Brand Park hoops removed in shooting aftermath
The basketball hoops are down and there was a fresh coat of paint on the benches at Brand Park on Thursday, just more than two weeks after a shooting there raised concerns about public safety. Residents said the b-ball court - in a remote corner of the park and far from the gaze of police patrols - is a magnet for illicit rendezvous - drug deals, vandalism and other crimes.
The park made headlines June 26 when someone shot at an occupied vehicle after a confrontation. No one was injured, and two men - Harutyun Abrahamyan, 21, of Pasadena, and Haroutioun Aivazian, 19, of Glendale - were arrested about a week later on suspicion of attempted murder.
Police have stepped up patrols. Meanwhile, spooked residents are demanding the city clean up the sprawling 31-acre park nestled at the base of the Verdugo Mountains, the former estate of Leslie C. Brand, one of the city's pioneers.
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