said both deputies were sworn into office just 14 months ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These are real people doing a tough job , ” Villanueva said , “ and it just shows just the dangers of the job , in the blink of an eye.
” Juan Ceja was managing Superior Grocers on Saturday night , unloading groceries , when he heard screaming and sirens .
He rushed to the front of the store , worried there was an active shooter and learned of the shooting .
The store was busy with customers , but Ceja decided to close the store early , at around 8:30 pm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medina , who has lived in the area for 20 years , heard the gunfire , which is not uncommon in her neighborhood , she said .
“ It feels like there ’ s more tension between the police and people in the area , ” Medina , 66 , said in Spanish , with her dog Fluffy at her side .
She ’ s noticed a heightened police presence in the area recently .
It makes her feel safe , but she also thinks that law enforcement is more aggressive with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there than they are with white people .
Though the two deputies survived the shooting , she said “ no one deserves to have their life taken like that.
” The shooting comes amid heightened tensions between the Sheriff ’ s Department and the community after a string of controversial killings by deputies that have sparked months of protests .
Villanueva said in a brief interview that detectives had been “ working furiously overnight ” to identify the shooter .
He said the shooting evoked the 2014 attack in Brooklyn where a man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ There is no rhyme or reason to it ; it is an act of a coward , ” Villanueva said .
“ Obviously tensions were running high in the neighborhood with the deputy-involved shooting .
But there is no nexus to it at this time .
We are chasing all leads.
” Detectives are scouring the area for more surveillance video that may offer a better view of the shooter , he said .
On Thursday , detectives from the Operation Safe Streets Bureau shot and killed a man who they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ served a search warrant in Compton , according to the Sheriff ’ s Department .
“ It is by the grace of God and the skill of the incredible nurses and surgeons at St. Francis Medical Center that these deputies survived this attack .
My prayers are with them , their families , and their colleagues who are working to find the perpetrator , ” she said .
The Sheriff ’ s Department has been under scrutiny for several deputy-involved shootings in recent months .
The killing of a man on a bicycle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests .
Some demonstrators came to St. Francis Medical Center , where the wounded deputies were being treated .
The department said on Twitter that some of those protesters had blocked entrances and exits at the hospital , but that could not be independently verified .
Videos from the scene capture at least one person in the crowd yelling , “ I hope they ... die.
” A reporter for KPCC and LAist was arrested there .
Video showed the reporter , Josie Huang , pinned by several deputies .
“ That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that once she was identified as a reporter that they transported her , that they cited her , ” L.A. County Inspector General Max Huntsman said Sunday .
The independent monitor oversees investigations and actions of the Sheriff ’ s Department .
The inspector general ’ s office has opened investigations into the department ’ s conduct in its arrest of Huang as well as at a news conference Friday where deputies in riot gear confronted activists , Huntsman said .
“ Those two incidents are of concern to us because 1st @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public ’ s respect of law enforcement , ” he said .
“ And so we feel that requires immediate investigation.
” Setif Capelton who has lived in Compton nearly all his life , was struggling Sunday to understand why anyone would shoot two deputies sitting in a parked car .
“ It makes no sense , ” said Capelton , 22 , who heard the burst of gunfire the night before .
“ It hurts this community more than anything else .
Now , what if someone walks up to a police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get scared and shoot that person ?
” Capelton said tensions in the area had reached “ a boiling point.
” “ People are looking for someone to blame for racism , ” he said .
“ People are looking to blame a cop.
” But the deputies who were shot , he said , “ were two innocent people just sitting in their car .
It ’ s just so stupid .
How else can I put it ?
” Omar Williams , who lives near the Metro station on Willowbrook Avenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprised to learn someone had shot a police officer , an act he called “ the work of an evil person.
” Williams , 40 , had taken part in protests against racism and police brutality earlier in the summer , but he ’ d recently sensed in the crowds a heightened anger .
“ You could hear the chatter in the crowd , ” he said .
“ You could feel the tension .
You could tell something was going to happen.
” He believes the police have at times abused their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and elsewhere to “ years of hostility.
” Those abuses shouldn ’ t be forgotten , he said .
“ But I ’ ve got to remember this , ” he said , standing across the street from where the two deputies were shot , “ as much as I remember the killing of an unarmed Black person by the police .
”

Alene Tchekmedyian, Matthew Ormseth, Dorany Pineda, Richard Winton

Deputies block off the area near where two L.A. County sheriff’s deputies were shot Saturday night in Compton.
Two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies shot in what authorities described as an ambush attack are expected to survive, and an intense manhunt is underway for the gunman who was captured on video firing into their patrol car. The violence has become a new flashpoint in the political debate about policing and crime.
Both deputies were shot in the head near the Compton Metro station but after undergoing surgery were listed in stable condition. The attack sparked widespread outrage, from the presidential campaign to the streets of Compton, where residents feared it would heighten already deep tensions between police and the community after several high-profile deputy shootings and uses of force.
“It makes no sense,” said Setif Capelton, 22, who has lived in Compton nearly all his life and heard the burst of gunfire Saturday night. “It hurts this community more than anything else. Now, what if someone walks up to a police officer’s car, and they get scared and shoot that person?”
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Authorities have offered no motive for the attack. But new surveillance video and dispatch calls provide a more detailed account of what happened.
The video reviewed by the Los Angeles Times shows a figure in dark clothes casually walk up a pathway near the Compton Blue Line station, approaching the deputies’ parked patrol car from behind.
The person draws closer and turns to face the passenger’s-side door, his steps quickening. Inches from the window, he raises a gun, opens fire and runs back the way he came.
Moments later, the passenger door opens and a deputy stumbles out, hand on head. The driver’s-side door opens soon after. On the radio, a shaky voice mutters: “998 Compton Pax.”
Recognizing the code for a deputy-involved shooting, a dispatcher asks: “Just happened?”
“Compton Pax, deputies down,” the voice says, almost unintelligibly. “Compton Pax 998.”
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In the security footage obtained by The Times — an extended version of the clip released by the Sheriff’s Department — the shooter turns a corner out of the frame, past a second figure lingering on the sidewalk. It’s unclear if the second person was involved in the attack. A Sheriff’s Department spokesman declined to comment, citing the “ongoing active investigation.”
Capt. Kent Wegener said the security footage released by the department was recorded with a fisheye lens, so the height and weight of the assailant were distorted.
County Supervisor Kathryn Barger on Sunday recommended offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to capture of the shooter. The Board of Supervisors will vote Tuesday on whether to approve the request.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Sunday that the deputies “survived the shooting and (are) recovering, a double miracle.” They were being treated at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood.
One of them is a 31-year-old mother of a 6-year-old boy and the other a 24-year-old man, Villanueva said. He said both deputies were sworn into office just 14 months ago in the same academy class.
“These are real people doing a tough job,” Villanueva said, “and it just shows just the dangers of the job, in the blink of an eye.”
Villanueva said in a brief interview that detectives had been “working furiously overnight” to identify the shooter. Detectives are scouring the area for more surveillance video that may offer a better view of the shooter, he said.
He said the shooting evoked the 2014 attack in Brooklyn where a man fatally shot two New York police officers.
“There is no rhyme or reason to it; it is an act of a coward,” Villanueva said. “Obviously tensions were running high in the neighborhood with the deputy-involved shooting. But there is no nexus to it at this time. We are chasing all leads.”
Residents in Compton also said they were struggling to understand the violence.
Juan Ceja was managing Superior Grocers on Saturday night, unloading groceries, when he heard screaming and sirens. He rushed to the front of the store, worried there was an active shooter, and learned of the shooting. The store was busy with customers, but Ceja decided to close the store early, at 8:30 pm.
A few blocks away, Maria Medina, who has lived in the area for 20 years, heard the gunfire, which is not uncommon in her neighborhood, she said.
“It feels like there’s more tension between the police and people in the area,” Medina, 66, said in Spanish, with her dog Fluffy at her side.
She’s noticed a heightened police presence in the area recently. It makes her feel safe, but she also thinks that law enforcement is more aggressive with the predominantly Black and Latino residents who live there than with white people.
Though the two deputies survived the shooting, she said, “no one deserves to have their life taken like that.”
The shooting comes amid heightened tensions between the Sheriff’s Department and the community after a string of controversial killings by deputies that have sparked months of protests.
On Thursday, detectives from the Operation Safe Streets Bureau shot and killed a man who they said opened fire on them as they served a search warrant in Compton, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
Saturday’s shooting immediately entered the presidential race. President Trump tweeted his outrage at the attack, adding that, if the deputies die, “fast trial death penalty for the killer. Only way to stop this!”
The president has been widely criticized for his handling of tensions and unrest sparked by the police killing of George Floyd, at times seeming to stoke the fires of racial bias as part of his reelection bid. Trump has blamed protesters for instigating violence and acts of vandalism in big cities around the country.
Former Vice President Joe Biden was quick to condemn Saturday’s attack on the two deputies.
“This cold-blooded shooting is unconscionable and the perpetrator must be brought to justice,” he said on Twitter. “Violence of any kind is wrong; those who commit it should be caught and punished. Jill and I are keeping the deputies and their loved ones in our hearts and praying for a full recovery.”
The Sheriff’s Department has been under scrutiny for several deputy-involved shootings in recent months. The killing of Dijon Kizzee, 29, in Westmont last month, who was stopped while riding a bicycle, has sparked days of tense protests. On Saturday night, some demonstrators came to St. Francis Medical Center, where the wounded deputies were being treated. The department said on Twitter that some of those protesters had blocked entrances and exits at the hospital, but that could not be independently verified.
Videos from the scene capture at least one person in the crowd yelling, “I hope they ... die.”
A reporter for KPCC and LAist was arrested there. Video showed the reporter, Josie Huang, pinned by several deputies.
Huang received a citation for allegedly obstructing a peace officer.
Back in Compton, Capelton said tensions in the area had reached “a boiling point.”
“People are looking for someone to blame for racism,” he said. “People are looking to blame a cop.” But the deputies who were shot, he said, “were two innocent people just sitting in their car. It’s just so stupid. How else can I put it?”
Omar Williams, who lives near the Metro station on Willowbrook Avenue, said he was saddened if not surprised to learn someone had shot a police officer, an act he called “the work of an evil person.”
Williams, 40, had taken part in protests against racism and police brutality earlier in the summer, but he’d recently sensed in the crowds a heightened anger.
“You could hear the chatter in the crowd,” he said. “You could feel the tension. You could tell something was going to happen.”
He believes the police have at times abused their authority and subjected Black people in Compton and elsewhere to “years of hostility.” Those abuses shouldn’t be forgotten, he said.
“But I’ve got to remember this,” he said, standing across the street from where the two deputies were shot, “as much as I remember the killing of an unarmed Black person by the police.”
Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this story.


latimes--2020-09-13--Will Phoenix rise from the ashes? Deadly wildfires devastate Oregon town

It was when she found the dead cat that Susie McMillan finally broke down .
The 76-year-old wildfire evacuee hadn ’ t cried at first when she returned to the smoldering ruins of Phoenix , a town of 4,500 surrounded by vineyards and fruit orchards about 25 miles north of the California state line .
She kept her composure despite the fact that her hometown now resembled pictures she ’ d seen of war-torn Syria .
Four people had died in the fire that erupted Tuesday and at least one more was still missing , the entire town treated as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debris for additional remains .
McMillan had fled with her four pets , a safe packed with vital documents , a bottle of wine and a few clothes , expecting to return within hours .
Instead , it took her four days to return and sift the ashes where her home of 15 years had stood .
Circling the burned-out remains of her house and two cars , McMillan — a retired medical transcriptionist and self-described “ Caligonian ” originally from San Jose — was excited at first to see a colorful porcelain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She also found the metal water dishes she had used to feed stray cats .
“ I hope they got away , ” she said .
Moments later , McMillan stumbled on the blackened feline remains .
Instantly , she doubled over , unsteady and sobbing .
Her daughter , who had come up from the Bay Area to help , rushed over to comfort her .
They suddenly realized why the sheriff ’ s office had wanted to escort residents back : They didn ’ t know what carnage remained amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t do this anymore , ” McMillan said .
It was a sentiment shared by thousands across Oregon , Washington and California , exhausted by weeks of deadly fires that have run rampant over more than 4 million acres .
Already , at least 33 people have died as wildfires cut a deadly swath through the West Coast , ten of the victims in Oregon , and authorities feared winds that fed several dozen fires last week in Oregon could kick up again , fanning the flames .
There is a chance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pervasive smoke , which had reduced Oregon ’ s air quality to the worst in the world .
But Sunday , the National Weather Service issued a “ red flag warning ” because of potentially windy , dry weather in southern Oregon and neighboring California counties .
Some areas could see gusts as high as 40 mph , and forecasters said winds would “ likely contribute to a significant spread of new and existing fires.
” President Trump is scheduled to visit California on Monday to be briefed on the wildfires , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while Western Democrats and opponent Joe Biden have faulted climate change .
“ It is apocalyptic , ” Sen. Jeff Merkley , an Oregon Democrat , said Sunday on ABC ’ s “ This Week.
” “ I drove 600 miles up and down the state , and I never escaped the smoke .
We have thousands of people who have lost their homes .
I could have never envisioned this.
” The death toll in Oregon could still rise in areas like Phoenix , where residents were forced to flee overnight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subdivisions and mobile home parks that were gutted .
Late Sunday , 33 fires were still burning statewide , some completely uncontained .
The Almeda fire in Phoenix was 60 % contained late Sunday ; a nearby fire was 20 % contained , said Rich Tyler , a local spokesman for the Oregon State Fire Marshal ’ s Office .
A hazardous-materials team entered Phoenix on Sunday to address open gas lines , downed power lines and sinkholes in 40 % of the burned area .
Urban search-and-rescue teams from Utah and Nevada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for human remains , he said .
If fires are controlled in coming days , forensic investigators will be able to expand their search for remains , and the death toll could increase , Tyler said .
“ As the hazards continue to diminish , we can get those investigators into the scene and those numbers could change , ” he said .
Cynthia Schmidt Jones was among those searching for her older brother after the U.S. Army veteran refused to evacuate one of Phoenix ’ s destroyed mobile home parks , Bear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , had survived a stroke and brain tumor in recent years that left him weak but still determined to protect his home , family said .
“ We will find his stubborn self , ” she posted on Facebook .
Her son William “ Billy ” Jones said the ornery handyman refused to leave with his German shepherd mix Roxy as the fire approached , even though his wife and neighbors did .
The family held out hope that when sheriff ’ s deputies made a last pass through the area , taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they had forced Schmidt to leave and he was stuck at a shelter , incommunicado .
But late Saturday , sheriff ’ s deputies arrived to deliver the news : Schmidt ’ s body had been found in his mobile home with that of his dog .
Jones , 25 , said he doesn ’ t think anything could have induced his uncle to evacuate .
“ If there ’ s any way that he could have gone out , he would have still been trying to save the life he and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around him , ” he said .
Of 185 people initially listed as missing in the Almeda fire , authorities said they had winnowed the list to one by Sunday .
They were still investigating two potential points of origin of the fire and had arrested a man on suspicion of setting one of them , in brush near railroad tracks .
The suspect , 41-year-old Michael Bakkela , was charged with two counts of arson , 15 counts of criminal mischief and 14 counts of reckless endangerment .
At least 1,000 houses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Phoenix Mayor Chris Luz said .
A half-dozen mobile home parks were gone , many home to seniors and low-income working families who had little notice to evacuate as late-night wind-whipped fires spread from nearby Ashland .
Most of Phoenix ’ s main street was consumed by the blaze , Luz said , up to 50 businesses , including Umqua Bank , Garrison ’ s Furniture , La Tapatia Restaurant and Puck ’ s Donuts .
Many local businesses and homeowners can not afford to rebuild , destroying the tax base and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lucky few who still have homes , utilities remained shut off Sunday , barring all but a handful from returning .
Luz ’ s cleaning business and home narrowly survived , his yard fence charred and surrounding neighbors ’ homes destroyed .
He had a generator and was camping inside with his 16-year-old son as sheriff ’ s deputies patrolled to scare off thieves who ’ d been spotted lurking in the area , including a man caught trying to crack a safe with a crowbar .
Luz said there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1850 and one of the oldest in the surrounding Rogue Valley , can build enough temporary housing for residents to return in coming weeks .
Many homeowners and businesses were uninsured , he said , and can ’ t afford to rebuild .
“ They ’ ll have to move away , ” at least in the short term , Luz said as he surveyed his street , where firetrucks circled , their crews still dousing embers .
“ It will come back , but it will be different .
It won ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McMillan stayed in touch with Orchard Place neighbors via a text thread after they evacuated to hotels as she did , to a shelter in the local expo center or family homes in neighboring towns .
She worried about a woman she used to buy tamales from who lived around the corner in a mobile home park , and hoped she had time to escape .
McMillan said she planned to move back as soon as she could to camp at a friend ’ s house in town that had survived the fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ ll rise from the ashes , right ?
” she told a neighbor ’ s family before leaving Saturday .
“ We ’ re going to find out what community really means.
” As she walked out of the neighborhood , McMillan ran into a woman whose house was also destroyed .
She was searching for her lost cat and was feeding strays .
At her feet was a ravenous orange kitten .
It was feisty , mewling and scrutinizing McMillan before settling into the crook of her arm .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and three dogs into her hotel room , which her niece had dubbed “ Noah ’ s Ark.
” But McMillan decided to take the kitten too , a fellow survivor .
As she plodded slowly out of town , examining the kitten , she mused about possible names .
Her favorite : Phoenix .

Susie McMillan, 76, returned to the remains of her home this weekend in Phoenix, Ore., where a wildfire killed at least four people and destroyed more than 1,000 homes.
It was when she found the dead cat that Susie McMillan finally broke down.
The 76-year-old wildfire evacuee hadn’t cried at first when she returned to the smoldering ruins of Phoenix, a town of 4,500 surrounded by vineyards and fruit orchards about 25 miles north of the California state line. She kept her composure despite the fact that her hometown now resembled pictures she’d seen of war-torn Syria. Four people had died in the fire that erupted Tuesday and at least one more was still missing, the entire town treated as a crime scene as forensic crews combed debris for additional remains.
Wildfire evacuee Susie McMillan, 76, cradles a stray kitten she rescued after visiting the charred remains of her home in Phoenix, Ore., this weekend. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske/Los Angeles Times)
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McMillan had fled with her four pets, a safe packed with vital documents, a bottle of wine and a few clothes, expecting to return within hours. Instead, it took her four days to return and sift the ashes where her home of 15 years had stood. Circling the burned-out remains of her house and two cars, McMillan — a retired medical transcriptionist and self-described “Caligonian” originally from San Jose — was excited at first to see a colorful porcelain birdbath and ceramic pots that had survived. She also found the metal water dishes she had used to feed stray cats.
“I hope they got away,” she said.
Moments later, McMillan stumbled on the blackened feline remains. Instantly, she doubled over, unsteady and sobbing. Her daughter, who had come up from the Bay Area to help, rushed over to comfort her. They suddenly realized why the sheriff’s office had wanted to escort residents back: They didn’t know what carnage remained amid the ashes.
“I can’t do this anymore,” McMillan said.
Susie McMillan, 76, evacuated before a wildfire destroyed her home and had stayed in touch with neighbors from her Orchard Place cul de sac in Phoenix, Ore. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske/Los Angeles Times)
It was a sentiment shared by thousands across Oregon, Washington and California, exhausted by weeks of deadly fires that have run rampant over more than 4 million acres. Already, at least 33 people have died as wildfires cut a deadly swath through the West Coast, ten of the victims in Oregon, and authorities feared winds that fed several dozen fires last week in Oregon could kick up again, fanning the flames.
There is a chance of rain Monday that could help dampen fires and pervasive smoke, which had reduced Oregon’s air quality to the worst in the world. But Sunday, the National Weather Service issued a “red flag warning” because of potentially windy, dry weather in southern Oregon and neighboring California counties. Some areas could see gusts as high as 40 mph, and forecasters said winds would “likely contribute to a significant spread of new and existing fires.”
President Trump is scheduled to visit California on Monday to be briefed on the wildfires, which he has blamed on forest mismanagement, while Western Democrats and opponent Joe Biden have faulted climate change.
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“It is apocalyptic,” Sen. Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat, said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.” “I drove 600 miles up and down the state, and I never escaped the smoke. We have thousands of people who have lost their homes. I could have never envisioned this.”
The death toll in Oregon could still rise in areas like Phoenix, where residents were forced to flee overnight on short notice from half a dozen subdivisions and mobile home parks that were gutted.
Phoenix, Ore., Mayor Chris Luz stands amid the remains of homes in his town of 4,500. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske/Los Angeles Times)
Late Sunday, 33 fires were still burning statewide, some completely uncontained. The Almeda fire in Phoenix was 60% contained late Sunday; a nearby fire was 20% contained, said Rich Tyler, a local spokesman for the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office.
A hazardous-materials team entered Phoenix on Sunday to address open gas lines, downed power lines and sinkholes in 40% of the burned area. Urban search-and-rescue teams from Utah and Nevada were assessing damage to buildings and searching for human remains, he said.
If fires are controlled in coming days, forensic investigators will be able to expand their search for remains, and the death toll could increase, Tyler said.
“As the hazards continue to diminish, we can get those investigators into the scene and those numbers could change,” he said.
Cynthia Schmidt Jones was among those searching for her older brother after the U.S. Army veteran refused to evacuate one of Phoenix’s destroyed mobile home parks, Bear Lake Estates. Donald Schmidt, 55, had survived a stroke and brain tumor in recent years that left him weak but still determined to protect his home, family said.
“We will find his stubborn self,” she posted on Facebook.
Her son William “Billy” Jones said the ornery handyman refused to leave with his German shepherd mix Roxy as the fire approached, even though his wife and neighbors did. The family held out hope that when sheriff’s deputies made a last pass through the area, taking holdouts to nearby Grant’s Pass, they had forced Schmidt to leave and he was stuck at a shelter, incommunicado.
But late Saturday, sheriff’s deputies arrived to deliver the news: Schmidt’s body had been found in his mobile home with that of his dog. Jones, 25, said he doesn’t think anything could have induced his uncle to evacuate.
“If there’s any way that he could have gone out, he would have still been trying to save the life he and his family had built and the families around him,” he said.
Of 185 people initially listed as missing in the Almeda fire, authorities said they had winnowed the list to one by Sunday. They were still investigating two potential points of origin of the fire and had arrested a man on suspicion of setting one of them, in brush near railroad tracks. The suspect, 41-year-old Michael Bakkela, was charged with two counts of arson, 15 counts of criminal mischief and 14 counts of reckless endangerment.
At least 1,000 houses, apartments and mobile homes had burned, Phoenix Mayor Chris Luz said. A half-dozen mobile home parks were gone, many home to seniors and low-income working families who had little notice to evacuate as late-night wind-whipped fires spread from nearby Ashland.
Most of Phoenix’s main street was consumed by the blaze, Luz said, up to 50 businesses, including Umqua Bank, Garrison’s Furniture, La Tapatia Restaurant and Puck’s Donuts. Many local businesses and homeowners cannot afford to rebuild, destroying the tax base and budget, the mayor said. For the lucky few who still have homes, utilities remained shut off Sunday, barring all but a handful from returning.
Luz’s cleaning business and home narrowly survived, his yard fence charred and surrounding neighbors’ homes destroyed. He had a generator and was camping inside with his 16-year-old son as sheriff’s deputies patrolled to scare off thieves who’d been spotted lurking in the area, including a man caught trying to crack a safe with a crowbar.
Luz said there’s no way the town, founded in 1850 and one of the oldest in the surrounding Rogue Valley, can build enough temporary housing for residents to return in coming weeks. Many homeowners and businesses were uninsured, he said, and can’t afford to rebuild.
“They’ll have to move away,” at least in the short term, Luz said as he surveyed his street, where firetrucks circled, their crews still dousing embers. “It will come back, but it will be different. It won’t be the same city.”
Retiree McMillan stayed in touch with Orchard Place neighbors via a text thread after they evacuated to hotels as she did, to a shelter in the local expo center or family homes in neighboring towns. She worried about a woman she used to buy tamales from who lived around the corner in a mobile home park, and hoped she had time to escape.
McMillan said she planned to move back as soon as she could to camp at a friend’s house in town that had survived the fire, and to rebuild.
“Phoenix, we’ll rise from the ashes, right?” she told a neighbor’s family before leaving Saturday. “We’re going to find out what community really means.”
As she walked out of the neighborhood, McMillan ran into a woman whose house was also destroyed. She was searching for her lost cat and was feeding strays. At her feet was a ravenous orange kitten. It was feisty, mewling and scrutinizing McMillan before settling into the crook of her arm. McMillan had already crammed her pet cat and three dogs into her hotel room, which her niece had dubbed “Noah’s Ark.” But McMillan decided to take the kitten too, a fellow survivor.
As she plodded slowly out of town, examining the kitten, she mused about possible names. Her favorite: Phoenix.


latimes--2020-09-13--Hours after shooting of deputies, law enforcement clears L.A. protest encampment

Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies shut down a months-old protest encampment in Grand Park early Sunday in a move that activists branded as “ misdirected anger ” over a shooting , hours earlier , that left two deputies fighting for their lives .
The encampment first appeared in Grand Park across from City Hall in June amid protests over the death of George Floyd .
It was cleared out around 3 a.m. after deputies declared an unlawful assembly in the area , the Sheriff ’ s Department said in a statement .
Authorities said the action was taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the park .
They denied it was connected to the ambush shooting of two deputies in Compton late Saturday or recent demonstrations against the department in South L.A. after deputies shot and killed bicyclist Dijon Kizzee .
Protests near the South L.A. sheriff ’ s station over Kizzee ’ s killing have drawn hundreds of demonstrators , including those affiliated with Black Unity L.A. , the protest group that had also been running the encampment .
In its statement , the Sheriff ’ s Department alleged that “ illegal narcotic activity , vandalism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near the encampment .
About 25 protesters and 11 homeless people were in the encampment when it was cleared .
One person was arrested for trespassing , officials said .
Carolyn Gomez , who coordinates legal observers for the National Lawyers Guild in Los Angeles , some of whom were in the park , said the Sheriff ’ s Department failed to issue a dispersal order and used “ excessive force ” against demonstrators , though she could not offer specifics .
A Sheriff ’ s Department spokeswoman did not respond to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force .
Gomez alleged that Sean Beckner-Carmitchel , an independent journalist and activist who has been live streaming events from the encampment on Instagram under the handle “ acatwithnews , ” was seriously injured by less-lethal projectiles and knocked unconscious during the Sheriff ’ s Department ’ s actions .
For months , the group had been occupying a fenced-off section of Grand Park near City Hall in the shadow of the county ’ s largest courthouse , hosting movie nights , training seminars for medical aid during protests and other educational events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an end to the practice of qualified immunity for police , which shields officers from civil liability for some of their actions ; eliminating the L.A. Unified School District ’ s campus police ; increasing de-escalation training for law enforcement ; and opening all police discipline records to the public .
Organizers with the group told the Los Angeles Times in August that about 30 people were directly involved with the site , with about 15 spending their nights there .
The encampment had its own kitchen and a donated library , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it had fortified with barricades and wooden palettes .
Members could often be seen giving food to nearby homeless people and had also organized visits to skid row to provide services .
The area surrounding the encampment , however , had become increasingly filled with homeless men and women over the summer , and had begun drawing the ire of community leaders .
The downtown L.A .
Neighborhood Council expressed frustration with the encampment , and some local residents grew worried after Los Angeles police responded to a reported sexual assault in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer .
Around the same time , signs warning that the encampment was illegal were posted near Grand Park at the direction of the Sheriff ’ s Department .

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies shut down a months-old protest encampment in downtown L.A.’s Grand Park early Sunday in a move that activists criticized as retaliation for recent protests of a deputy-involved shooting.
The encampment first appeared in Grand Park across from City Hall in June amid protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. It was cleared out around 3 a.m. after deputies declared an unlawful assembly in the area, the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.
Authorities said the action was taken because of “deteriorating conditions” in the park. They denied it was connected to the shooting of two deputies in Compton late Saturday or recent demonstrations against the department in South L.A. after deputies shot and killed bicyclist Dijon Kizzee. On Friday, deputies in riot gear surrounded a peaceful news conference held by some of the same demonstrators.
Protests near the South L.A. sheriff’s station over Kizzee’s killing have drawn hundreds of demonstrators, including those affiliated with Black Unity L.A., the protest group that had also been running the encampment.
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In its statement, the Sheriff’s Department alleged that “illegal narcotic activity, vandalism and graffiti” had become an issue near the encampment. About 25 protesters and 11 homeless people were in the encampment when it was cleared. One person was arrested for trespassing, the Sheriff’s Department said. The park will be closed for an undetermined period of time.
Several activists remained in the area for several hours to protest the dismantling of the encampment. Sean Beckner-Carmitchel, 34, an activist who sometimes livestreams from protest scenes, said deputies blocked him and another reporter at a barricade from getting close enough to film the eviction of the protest site. He stayed near Spring and 1st streets for several hours until, he claims, LAPD officers began chasing him without warning and tackled him to the ground.
“They started grabbing me by the shoulder and sort of violently dragging me across the street — at which point the pain became extreme,” said Beckner-Carmitchel, who told officers that he had a torso injury from an earlier protest.
Beckner-Carmitchel lost consciousness and was later hospitalized. Officer Mike Lopez, an LAPD spokesman, said two protesters were arrested for failing to disperse but could not confirm details of Beckner-Carmitchel’s injuries.
For months, the group had been occupying a fenced-off section of Grand Park, hosting movie nights, training seminars for medical aid during protests and other educational events.
The group’s demands included an end to the practice of qualified immunity for police, which shields officers from civil liability for some of their actions; eliminating the L.A. Unified School District’s campus police; increasing deescalation training for law enforcement; and opening all police discipline records to the public.
In August, organizers with the group said about 30 people were directly involved with the site, with about 15 spending their nights there. The encampment had its own kitchen and a donated library, as well as lounges erected inside the area it had fortified with barricades and wooden palettes. Members could often be seen giving food to nearby homeless people and had also organized visits to skid row to provide services.
The area surrounding the encampment, however, had become increasingly filled with homeless men and women over the summer, and had begun drawing the ire of community leaders. The downtown L.A. Neighborhood Council expressed frustration with the encampment, and some local residents grew worried after Los Angeles police responded to a reported sexual assault in a public restroom near Spring Street earlier this summer.
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Around the same time, signs warning that the encampment was illegal were posted near Grand Park at the direction of the Sheriff’s Department.
By late Sunday morning, the park had been fenced off completely. With the exception of a few collapsed tents and remaining garbage, most signs of the encampment had been taken away.
Roxanne McQueen, a Black Unity L.A. activist who has been there for months, said she awoke around 3 a.m. to someone shaking her tent and looked out to find at least 20 deputies in riot gear standing near the entrance to the park.
She said the protesters were given 15 minutes to gather all their belongings before deputies moved in. McQueen said deputies seized anything left behind, which included stores of water and food that Black Unity has shared with nearby homeless men and women in the past, as well as the community library. A Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman did not respond to questions about what was done with belongings or perishables left in the park.
For protesters who had been living in the park since its establishment, the rushed eviction meant they lost virtually all that they owned.
“We have people who have nothing now because they’ve taken it all, either thrown it away or confiscated it,” said a Black Unity L.A. member who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisals from police. “It makes no sense to give people 15 minutes to pack up their life’s belongings, and if they don’t, then you’re going to arrest them. That just seems cruel.”
Roxanne Allen, 29, scoffed at allegations of drug use or poor conditions. She said the encampment had been a positive place that fell victim to “retaliation” from the Sheriff’s Department’s over the protests following Kizzee’s death.
“It was supposed to be a centralized kind of point for everyone to come together and give back to our own community and be there for our own community,” Allen said. “It was retaliation.”