Recent Spike In Gun Violence Has South LA Activists, Business Owners On Alert
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A recent rash of shootings have many people in South LA worried that the violence they have worked so hard to quell is making an unwelcome return.
LAPD officers have been busy within the past week in South LA, but it's the community that's really feeling the recent spike in crime, reported KCAL9's Brittney Hopper.
Five people are dead and 10 others injured, all within a week. The violence outbreak has community leaders on edge.
"It is absolutely on a personal level, heartbreaking. It tears me up," says Earl Ofari Hutchinson, well-known community activist.
The killing started Sunday morning. By Monday night, four people were dead during a series of shootings. Sky 9 was overhead Wednesday at a car-to-car shooting that injured two people, including a teenager who was shot in the head.
Hours later, gunfire erupted on a group attending a gathering.
"It hurts me that it's affecting the younger people, too," says Chris Cullins, owner of the Magnificent Brother #1 Barber Shop.
The shop has been in business for almost 50 years. Cullins says everyone in the community is feeling the effects of violence since crime has been down significantly until this recent spike.
"These type of thing can only make us focus and look better in on what's going on around us," said Cullins.
Community leads agree and say it's time to come together to keep the violence from getting out of hand.
"People are concerned. People do get engaged. I think that's encouraging," said Hutchinson.
LAPD told Hopper that extra officers have been on patrol the past few days in South LA.
