Dodgers fans claim they were tear gassed by LASD deputies while celebrating World Series berth

By Gio Insignares

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    LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — A group of East Los Angeles residents say that their night of celebration surrounding the Dodgers World Series berth quickly turned into chaos when they were tear gassed by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies over the weekend.

Deputies on the other hand, say that they were responding to the area after learning of a street takeover at the intersection of Atlantic Boulevard and Olympic Boulevard.

The residents held a press conference on Wednesday, accusing deputies of being too aggressive during their celebrations and demanding accountability from the department. Deputies say that they were just prioritizing the public’s safety.

“This is very unjust, and they need to be held accountable for that,” said one community member speaking at the conference.

SkyCal flew over the scene of the sideshow-slash-celebration on Sunday evening at around 10 p.m., showing a crowd of people at the intersection scatter as deputies toss some sort of tear projectiles in their direction.

“Our communities deserve safety, not the constant threat of violence from those sworn to protect us,” said Lorraine Quiñones, a local mother and teacher who was in the crowd during the event.

She and other community members held up what they described as evidence of the projectiles during their conference, claiming that the deputies arrived on scene without warning and began to shoot what they say is tear gas in their direction, undercutting what was supposed to be a celebration.

“I started feeling it in my eyes, I started coughing, I immediately covered up,” said Gabriel Quiroz Jr. with the Centro Community Service Organization.

He, along with several others, say that they’re still feeling the aftereffects of the impact.

“There’s people that were hit out there … kids that went to the hospital that haven’t been able to go to school this whole week,” he said. “Because of that, and they don’t want to speak up.”

Video from the same intersection shows earlier moments of celebration as Dodger fans of all ages walk around the intersection while waving flags. At one point, cars can be seen burning out in the middle of the roads while fireworks explode overhead.

In response to the claims, LASD officials issued a statement.

“In anticipation of the large crowds, Deputies had closed several intersections hundreds of vehicles began filling Whittier Boulevard. Several vehicles began driving erratically by doing ‘burnouts’ and ‘doughnuts’ while surrounded by pedestrians,” the department’s statement read. “Due to public safety concerns, multiple dispersal orders per Penal Code 409 were given by both the LASD Aero unit and ground personnel. As skirmish lines were established by LASD and CHP personnel to disperse the crowd, individuals in the crowd proceeded to throw rocks, frozen water bottles, and fireworks at deputies and the CHP officers.”

They say that they were able to “gain compliance” of the “unruly crowd” by 11:30 p.m.

Quiroz Jr. says that their response is the latest example in a string of East LA Sheriff’s Station deputies mistreating residents.

“It’s a long line of systematic violence that’s been going on, and that’s why we’re mobilized against the sheriff’s,” he said. “We want accountability. We want things to change.”

Community members say that if the Dodgers do end up winning the World Series, they’ll return to city streets to celebrate another win, hopeful for the best.

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