Looters Set Fire To DMV In San Bernardino, Ransack Stores
SAN BERNARDINO (CBSLA) – The unrest that hit the Los Angeles metro area over the weekend, sparked by the death of George Floyd, also spread to the Inland Empire Sunday, where a DMV in San Bernardino was set ablaze and several stores were looted.
Protests in San Bernardino turned violent when a DMV on Waterman Avenue and 13th Street was set on fire. A man was caught on video breaking inside and using some type of torch to set items ablaze.
San Bernardino Fire Department crews were able to extinguish the flames before they destroyed the building. California Highway Patrol officers also responded, but by the time they got on scene, the arsonist had escaped.
Looters Sunday night also ransacked a Walgreens and several other stores located just a few blocks away from the DMV. Several buildings sustained smashed-out windows and busted doors and panels.
The city of San Bernardino declared a state of emergency at issued a curfew that began at 8 p.m. Sunday and ran through sunrise on Sunday. The city said the curfew will continue until the state of emergency is lifted.
"Right now, our major focus is restoring order in the city and also making sure we can continue to function as we move forward from this incident," San Bernardino police Lt. Michele Mahan told CBSLA Sunday night.
Meanwhile, a group used rocks to smash glass doors and break into the Hemet Valley Mall, located 2200 W Florida Ave. It's unclear how many businesses were damaged inside or if there were any arrests.
