Police raid in Oakwood

At least 19 members and associates of the Venice Shoreline Crips, the dominant gang in the Oakwood area, were arrested by the LAPD this morning in that area, Richard Winton will soon report. Police say the sweep was one of the biggest Westside anti-gang operations in years.

The raid netted weapons and narcotics, and should help curtail drug sales at a popular recreation center, police said. Police, working with prosecutors, are planning to arrest as many as 60 gang members and associates for variety of crimes. 

-- Veronique de Turenne

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Comments

[Don]

I lived at 7th and Broadway from November 1991-July1992. during that period I marveled at a drug culture that appeared out of control as cars drove through Oakwood day and night scoring crack. Being stopped by LAPD and let off with warnings several times, I suspected that there was a "tolerance" for trafficking so long as it remained in this confined area.

With respect to the article in today's paper, I was one of the residents behind a large fence who moved in to "gentrify" and area and became a chronic customer of the gang members. I accept responsibility for my behavior but that does not alleviate criminal act of trafficking which was perpetrated by the gang members and was clearly very "organized." In fact, if I timed my arrival home from work properly, I could buy from the primary dealer for about 1/3 the price of the street sellers. Nice guy in porsche!

As a recovering addict, I have no sympathy for traffickers nor users. I just wish I could believe this LAPD action was noble police work and not behind the scenes string pulling by a politician who invested in cheap real estate and hopes to "clean up the area" for a gain at taxpayer expense.

[Anonymous]

Guess I'll have to score in the Robertson/LaCienega 'hood now.

[Jo Schmo]

It's funny they make is sound as if they've really "cleaned up something". Can you please talk about the raid that took place and how you put shotguns/guns to the heads and chests of elderly men/women. Knocking down doors looking for ""members and associates" that were already behind bars, that have been on the run for years and have not been to the homes that you raided. That you didn't in fact arrest 19 individuals and the few that you were after 1/2 still remain at large. That you are trying to take property of residents whom have been in Venice for 35 - 55 years for your own personal gain. As they asked at the town meeting last night "where's the media and the cameras when you're not being glorified"? Why are you following young black men and women that have nothing to do with the "gang" of Venice, people that go to work and school everyday to pay taxes just like everyone else in the city. Our families worked and slaved for the property we own in Venice and just like we told you last night, you can say and do what you want, but "WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED". Why would you have a 79 year old woman down on the ground with a gun to her head telling her not to move, then take her outside at 5:43 in the morning to look for her grandson that has been in custody at the LA County jail for two months? Why were there no addresses on your search warrants? What part of what you all did was legitimate?

[Jo Schmo]

Can we talk about why they are trying so hard to take the property of the seniors? True some parolees use their families addresses to be parolled to, but if they don't where would they suggest we send them? They send our kids away for petty crimes and tack on 10 - 20 years, they give less to murderers of other races, then place them on parole and tell us they we can't let them come home? Where are they supposed to go? They raided homes of parollees that work all day and obide by the rules set, arresting them for having affiliation. Our families were born and raised here, there are generations of us here...what is it all really about? Do you plan to do this to the hispanic gangs that come in to Venice and stir up wars by shooting innocent children? You've known about the Culver City war for quite some time now and how they shoot anything black moving...does that mean you'll do a deporting sweep in their neighborhood to rid the streets of their violence or is their property value not worth your while???

[neighbor]

I live on indiana ave and woke up at 445am to a long gun battle with shotgun blasts and many other guns being fired. It sounded like it was right in the alley behind the house. This was a serious gun battle and went on for 20 minutes. I won't miss the shooters in this neighborhood.

[adam harding]

I am a White Male. My first night in Venice. My very first night, I was awoken at 3 am by armed bounty hunters who had surrounded the house I was renting and demanded that I come out side. Lying on the floor terrified, I called 911 and did not arrive until the police arrived. When the police arrived, they examined the documents held by the bounty hunters and they too demanded that I come outside believing that I was whomever they were looking for.

When I was able to produce documents that persuaded all that I was not the was not the "black" male they were looking for, the police pressed me to open up my home and prove that I was not harboring this so called fugitive. After what seemed like forever, they all left. I went to Pacific Division to launch a complaint and was told that bounty hunters in Oakwood were common and that several wanted criminals had given addresses of friends, parents, whomever so they personally would not get caught.

While I sympathize with the seniors, we are equally held hostage by their drug dealing relatives who parade the street fearlessly with their nextel phones pushing others off the sidewalks.

One Month ago, a criminal made a run from Broadway, jumped into my backyard and tried to stash his gun before the police arrested him.
This is not Brentwood.......all those that live here and do nothing are complicit

[Jo Schmo]

Okay, there has been no report or evidence of a gun battle anywhere near Indiana. I've been a resident of Venice (the hood, slums, ghetto) for 34 years now and I've kept reports of it all. So please don't come here with your North Hollywood stories. If you wanted Beverly Hills or the Canals then you should have moved there. If you're in the ghetto portion of Venice then you bought the home of a common wealth african american family whos property had been seized. We built this community and these homes, they've been in our families for generations now. So spare us the Ficticious story and come with real facts. You're not talking to anyone that hasn't been here for years. Trust me this area has been cleaned up substantially since the mid 90s. All of the exageration we need came from the police report on Wednesday.

They speak about not being able to get passage at the recreation center, but finish the article talking about the fact that he plays sports there. Do they mention all of the dog training that goes on there, all of the senior events held there, the major soccer games, the baseball games at night? How about the huge picnic they had where every hood was invited, do they mention that effort for peace thrown by the "gang members" that was extended across los angeles county and the fact that it was a peaceful event? How about the Venice 2000 league that includes bloods and crips across the county and how successful that effort was? How about the football game, where the entire community came out and how peaceful that was? Where's the recognition for that? Where are the cameras then?

We're talking about them taking homes, but stealing land and property is in their history with us as a people right? We're talking about violating the rights of many innocent hard-working residents just because they have a soiled seed in their family. That's pretty general and bold don't you think? We're going to take your house because the system that is built for reform doesn't want you to go home? If you don't think they should come home perhaps you should find a new one. You look at us as if we don't belong, but we've been here, you're the outsider, the newcomer, the alien to our community.

Do your homework on the progression of the community, attend the meetings, speak to some of the elders in your community (neighbors) and find out how far we've come before you make another ignorant comment about how glad you are. We are products of our environment and the people that were being dealt to were probably your closest friends. They found guns so they claim, but this was a drug case. So if you're going to judge one group of people judge them all. Most of the purchasers are you high and mighty newcomers...they've been keeping them in business! Will those people be held accountable for the community and have their homes stripped away for being baseheads???

[Jo Schmo]

To you Adam, I'm sorry for what you've encountered here on the part of the ignorance of a few. Understand that our families, direct families, average 12 - 15 people and we have built a community on our families. The majority of us are relatives here. So to hold the entire family responsible is unfair. Like I've said you obviously have not been here to see the efforts and strides we've made in cleaning up the streets either. We know that not all will reform, but they've been thrown in a system since their early years and have been trained and taught in that system that they can not and will not change. This is home for our youth...on our blood, sweat and tears this community was built. And for every three at the least one is trying to change. Talk to your senators and legislatures and have them offer job opportunities to those that have been locked away and come home wanting to make a change. A great deal of them have to pay these sky high property taxes that you all have come in and raised. You think about yourselves and the effect the community has on your family solely, but what about the impact you've put on our community?

Stop looking at us as if we're the ones that don't belong. Most of us are born and raised here, I myself being one of them. Things had calmed down, then the race war started, the genicide on African Americans. Then our youth can't get jobs because Jose will work for less, even if he's not legally authorized to. Then they threaten to take our grandparents homes because they no longer can afford the taxes. You put up these multi milllion dollar buildings because it benefits you, you move in here and judge us for needing to eat. Not making it right or wrong, but it's an environment that in a sense we've all contributed to creating.

[Kate]

What the heck? I live on Indiana!! I must be a sound sleeper, because I didn't hear anything! But good, freakin' riddance.

[Linda E. Stiff]

Jo Schmo, you said that "A great deal of them have to pay these sky high property taxes that you all have come in and raised." That does not make any sense. Property taxes are not based on the value of near by home sales and haven't been since prop 13. The longer someone has lived in their home, the lower their taxes are relative to anyone who bought later. Please don't blame everyone else for the problems in Oakwood. Take some responsibility.

[venice resident]

Joe Schmo,

You’ve clearly got a lot to say and it important that equity and respect for history be considered in this long-standing issue, but it is really a shame that efforts to make Venice safe for everyone . . . poor and rich alike . . . get smeared as racist. I know black families that didn’t have to worry about the police that night because they are not associated with the VSLC.
There is a whole lot of “You” in your commentary but you don’t really define who this “You” is except perhaps that they have “high fences” and look at you as if you don’t belong. Are they white people? Are they rich people? I don’t buy it and it seems like more of outward blame that leads to this problem to begin with. It is convenient to point a finger elsewhere for the problems but it is Gang Culture and their illegal activity that is the problem here . . . plain and simple. All your talk about property taxes and rising home values is a separate issue. This is affecting people all over the country . . . it is not just in Venice and it’s not a Black or White specific issue so I don’t see why you use this to deflect appropriate criticism from the problem . . . Gang Culture with their drugs, guns and disrespect for life and law. It seems obvious that being against Gang Culture is not the same as being against Black Culture but you don’t really seem to be strongly against Gang Culture in your comments and perhaps you do feel that these two are the same thing. You seem to be implying that there is not a significant problem in Venice or that some government force like a job program will somehow fix it from the outside while the rot still exists inside.
I don't know who is really involved in the rotten situation in Venice but I know one thing for sure . . . this hurts the children of old-time residents MOST OF ALL by offering either a soul-stealing life of crime and quick cash that makes education and honest work look boring, or a life hooked on crack which destroys the mind and body. Either way the Gang’s legacy is one the devil would be proud of. The fact that the VSLC organized a football game is a step in the right direction, but seems like a pretty weak argument for your apologetic tone regarding the culture of this gang and it’s historical roots.
Also, you pleaded for facts and so I return the request. Please don’t make anymore ludicrous statements about how the new residents of Venice keep the drug dealers in business. It is the steady parade of people and cars that come to Venice from all over the city that keep the dealers in cash.

[jodoe]

To all those denying there was gunfire the other night, I too live on Indiana and at 4.45 there was indeed a protracted period of gunfire - sounded like handguns down the alley behind Indiana - i live up near 7th and it woke me up, the cops were already there in huge numbers so I suspect it was them doing the shooting...can't believe this has gone unreported..

[jodoe]

To all those denying there was gunfire the other night, I too live on Indiana and at 4.45 there was indeed a protracted period of gunfire - sounded like handguns down the alley behind Indiana - i live up near 7th and it woke me up, the cops were already there in huge numbers so I suspect it was them doing the shooting...can't believe this has gone unreported..

[Ballust Smith]

I live on the street, and I must say that the past few weeks have felt much safer. I want to thank those who put the raid together, and let people know that those living in the immediate community feel much safer on their streets now.