City response about gang violence creeping into the city from other areas

An Open Letter to the Monrovia Community

April 25, 2017

As you may have heard by now, on the evening of Saturday, April 22, 2017, there was a violent and tragic shooting at 134 West Cypress Street in Monrovia.  The incident left one 18-year-old Monrovia resident dead, and another 17-year-old resident of unincorporated Monrovia in critical condition.  Additionally, we are aware at this time that both of the shooting victims were Monrovia Unified School District students, and our thoughts and prayers are with their families at this time.

Given the active investigation that is ongoing, there are few details about the shooting that the City can share.  However, we are aware that this violent incident has inspired a great deal of speculation, which has resulted in the spread of inaccurate information being distributed in the news and across social media about gang crimes occurring in our City and region.  To that end, we wanted to provide some factual information about the context for this incident and details about the City’s substantial and continuing efforts to curb gang violence in our community.

Regarding the most recent shooting, we do know that a Hispanic male in his early to mid-20s is the suspected shooter that law enforcement authorities are currently looking for.  It appears that the shooter entered the rear garage located at 134 West Cypress Street through a back alley on the evening of April 22, 2017, at around 11:30 p.m.  Upon his entrance, the suspected shooter encountered three individuals gathered in the garage, including the two Hispanic males and one Hispanic female.  It is unknown at this time what the suspected shooter’s motivations were.  However, after a brief verbal exchange, the suspect proceeded to open fire and shot the two male victims, killing one individual and injuring the other.  After opening fire, the suspected shooter fled the scene on foot into the alley located at the rear of the residence.  Homicide investigators from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are now investigating the case, which is the standard protocol for most murder investigations in our region because of the sophisticated tools and resources available at the County.

We recognize that any shooting causes real and legitimate fear in the community.  However, as news of this recent incident has been shared, unrestrained speculation has resulted in reports that Monrovia has a significant gang problem.  Such accounts are simply inaccurate.  In reality, our community has very little gang activity, due primarily to proactive gang violence reduction efforts that the City has instituted during the past 10 years.  As a result, there are virtually no gang members living in Monrovia today.

Back in 2007, Monrovia, Duarte, and the surrounding unincorporated Los Angeles County areas did experience a significant spike in gang violence and hundreds of gang members lived in the region.  Much of the gang activity at that time was race-based, with significant conflicts between African American and Hispanic gangs.  When confronted with this issue, Monrovia began working to remove criminal street gang members from our community.  One of the City’s most effective measures was implementation of a preliminary gang injunction in 2009, which was eventually expanded to serve as a permanent injunction against the gangs in 2010.  The injunction is still in place today and serves as a critical tool in the City’s efforts to identify and remove gang members from our community.

In addition to the gang injunction, the City has also worked for years alongside our neighborhood leaders to develop strategies to eliminate gang elements from Monrovia.  For example, our Police Department has coordinated with community members to put pressure on landlords who rent to criminals, and in every case we have pursued, that pressure from residents and the City resulted in landlords evicting criminal tenants.  Our Police Department staff have also assisted landlords in their efforts to evict criminal tenants by appearing in court to testify in contested evictions, while also providing landlords with information about ways to rent to responsible individuals.

After years of hard work, we have seen results here in Monrovia.  Today, there are less than 10 gang members who live in our community, and because of our efforts, we have seen a major drop in both violent crime and gang crime in Monrovia during the past decade.

Unfortunately, the rest of our region has not been as proactive in working to remove gang members from their communities.  For example, Duarte did not participate in the gang injunction.  This means that the Hispanic gang and the Crip gang in Duarte have been unaffected by our injunction. 

Also, while Los Angeles County did participate in the injunction (which applies to gang members living in the unincorporated areas surrounding Monrovia and Duarte), the County does not have the same type of focused community policing programs that we have in Monrovia, and they have not had the same success that we have had in removing gang members from the unincorporated areas surrounding our City.

These regional factors have resulted in many gang members still living in the areas to the south and to the east of Monrovia.  And beginning in 2016, similar to the violence we saw in 2007, gang activity has erupted in our region.  The gang violence has primarily been between the Crip gang in the unincorporated areas surrounding Duarte / Monrovia, the Hispanic gang in Duarte, and a Blood gang in Pasadena.  And there have been multiple gang related shootings and homicides in Duarte, Pasadena, and the unincorporated Los Angeles County areas.

Throughout this recent surge in gang activity, Monrovia has avoided most of the violence because we have so few gang members living in our community.  In fact, the City experienced very little gang crime in 2016.  However, the reality is that gang members living in the region drive through Monrovia, visit friends / family in our City, and shop at our businesses.  These factors, coupled with the few gang members who still live in town, leaves open the possibility that gang violence may occur here in Monrovia.

To that end, in addition to the most recent shooting we experienced on April 22, 2017, there have been three other recent instances of violent activity in Monrovia, which include:

1. On February 9, 2017, a male Hispanic gang member shot at a subject who was not a gang member in the 100 block of Los Angeles Street.  Fortunately, the victim was not hit and Monrovia Police Officers quickly apprehended the shooter, along with two accomplices.  In addition, City investigators were able to locate the gun that was used in the shooting, and the suspect is now awaiting trial.  It is important to note that the shooter had been convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in Ontario, California in 2015.  Because of California’s early prisoner release policies, he was out of prison in 9 months and had come to visit a friend in Monrovia when he committed another assault, this time with a handgun.
2. On March 29, 2017, a subject was at a store in the 400 block of East Duarte road when he was shot at by a gang member while sitting in his vehicle.  The victim, who was hit, fled the scene to his residence in the unincorporated area of Duarte, where his family then called for help.  This was a case where rival gang members from areas outside the City were involved in a shooting at a business in Monrovia.  The victim will survive his injuries and the investigation is ongoing.
3. On April 7, 2017, a drive by shooting occurred in the 100 block of East Los Angeles Street.  During the incident, no one was hit and no one was injured.  The shooting took place at a residence where Crip gang members associate, and the investigation is continuing.  At this time, it has not yet been determined if the shooting was gang related or if the incident was provoked because of a drug related deal.  Furthermore, while the Monrovia Police Department has been aware of the issues at this location, we have been unable to evict the residents because they own the home.  However, the City has taken proactive measures in an attempt to resolve the issues at this problem address, including the installation of high definition surveillance cameras that monitor the entire street on a 24/7 basis.

It is always unacceptable when a shooting occurs in town, and last weekend’s shooting that resulted in the death of a Monrovia resident is a tragedy that will be thoroughly investigated.  As we move forward, additional public information will be released when possible.  However, as the process unfolds, we did want to make the community aware that there is a lot of inaccurate information about the shooting incident that is being spread on social media, including statements made that the second victim had died, which is not true. 

There are also many inaccurate sentiments being shared that Monrovia is centrally involved in the regional gang violence that has been occurring since 2016.  We have outlined in this correspondence all of the possible recent gang-related shooting incidents that have occurred in Monrovia.  While it is true that gang activity spills into our City at times, the facts illustrate that gang violence is primarily originating from other areas where Monrovia has no jurisdiction.  Furthermore, with regard to the latest April 22, 2017, shooting incident, it has yet to be determined if the matter is even gang related.  While social media can be a helpful way to share accurate information, it also frequently causes the spread of false information, as has been the case recently.

Here in our Monrovia, we have taken, and we continue to take, great efforts to reduce gang violence.  And our efforts have produced real results.  As the chart below illustrates, violent gang crime in Monrovia has been significantly reduced over the years. 

As we have worked together over the past ten years, Monrovia was able to reduce the number of gang members living in our community to make our City a safer place. 

As we continue working together as a community, all of us here at the City are confident that we will be able to solve the real public safety issues that Monrovia faces today.

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please feel free to contact City Manager Oliver Chi (626-932-5501, ochi@ci.monrovia.ca.us(link sends e-mail)) or Police Chief Jim Hunt (626-256-8095, jhunt@monrovia.laclen.org(link sends e-mail)).

Tom Adams, Mayor

Alexander Blackburn, Mayor Pro Tempore

Gloria Crudgington, City Council Member

Becky Shevlin, City Council Member

Larry Spicer, City Council Member

Oliver Chi, City Manager

James Hunt, Police Chief

Highlighted Activity for April 20-23, 2017

Injury Traffic Collision
April 20 at 8:47 p.m., a traffic collision was reported in the 2000 block of S. Myrtle. A subject was riding a bicycle heading east across Myrtle without the proper lighting equipment. A vehicle traveling north on Myrtle did not see the subject and struck his front tire, causing the bicyclist to fall and hit his head. The bicyclist was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Parking Problem / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 21 at 9:52 a.m., officers responded to the report of a parking problem in the 1300 block of Orange Avenue and discovered several subjects inside the vehicle. They contacted the subjects and discovered one was semi-unconscious and required medical attention. A second subject had a warrant. The person with the warrant was arrested and the person needing medical attention was treated by Monrovia Fire Department and taken to the hospital.
Vehicle Burglary
April 21 at 4:00 p.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 800 block of Genoa. The victim reported that his truck had been parked on the street in front of his residence overnight. When he returned to his vehicle the next afternoon, he saw the locked tool rack had been pried open and several of his tools were missing. The investigation is continuing.
New Phone Scam
April 21, police dispatch received three calls reporting a new phone scam. The suspects are calling residents and claiming to be affiliated with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. They are informing people that if they don't arrange to have gift cards delivered to a particular location, deputies will come to their residence and arrest them. All three callers said LASD Alta Dena was listed on the caller ID from the suspects. None of the callers sent gift cards.
Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
April 22 at 1:17 a.m., an officer was dispatched to a traffic collision in the 700 block of W. Huntington. A driver was traveling west on Huntington in the number two lane and he claimed to have fallen asleep. He rear-ended a semi-truck that was in the left lane of
westbound Huntington, turning right onto the freeway. The investigation determined the driver was driving under the influence. The driver was arrested.
Family Disturbance / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
April 22 at 8:27 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 500 block of Parkrose Avenue to investigate a disturbance between a father and his adult son. During the course of the investigation, the officers discovered the adult son had an outstanding warrant. He was arrested and taken into custody.
Hit & Run Traffic Collision
April 22 at 12:00 p.m., the victim called police to report a hit and run traffic collision in the 200 block of W. Cypress. The victim parked his vehicle on the street in front of his residence. When he returned to his vehicle, he saw it had been side-swiped. The incident occurred sometime between 12:45 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. The investigation is continuing.
Public Assist
April 22 at 5:47 p.m., three male adults decided to ride electric unicycles from Azusa to Monrovia, across the foothills. One of the subjects became dehydrated. He was exhausted and could not continue, so another subject rode to Canyon Park to get help. He told the Monrovia Fire Department staff that his friends were approximately one hour into the foothills. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and Sierra Madre Search and Rescue took the lead and the subjects were found at approximately 10:00 p.m.
Hit & Run Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
April 22 at 10:06 p.m., a traffic collision involving a vehicle versus bicyclist was reported at Mayflower and Colorado. The driver of the vehicle fled. Officers responded and conducted an area search. They located the suspect vehicle as the driver was parking in the northern part of the city. Officers conducted an investigation and concluded the driver was under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested and taken into custody. A passenger in the vehicle confirmed they had hit a bicyclist. The bicyclist sustained only minor scratches.
Homicide
April 22 at 11:35 p.m., officers responded to the 100 block of W. Cypress on a call of shots heard. Officers found two male victims with gunshot wounds inside a rear garage. One victim was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. The second victim, a 17 year old, was taken to the hospital in critical condition. The suspect is described as a male in his 20s, who fled the scene on foot. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau was asked to come conduct the investigation.
Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
April 23 at 11:49 a.m., a domestic violence incident was reported in the 200 block of N. Alta Vista. A male and female were involved in a verbal argument that turned physical. The male battered and strangled the female, causing visible injuries. The subjects are not married, but have several children together. The suspect was arrested and is being held pending his court appearance.
Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
April 23 at 10:30 p.m., officers observed a female subject sleeping near some bushes at Myrtle and Cherry, and they stopped to check on her to see if she was okay. She was found to have drugs in her possession and was arrested.

Highlighted Activity for June 15-17, 2015

Homicide
On June 12, a family member reported a woman, Lajoya McCoy, who lived in Monrovia as missing. The Monrovia Police Department began working on locating the missing person by contacting family, friends, and neighbors. On Monday June 15, Monrovia Police detectives investigating the case gathered information that caused them to suspect the missing person may have been the victim of a crime. Monrovia detectives asked for assistance on the case from the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. Monrovia Police officers conducted a grid search of the city for the missing person’s vehicle. OnJune 16, around 5:30 AM, the missing person’s vehicle was located in the 200 block of
West Cypress. Inside the vehicle was the body of a female adult.

Sheriff's Homicide Detectives and the Coroner responded to investigate. At the time of this report the
Coroner has not yet confirmed the identity of the victim in the vehicle. Sheriff's homicide
is responsible for the investigation of this case.  Anyone with information about Lajoya McCoy is asked to contact the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
72 Hour Mental Evaluation
On June 16 at 3:03 p.m., dispatch received a call from a County Mental Health Worker in the 2600 block of California regarding mental patient running away. The subject ran from the office after he was notified he would be committed for a 72 hour evaluation. The security officer chased after the subject and caught him. Two hours later as they were preparing to transport the subject by ambulance to the hospital, the subject took off running again. An area search was conducted by health staff workers and day watch officers. Through investigation the officers were able to locate him on a transit bus, which was stopped by Monterey Park Police officers. The subject was then transported back to the hospital for a 72 hour hold.
Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
On June 16 at 7:14 p.m., officers responded to the 300 block of South Myrtle regarding an intoxicated female battering a male transient. When officers arrived the male wished to remain anonymous and did not desire prosecution, but wanted the officers to check on the safety and welfare of the female believing she was too drunk to care for herself. The female was located in the park and she was detained. She did not know where she was or what the date or time were. She admitted to drinking some type of alcoholic beverage, but said she only had two drinks. It was the officer’s opinion that she was intoxicated and if left alone she could injure herself, she was arrested for being drunk in public and held for sobering.
Possession of Burglary Tools / Expired License / Unsafe Turn – Suspects Arrested and Cited
On June 17 at 2:49 a.m., an officer was patrolling the 900 block of West Foothill where he observed a suspicious vehicle parked in the parking lot of a business. There are usually no cars parked at the business at night. As he drove closer to it, he saw both car doors open. As the officer drove around to the alley to see what they were doing, the vehicle began to drive away. The vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation and was occupied by two males and one female. The officer smelled a strong odor of Marijuana emitting from the vehicle. A computer check revealed the driver was on probation and
his license was expired. The officer conducted a search and found the male passenger in possession of tools used to commit burglaries. The male passenger was arrested for being in possession of burglary tools and the driver was cited for expired license and unsafe turn.
Injury Traffic Collision
On June 17 at 1:01 p.m., dispatch received a call from Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department dispatch reporting they had patrol units at the scene of a traffic collision in the area of Mountain and Duarte. Officers responded and it was determined the traffic collision occurred in Monrovia’s jurisdiction. Officers conducted an injury traffic collision investigation. During the course of the investigation it was determined one of the drivers was driving with a suspended license and had several outstanding warrants.
Identity Theft / Commercial Burglary / Forgery with a Counterfeit Access Card – Suspect Arrested
On June 17 at 3:00 p.m., an officer responded to a business in the 200 block of South  yrtle regarding a fraud report. The reporting party said a male adult subject was inside the store attempting to cash fraudulent checks. Officers responded and established probable cause to arrest. The subject was arrested for the listed charges and taken into custody.
Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol – Suspect Arrested
On June 18 at 12:57 p.m., an officer was traveling north on Myrtle approaching the 210 freeway. As the officer passed under the freeway with a green light for northbound traffic at Central, a white Honda Civic went west on Central through a solid red light and turned left directly in front of the officer almost causing a collision. The officer made a uturn and followed the vehicle south on Myrtle to Duarte Road, where a traffic stop was conducted. After contacting the male driver, the officer believed the driver was intoxicated. Field sobriety tests were conducted and the driver was arrested for driving under the influence. He was taken to the Monrovia City Jail, where he was booked and
held for sobering.