8:33 p.m.
1234 Sherman in Monrovia. Police are inside the house where Mr. Rollins was shot. They have brought along a gun-sniffing dog as part of their investigation. One police spokesman told reporter Brian Day they the investigation is connected to a Jan 14th shooting, in which no one was hurt.
As our photog was taking pictures of the scene, police closed the blinds on the front windows so that no pictures could be taken of the investigation taking place inside.
8 p.m. update
Police have surrounded a neighborhood near Huntington and California as part of their effort to stop the violence in Monrovia. A helicopter has been circling the area. We have a reporter and photographer on scene. The neioghborhood is near where Mr. Rollins was shot.
2:51 p.m. Conversation with Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca from Hector Gonzales.
He’s concerned about this spreading into the innocent population a task force in place.
“This is going way over the line now” Baca said while using words like “savage” to describe the current state of affairs.
Baca also said Day Day was intentionally targeted because he was NOT a gang banger
UPDATE 2 P.M.
The City Manager has issued a report on gang violence:
Here’s an Excerpt: And a link
Over the last several days, I have received a handful of emails and comments from folks who believe that the current rash of gang violence is really a race war. In one email, a person sent me a number of news clippings detailing hostilities between Latino and African-American gangs as evidence that this is all about race, as opposed to criminals committing criminal acts. Although the topic of race is always very sensitive, I believe that we must be able to speak rationally, intelligently and carefully about such complex issues; to quote Confucius, The beginning of Wisdom is to call things by their right names.
I responded to the email stating that the mere fact that each of the articles that were cited focused on gang violence, trends in gang violence, demographic shifts that can contribute to gang violence, etc., that the sender had actually proved my point that the issue here is not race; its gang violence. The racial/ethnic identity of the gang members gives the story racial overtones, to be sure. And tension is certainly not uncommon when one group supplants another in a given area or neighborhood this has been witnessed time and again over hundreds of years throughout the history of cities and towns.
But this tension, in 2008 and here in Monrovia, does not extend so far as to cause a spontaneous combustion of hatred and bigotry.
UPDATE: 1:38 P.M.
Caroline An reports that Alhambra High School officials were reluctant to acknowledge Samantha Salas was a student there. What was interesting about the conversation and illuminating about the bureaucracy that runs our schools, the official was willing to discuss the fact that grief conselors were on campus today. He just wouldn’t say why they were there and wouldn’t discuss Salas.
UPDATE: 12:53 P.M.
MAP of Monrovia shooting locations posted below.
Additionally we have a page devoted to coverage of the crime wave at http://www.sgvtribune.com/monroviashootings
UPDATE 11:40 A.M. This from PSN City Editor Hecttor Gonzalez:
looks like cops are out there in force hunting for evidence, including digging that stray bullet out of the wall of that one apartment (geez!), re-interviewing possible witnesses, ect. — but how knows why they had to shut down the entire area around the building to do this. could be a show of force
UPDATE ENDS HERE
Some interesting notes that we will be developing throughout the day:
1. There some belief that Jose Garcia, the convicted killer of Deputy David March apparently lived in the apartment complex where Sammantha Salas was shot. It makes sense as it is only a short drive between there and the spot on Live Oak where March was murdered.
2. Who owns the apartment complex? What is their relationship with local authorities?
3. According to Rob Hammond, meetings between Monrovia officials, Duarte officials, police and sheriff’s department and the school districts took place yesterday. What happened?
4. The condition of Sammantha Salas friend who was also shot Saturday night.
5. Your continued thoughts on the state of affairs and the ongoing racially motivated gang war in Monrovia.
By the Way I plan to keep this at the top of the page today so that commenting here will be easy for new readers
This is frightening. The first three raise all sorts of flags.
Number 5 wasn’t meant to be funny, but I laughed out loud.
Check out the city managers report released today, Scott Ochoa donated the first several paragraphs denying there was racially motivated gang warfare in Monrovia.
It is very clearly divided among ethnic lines for gang bangers doing the crime. Quit denying and face the reality.
I just got this off the internet:
The Top Places to Buy
Whether you’re an investor like me or you’re looking to purchase that next move up, here are my picks for the best areas to buy a home:
Killeen, Round Rock, Austin, Texas: Killeen has the lowest average home price in any market in the nation while still maintaining quality. Round Rock and Austin have seen incredible job growth and very stable home prices despite the downturn nationwide. Jobs continue to grow here — a factor for keeping inventory low and prices stable.
Mission Viejo, California: Mission Viejo has the lowest crime statistics in the nation. With no murders in 2007 and a low rate of violent crime, this is a good place to raise a family. Prices are relatively stable, and the job market in the nearby cities of Irvine and San Diego means there is consistent demand from job seekers.
Palm Beach, Florida: I’m taking a risk here because this area has been pummeled by foreclosures in 2007. But there are also a lot of boomers retiring, and Palm Beach is looking mighty attractive. If you don’t like this high of a risk (which translates to great prices), check out Tampa or Clearwater in the same state.
Las Vegas, Nevada: Yes, Las Vegas has been hit hard by incoming investors, who watched their home values disappear and then left those homes empty. Las Vegas comes in quite high on the national foreclosure list, almost always within the top three metro areas. But there’s an upside — a very strong job market. In 2007, Las Vegas experienced a 12 percent increase in population, partly driven by retirees looking for Sunbelt states to move to. Coupled with low prices, we could see inventories reduced here, which would also stabilize prices. Be careful what you buy, but I like it.
Places to Avoid
And now for the places you definitely want to avoid:
Detroit, Michigan: The job market is in chaos. People are getting laid off left and right. National statistics seem to point to a significant problem with job loss and job income not keeping up with inflation. As a result, many nice neighborhoods are now abandoned due to people leaving their homes. Inventories exceed one year (under six months is what we want to see), and the foreclosure problem hit Detroit hard. With fewer jobs to support home purchases, I don’t see Detroit turning around anytime soon.
Miami, Florida: Palm Beach is different than Miami, which sits in its gorgeous aqua water with half-built and abandoned condos, a shrinking job market, a tough time getting insurance against hurricanes and a job problem. Yes, you can get a good deal, but do this only if you don’t need the appreciation from the home in the next decade.
Riverside/San Bernardino, California: Even those lucky homeowners that bought before the boom are feeling it now. Riverside and San Bernardino counties in Southern California consistently lead California in foreclosures and rank in the top three metro areas nationally. The prices have plummeted, and jobs in the area are scarce. People moved there due to lack of affordability in Orange and Los Angeles counties (where their jobs were), so it’s a commuter’s area. Now that prices in the two counties have dropped, people can live close to their jobs. Although I grew up in Riverside County, I could never recommend it to anyone looking to buy a home.
Soon Monroiva will be added to this list of wrost places to buy a house. It’s sad that we pay taxes and live in fear and the thugs that don’t pay taxes get to run our city.
On itme #3 MUSD has recorded messages being sent to all the student homes. Advises us another shooting, carpool to get our kids, if they must walk follow defined routes and not walk alone. I’ll see what I can do to get a transcript, I did save it on my answering machine, I just don’t know how to forward it.
Frank,
Has any talked with County Probation or State Parole about this Gang situation in SGV, they are the experts, I’d would like to hear from them.
Ray,
They are involved. Chief Johnson said they were also going to use I.C.E. and L.A. Impact.
Local Boy
CM Ochoa’s words below…what word is missing?
I believe that we must be able to speak rationally, intelligently and carefully about such complex issues; to quote Confucius, The beginning of Wisdom is to call things by their right names.
The missing word in the above manure pile he trots out is….Truthfully. The sad thing is that Ochoa knows it but refuses to call it by what it is. He doesn’t say he’ll be truthful so people can’t say he lied. He is sadly mistaken.
Fire Scott Ochoa.
Local Boy
Way to call it what is Frank.
Local Boy
So basically, he’s trying to say, “Move along…there’s nothing to see here”.
Wait and see how quickly something happens if this spills into Old Town Monrovia.
Local-You seemed well dialed into these things. Did the police scamper back to get evidence because the weather is better or because a ton of news trucks showed up yesterday?
OMG I just heard what they had to say about “Day Day”. That is amazing, he was targeted because HE was not a gang banger.
That is frightening on so many levels as that means every one is a target.
And common sense you need to see my post on blogging.la. A follow up is coming.
During the course of any homicide investigation it’s a good idea to bring in some fresh people who might see things that are missed, or overlooked during the initial investigation. Or the activity today could have been planned to give the family a break.
When the units first arrive on this type of scene you can’t imagine what they have to deal with. When it’s as tragic and emotional as two young girls being shot it’s even worse.
There are distraught relatives and friends to deal with, crime scene preservation issues, radio traffic to dispatch and responding units and all the while trying to console, in this case, the inconsolable…a father holding onto his dying daughter.
LASD has the finest homicide investigators around. I’m sure they are doing follow up that they feel was needed. I don’t think it was any type of publicity stunt. Monrovia, I believe, was first on the scene and assisted.
I think law enforcement is about to make a much needed statement very soon. I think gangsters will see their worlds changing quite a bit and it won’t be a good time for them. They don’t deserve a good time ever.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be more violence, cops can’t be everywhere, but I think gangsters are going to get a rude awakening. At least I hope so.
Local Boy
I wonder how the Sherrif was able to determine that Day-Day was targeted bc he WASN’T a gangmember.
Wouldn’t this type of information have to come from those who committed the crime?
I’m also watching this story develop as a non-Monrovia resident and don’t know what to make of the lack of outcry over murders in cities that are Latino dominant (e.g., Baldwin Park, El Monte, La Puente, Whittier). Have these cities simply accepted murder as a way of life?
The sad fact of the matter is that we (the Latino community) haven’t cultivated the moral leadership necessary to thwart these attacks.
ATTN: USAGAIN, HOW MANY GANGBANGERS DO YOU KNOW GO TO CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY AND CLEAN THE CHURCH UP ON SATURDAY AFTERNOONS. NONE THAT I KNOW OF. BECAUSE IF THEY DO THEY WOULD KNOW THAT IT IS A SIN TO KILL.
I’ve said before you’re a racist and you prove it once again with your racist take on this.
I believe there is moral leadership in Latino dominated towns, they just don’t get the press while gangsters, the people you constantly defend, don’t ever listen to them!
People write about murders all the time regardless of the skin color of the victim. Get your head out of the sand for one second and realize this is a different type of dynamic.
People make their voices heard if they feel the need to be heard when gang crime gets out of hand. Doesn’t matter if it’s brown on brown or black on black or where they live.
This is different now. We aren’t supposed to be in Poland in the 1930’s where if you were Jewish you were a target or Mississippi in the 1950’s where if you were Black you had fear in your heart just walking down the streets of many towns.
This is Southern California in 2008 and it’s not looking a whole lot different right now in the Gem City of the Foothills.
People don’t cry real loud when gangsters kill each other, when they target others it’s a whole different story.
Somehow you just can’t understand that. Go to streetgangs.com and get educated.
Local Boy
I don’t believe everything I hear from supposed leaders, like Scott Ochoa. I don’t know why Baca would say it though if he didn’t have something to back up the statement.
Local Boy
Local Boy,
I think all those years wearing tight police knickers has affected your thinking. Nothing I posted re: this issue smacks of racism, although one could argue to ignore the racial dynamics of this issue is to perpetuate a more subtle and pernicious form of racism.
At any rate, I simply commented on the different types of reactions to similar crimes across the SGV and wondered why Latino-dominate communities don’t react similarly?
Latinos are less inclined to be politicaly and civicly engaged; of course, there are historical, sociological and cultural reasons for this.
There are also reasons why the Latino community hasnt fostered moral, public, visible and vocal leaders…and this partially explains the lack of forceful response on behalf of the Latino community leadership to these problems.
That you took my post as cause for calling me racist is laughable and sorry.
BTW, 55 is middle age only if you plan on living to 110.
Police helicopters are up around Huntington by Smart and Final as well as several police cars
The helicopters are still there.
I used to be a resident of monrovia and I grew up there for a while. My kids go to school there. I think the police should stop driving around or parked and giving people tickets, and should go out and look for trouble. People who look gang related. People sitting at parks, outside, anywhere that people look like they might be gang related. If they start cracking down on those people maybe they will find something. They need to drive around town a little more. I drive in and out of monrovia everyday and I do not see a difference in police potrol.If you want to prevent things from happening then you need to potrol the area better. You have to find trouble before it happends.
The monrovia police, the community and the schools have to get together and come up with ideas and solutions on how, as a community we can take the garbage out of the city. Two heads are better than one. It’s our child,our family member who can be next. I for one, do not want to see another innocent person get injured or killed. We as a community can prevent this kind of tragedy.
I’ll say it as many times as it needs to be said, “you can post all you want, that’s great, but be a part of the SOLUTION by getting involved, not only in here but within the sytem, i.e., neighborhood watch, your police department, etc. Go to a neighbor that you feel comfortable in talking with and see if they too want to be part of the solution!
This is for usagain and this ends are conversation, you’re not worth talking to any longer.
——————–
Police knickers? I’m the old guy? You date yourself us and I haven’t hit 55 yet, it appears you have. Never wore knickers.
You say you’re not racist but what was this post of yours on another thread all about?
“This is what happens when the offspring of violent prone, European immigrants get their hands on weapons”.
“All you have to do is look at their war-torn mother countries to realize some people have blood-thirst in their family histories”.
“We should’ve handled this immigration problem 400 years ago. Now look at us”.
Posted by: usagain January 21 10:19 a.m.
———————-
So it’s “laughable and sorry” I called you racist but those are your words above…right? I called you a racist after you posted it and you didn’t respond…remember? I do.
You can’t hide what you are, no matter how often you deny it. I don’t say your racist just to say it, I did it based on what you’ve written.
Now you’re trying to equate the type of violence going on in the Duarte/Monrovia area with the typical gangster violence that’s gone on for years and crying about it as if it’s never received any attention. it has, it always has, this is however different. If you can’t recognize that you are impaired.
Than you go on to mumble about how there are reasons that Latinos haven’t…”fostered moral, public, visible and vocal leaders. I’m beginning to think you’re posting from a board and care with the massive craziness in your posts.
There are plenty of strong Latino leaders throughout this, county, state and nation. You’re just not one of them, just another internet phony trying to sound like he had a clue.
You don’t old man. You, and people like you are part of the problem. I think people here are looking for a solution.
Adios
Local Boy
They just raided the house where Mr.Rollins lived at.
Hell, just back off and let them shoot each other!
Problem solved!!
about who owns the apt building where samantha salas lived? slumlords who own several buildings in monrovia & el monte—who rent to drug dealers & multiple families more than should fit in the apartments—until they get complaints thru the city
Local-Thanks for the insight re: the police returning today.
Its very sad. do we all need to bear arms? it is our right!, and it seems to be working for the swiss.Or maybe we wall the neighborhood and put up a few guard shacks and make people that dont belong here go around.All the kids and some grown-ups want to be able to ride down to the dairy its a huge milestone for kids in any city. Its going to kill his business and they are very good people and they have been here a long time and have suffered there own loss with their own son!
Local boy
I see your frustration but you yourself have not come across as an insider to our layman questions. In fact I have found some of your comments to be very one sided. Here on this blog, the average person like myself found it via the star news web site when looking for information regarding Day Day. Here on this blog, I am able to have a voice, yet a small one that can reach others like me that live in a neighborhood, have children, or work in Monrovia. I do all three. So for me, this was a place of information and an outlet. But listening to two bloggers go back and forth wanting credit for info or wanting to come across as knowing it all really weeds out why parents like me are here. So keep your personal comments about other bloggers to yourself, if you disagree with a statement or a statement is false yes say so, but be a grownup and just move on. That is why we have these kind of problems in our community because people run their mouth a little too much. (no I am not saying that is thecause of the race thing) but it sure doesnt help any.
I may be uneasy, but I doubt they decided tonight to raid the house. I say helicopters up about 6:30 and LASD cars so there must have been something else going on that we dont know. I’ll be honest I didnt even want to take my trash out tonight,
I heard their were three more shooting tonight. One died. Has anyone else heard anything.
As you can see by my last post to him, I’ve cut off any further talking to him.
I saw it was getting to be a side issue and didn’t want it to be.
I don’t know it all or claim to know it all or have all the answers. I do have ideas on what to do based on experience and research though, just like anyone else.
I do know this issue though and I know it better than anyone else posting here. By that I mean the gang issue and the history of them in this area specifically.
I’m also not the type to softly approach an issue that needs hard and direct confrontation to figure out and solve. This issue needs direct and continual pressure to make it better, not anything else.
I’ve never said I’m an insider, but I’ve been one and if you can find somewhere that I’ve lied about what’s going on with the gang issue please point it out. If you can’t tell that I have some type of information source that’s credible than believe what you want to. You would be wrong though.
I’m sure that there’s tons of things people know more about than I do on other issues. There’s no doubt about that. I post on many sites, but I don’t speak up on things I don’t know about until I research them and have a point of view to present.
I can’t figure out most of your post though so I’m not sure what you want out of me, besides not getting into it with the other poster which I’ve already addressed.
I’ll tell you this though. From research I’ve done on this issue (gang violence based on race) the problem had been festering and building for years. It’s reaching further into small towns that have never seen it before because things like this only happen in South Central or Compton. Not any more.
Until people get so upset they demand the only action that will actually turn the tide than we’ll see this “cycle” from time to time. Just like Pomona, Pasadena, Azusa, Inglewood and countless parts of L.A. and the San Fernando Valley have over the last 10 years.
No doubt in my mind local law enforcement is on top of it, but knowing a little bit about that type of group think the answer they want is…”It’s out of my area and we’ve done our job”. That makes the citizens, mayor and council, city manager, police chief and all the business people happy. We’re safe again…for some period of time anyway. Monrovia is now, once again, an All-American City.
That type of result is only moving your trash to the neighbors yard though isn’t it? I read where 10% of gang members commit 90% of violent gang crimes such as these. Not that you want to know but here’s what I’d do that might create a permanent fix.
Cut off these 10% by any means available, keep them locked down 24/7 during their confinement time (hooking them should be easy enough they’re just about all on parole or probation and violating them is easy) with no communication with anyone but prison staff and make them do every day of their term.
Get the state to pass an emergency measure making it a felony to belong to a gang. The definition of a gang is already in the penal code and it wouldn’t be real hard to do. Make the penalty life with no parole under the conditions I mentioned above or until gang membership was renounced.
Give these people one chance and only one chance to straighten up. One act of gang violence after release and you’re gone forever. Make prison something you fear, not a place to hang out with your homies.
It’s an easy fix but as I wake up from this dream I realize I’m in California where politicians like Mark Leno, Fabian Nunez, Jackie Goldberg and the phony Republican Governor Arnold rule.
It would work Anonymous, but nobody will give it a try, too scared, to racially sensitive to lock up too many people of color even though the vast majority of their victims are other people of color.
Anyway, after that you can talk about gang prevention programs that might actually have a chance to work because as it stands now, many of them end up giving funds to gangsters to run them who pocket the money. NEVER LET A GANG MEMBER RUN A GANG PROGRAM!!
Everything I’m telling you about this problem is available on the net. Educate yourself and your kids and don’t believe local politicians, they have vested interests in not putting out the whole truth…it’s their job.
They just want to move the problem out of their town, and nothing more.
We deserve better.
Sorry I went on so long, it won’t happen again.
Local Boy
as some of you may not know mr.rollins wasnt so innocent after all mr.rollins was a duroc crip member along with some of his family members that live on central ave .the shootin of mr rollin wasnt random they gang members knew exacly who he was as for the gang that is responisble for this its monrovia 13 aka monrovia nuevo varrio 13 a hispanic gang that has been around before the black gang duroc crips
Lboy,
What century are you writing from? If you concede 90% of crime is done by 10% of the gangmembers, what sense does it make throw all gangmembers in prison? You also suggest making gang membership a felony punishable by prison time. So, on a pragmatic note, would people who joined a gang before your draconian legislation was passed be charged post facto? Your ideas hardly merit a response. But they do give us an insight into your radical, far-right leanings.
I’m under no illusion that I can convince a middle aged man to think differently about the world, especially one who has spent years defending his quacky views on message boards and right-wing radio programs. So the fact that you refuse to engage my conversation means little to me. In fact, the reason I didnt respond to your initial accusation was because the post was off the main page and I suspected few people would see my response. I was also confident that you’d find a way to bring it up on another post, so here we are.
The fact that you couldnt tell I was using the term “knickers” to cast YOU as old and out-of-touch helps explain why you couldn’t see the pointed satire in my post re: the violent white kids who murdered innocent teens.
First, my comment was intended to point out how foolish and backwards race/culture based criticism re: gang violence is. I’m confident most people are familiar with these types of criticisms leveled against AA and Latino criminals. To have a similar criticism directed at the culture who
usually makes the claim is to do something…well, funny and pointed. Too bad these these things need to be pointed out to you, Local, ehem, Boy.
Doesn’t the fact that people can sense you’re an a-hole, simply by reading your posts, tell you something? Oh, let me guess, its just the price you have to pay to be right. The truth is unpopular, right?
Don’t get me wrong, you’re post are more than necessary on a site like this. The SGV needs to be reminded there are conservative hotheads agitating for more prisons.
BTW, I also found it funny that you wanted Frank to credit you for pointing out a gang expert whose blog he already has listed in his blogroll. Seems retirement from the police force or prison guard union or security shack hasnt afforded you the recognition you desire.
But keep at it, I’m sure you’re covincing and encouraging the other 12% of the people who hold to views like yours.
Nothing posted by you will ever merit a response. Yap all you want.
Local Boy
Again 2 people who hopefully are here on this blog to discuss the matter at hand within our community, not to one up eachother with talks and fact throwing. I am here to hear points of views of other concerned Monrovians, those who may have info to share those who may have a different view of mine, so that I can become educated in the thoughts of my neighbors. Please keep these blogs for that purpose, not for a debate on who is more dated, or who knows more about gang history. Thanks for the knowledge, but keep it short or atleast to the point
This isn’t a matter of one upping anyone. Give it a rest. If you don’t want to hear what I think than don’t read my posts. I don’t care.
“Again two people…” my ass. I simply told him he would get no response from me and he could talk all he wants. It was short and sweet, get over it because all your doing is keeping it going, not me.
Geez.
Local Boy
not only that, but if you are here only to read views about monrovia, perhaps you should find a different blog.
Local boy shut the hell up!!!!!! Uncle Pete was over 60 years old!!!!! DuRocc Crip my ass!!! You sound ignorant…. On New Years eve Pete was just testifying how God spared his life a year ago….. So local boy why dont you shut the hell up and get a life….
Local Girl,
I didn’t say he was, that was another poster. I said I never heard he was Duroc on another thread.
Local Boy
Im sick of the gang bang ties or not, people are getting killed whos next it could be you it could be me, lets just put a stop to it and pray for the deciesed
Not to be the barer of bad news (and i’m not sure if anyone is actually going to look back and read this) but Davien otherwise known as “Day Day” did have ties to gang related activities and at some point did sell drugs until he began to turn things around in high school.
local boi u stupid rollins wasnt a gang memeber.he wasnt even raised in monrovia.i live down da street from him.his newphews were gang members he was a hard working man so get yo facts straight b4 u make stupid accusations on pp dummy
Great thread, keep it coming.