The Citizen app is currently encouraging users in Los Angeles to hunt down a person suspected of setting the Pacific Palisades brush fire. They are offering $30,000 to anyone who catches them.
Hosts of the broadcast are repeating unsubstantiated “tips” as facts and asking people to “hunt this guy down”. One of the tips just played out in air as being a lie. The hosts are flummoxed but continue the broadcast.
It’s unclear where exactly this photo came from, or how the hosts of the Citizen broadcasts have identified the person as a suspect. Comments asking for that information have been ignored.
Host Prince just said “We know the guy is out there. We need our users to get out there and bring this guy to justice.”
This is what I imagine lynch mobs were like.
Host Prince is now encouraging people to investigate an unhoused encampment in the area to find the person in the photo.
Also want to note that *neither* of the hosts (Chris and Prince) are from LA.
Broadcast is wrapping up. Host Prince is saying “Over 800k people notified and not one complaint...let’s bring this guy to justice.” Chris reiterates, “This a 24 hour deal.”
The photo shared on the Citizen broadcast seems to have come from the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness. It was shared on Nextdoor along with a video of LAPD Sgt Balgemino suggesting that person set the fire & LAPD was unable to catch him
The @LACountyCOC is meeting now. The agenda includes body worn cameras, deputy “cliques”, and COVID-19 in jails. Sheriff Alex Villanueva is expected to join at 12pm. I’ll be live tweeting here.
Family impact statements have been moved up to the top of the meeting. We are hearing now from Hilda Pedroza, the sister of David Ordaz Jr., and their father. Ordaz was killed by LASD deputies in the midst of a mental health crisis earlier this year.
Ordaz’s father says that he wants justice and for the deputies to see consequences. He says that there were children present at the shooting who could have been hit by the bullets. He wants the deputies fired.
After about a 30 minute delay, the @LASDHQ 2021 Hate Crime Summit is now underway. I’ll be live tweeting here.
Not a lot of masks in attendance. I’m watching virtually so it’s difficult to give an estimate. I’ve seen at least 10 bare faces, including several panelists.
The national anthem has concluded. Now a video showing the history of the department is being shown. Lots of archival photos of LASD personnel throughout the years.
Currently in the Community Conversation hosted by @LASDHQ and @LAPDHQ. Sheriff Villanueva and Chief Moore are answering questions from county and city residents.
Some families who have lost relatives to both of these departments have attempted to ask questions in these virtual forums and been ignored. It’s happened to me, too, as a member of the press. Lets see if that is any different today.
Chief Michel Moore of LAPD just said that “homeless people...threaten the sense of safety of communities.”
KCRW was aware of what I was going through for months. It’s heartbreaking to see them choose to deny my and other’s experiences. Here is my resignation letter from the station, which details more of them.
I reference the investigation KCRW points to in their statement. As I said in the email, I tried multiple times to get updates on it before my departure, to no avail. It concluded after I left. Several of my witnesses were never contacted.
Here in El Sereno where activists are trying to prevent the eviction of families from vacant homes owned by CalTrans. CHP is stationed outside ~15 properties.
Minutes after the activists wrapped up a press conference at least 50+ CHP officers in riot gear descend on the homes. You can hear the officer try to stop me filming
CHP is using a battering ram to take down the door