June 10 (UPI) — Local law enforcement is investigating the death of a man whose body was found on a downtown Los Angeles sidewalk early Tuesday morning, where protests and looting have occurred.
The Los Angeles Police Department responded to a call at 1:30 a.m. PDT regarding an unresponsive man on a sidewalk in the downtown area of West 3rd Street and Broadway, KTLA reported.
The unidentified man was dead, and his cause of death is being investigated.
Several businesses in the area were looted and vandalized at about the same time that the police received the emergency call.
The LAPD reported it made more than 100 arrests connected to Monday’s protests, including 14 for looting.
Mayor condemns looting, violence and vandalism
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass addressed the violence and looting during a Tuesday morning press conference.
She told reporters city officials have not received word of raids because Immigration and Customs Enforcement does not notify the city when ICE raids are planned.
“What we rely on is reporting from the community, especially the immigrant rights organizations that have formed the ‘rapid response network,’ “Bass told media.
“I do not believe that individuals that commit vandalism and violence in our city really are in support of immigrants,” Bass told reporters. “They have another agenda.”
She said the “unrest that has happened are a few blocks within the downtown area” and not all of downtown or citywide.
“The visuals make it seem as though our entire city is in flames, and that is not the case at all,” Bass explained.
“The violence and the damage is unacceptable. It is not going to be tolerated, and the individuals will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
She said those who participate and make it home at night should not think they got away with it because local police are investigating, and “there will be follow-up and arrests.”
Bass also said Los Angeles “was peaceful” on Thursday.
Bass blames ICE raids for violence
“There was nothing going on here that warranted the federal intervention that took place the very next day,” Bass told reporters.
“If we want to look at the cause of what is happening here, I take it back to raids that took place on Friday and the uncertainty and the fear and the fact that families across the city are terrified.”
She said city officials don’t know how many people ICE has detained and some people have not had contact with legal representation or their families.
“When the administration started, they said this was about crime,” she said.
“They were going to go after violent felons, drug dealers, and I don’t know how that matches with the scenes that we saw of people at Home Depot running through the parking lot because they were afraid they would be arrested.”
Bass said vandalism and graffiti “have been extensive,” and she wants to meet with local business leaders and faith leaders to discuss how to clean up the downtown area ahead of next year’s FIFA World Cup, which Los Angeles is scheduled to host.
She also announced that she will attend a 6 p.m. interfaith prayer vigil “calling for peace” and “supporting immigrant Angelenos,” but did not say where the vigil is scheduled.
The L.A. riots prompted President Donald Trump to call up the National Guard to protect federal buildings, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he will transfer 700 Marines to the area.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the Trump administration of illegally calling up the National Guard, but Trump said the violence would have “completely obliterated” Los Angeles.
