MacArthur Park - History - Gangs

Gangs

Despite the rather poetic homage paid to it in the 1968 song, MacArthur Park became known for violence after 1985 when drug-dealing, shoot-outs and the occasional rumored drowning became commonplace, with as many as 30 murders in 1990. The Westlake area has also become famous for the sale of fake identification cards, especially those which allow non-US citizens to work in the US. When the lake was drained in 1973 and 1978 hundreds of handguns and other firearms were found to have been disposed of in the lake.

Gang-on-gang violence still occurs occasionally in and around the park, such as:

In 1995, a small, local gang in the Westlake and Downtown area called the Burlington Street Locos got into an argument with another man who was believed to be in a rival gang called the Crazy Town Locos. A few days before, a member of Crazy Town Locos struck a man from Burlington Street Locos across the face. Seeking revenge, members of the Burlington Street Locos went to look for members of the rival gang and thought that a man that looked like the target was him. Mistakenly, they fired a couple rounds into his chest, hiding the body in a garbage bag and throwing it in the lake.

In 1997, a member of MS 13 was found dead in the MacArthur Park lake. Police found his body two days after he died. Apparently, members of two small time gangs called the Crazy Riders and Drifters shot the victim in the chest and head after they found out he was selling crack on their turf.

In 2001, a couple members of the notorious 18th Street gang had a shootout with their rivals, the MS 13. A 18th Street clique known as MacArthur Park clique got into an argument with members of MS 13 which eventually led to a shootout. There were three deaths and two injuries.

In 2002, members of the 18th Street saw a member of another rival gang and beat the victim until he went into a critical condition. A day later, members of the victim's gang approached members of the 18th Street gang and started firing with semi-auto pistols. This event led to the death of two 18th Street members and an injury to an innocent bystander.

In 2005, three bodies in a trash bag were found in the lake. They were tied together and thrown into the lake after they had been stabbed and beat. One of the bodies was identified as a man that belonged to MS 13.

In 2008, a shooting occurred while a birthday party was being held. Members of the 18th Street started firing towards a crowd filled with rival gang members. This led to the death of three people, a rival gang member and a mother and child.