Assessing the Damage

A number of South Bay cities reported fires and looting in connection with last week’s riots in Los Angeles. Here’s a summary of the damage, and how city officials are reacting:

INGLEWOOD

Deaths: 1

Injuries: 5

Arrests: 312

Fires: 28

Damage: $10 million

Quote: “We were fighting back and where we could see (the looters) we were chasing them.”--Inglewood Police Chief Oliver M. Thompson

CARSON

Deaths: None

Injuries: None

Arrests: 15

Fires: 6

Damage: $237,000

Quote: “We need to talk about our feelings. We need to ask ourselves, ‘Where do we go from here?’ It is now time to heal, reflect and rebuild. As an African-American, I want the managers of the various markets to know I’m supportive of them.”--City Councilwoman Juanita McDonald

GARDENA

Deaths: None

Injuries: 1

Arrests: 79

Fires: 4

Damage: $134,000

Quote: “Our worst day, Thursday, we were running from one end of the city to the other. We also had a lot of neighborhood involvement, where neighbors were watching out over the businesses. I think everybody has had enough of it.”--Police Lt. Garry Garrett

HAWTHORNE

Deaths: None

Injuries: 22

Arrests: 150

Fires: 5

Damage: $5 million

Quote: “There’s no question we’ll have to rebuild . . . (but) basically, we’ve been in better shape than the situation could have escalated into. We had a fire in a thrift shop that was gutted to the ground and a lot of attempted fires, but we took precautions early in the game that really helped residents.” --City Manager James H. Mitsch

LAWNDALE

Deaths: None

Injuries: None

Arrests: 9

Fires: None

Looting incidents: 15

Damage: $385,000

Quote: “If you give people something to do in a crisis, they get a sense of control. If you leave them to their own devices, their decisions are not necessarily in the best interests of the community. I think people (in Lawndale) were frustrated from not knowing what was going on and what to do. . . . I think we were fortunate people kept their heads about them, but when you have people arming themselves to protect themselves, that can create a dangerous situation.”--Lawndale Councilwoman Nancy Marthens

LENNOX

Deaths: 1

Injuries: Unknown

Arrests: Unknown

Fires: 1

Looting: 8

Damage: $674,000

Quote: “I worry because there is so much hate among human beings. There are many in the Latino community who are ashamed of what occurred in South Los Angeles and here in Lennox, with looting less than a block from the sheriff’s station.” --Lennox School Trustee Hector Carrio

TORRANCE

Deaths: None

Injuries: None known

Arrests: 135

Fires: None

Damage: Not available.

Quote: “I personally believe we could have had a lot more property damage had we not had the show of force that we had . . . (and) a little luck doesn’t hurt.”--Torrance Police Chief Joseph C. De Ladurantey

SAN PEDRO/WILMINGTON AREA

Deaths: None

Injuries: 6

Arrests: 100

Fires: 25

Damage: At least $400,000

Quote: “An awful lot of what does happen--or doesn’t happen--on a street or in the overall city has its root in how people feel about their street or their city. And I think the lack of hostilities in this area can pretty much be attributed to how people feel about the area.”--Battalion Chief Dave Badgett of Los Angeles City Fire Department