24 Years Ago in LA

Twenty-four years ago today, Los Angeles burned in rage in response to the not-guilty verdicts in the brutal beating case of Rodney King by four LAPD officers a year earlier.
Hundreds of LA businesses burned and were looted, fifty-five people were also killed in the three day period beginning on April 29, 1992.

Photos by Ted Soqui © 1992

7th and Union.

Downtown LA.

LAFD Station 13 firefighters on West Adams Blvd.

A young boy near Crenshaw Ave.

18 Years Ago LAFD Firecopter 3

I remember covering the crash of LAFD Firecopter 3 in LA's Griffith Park eighteen years ago. 

My friend photojournalist Douglas Burrows and I heard about it over a scanner and drove over to the park. 

It was a sad day and difficult to cover knowing that four people perished in the crash. 

To this day it remains the largest loss of life of active fire personnel in LAFD history. 

Photo by Ted Soqui © 1998

Firecopter 3.

Historic Hancock Park House Burns

A 91 year old home in Hancock Park burned in a fast wind driven fire. The home, located across from the Canadian Consulate, lost most of it's roof and upper floors even though LAFD was on scene quickly.
Shot this image on my iPhone5 camera.

Home on S.Muirfield Road.

Photo by Ted Soqui © 2013

L.A.P.D. And L.A. School Police Stop Suicide Attempt Atop L.A. High School

L.A.P.D. officers from the Wilshire division assisting L.A. School Police subdue a suicide attempt suspect on top of a car port at L.A. High School on Olympic Blvd.
The suspect appeared to have some mental problems, and would not listen to any commands given to him by the police. The man held a sharp spear up to his abdomen and threatened to impale himself or jump off of the roof. L.A.P.D. officers gradually surrounded the man and shot him six times with non-lethal bean-bag rounds from a shot gun. The suspect seemed un-phased by the bean bag rounds and attempted to stab himself with a spear. LAPD then fired a taser round which immediately stunned the suspect long enough for officers to subdue him.
He was hoisted off the roof of the building by L.A. Fire  and taken to a local hospital.

L.A.P.D. officers with the suspect.

L.A.P.D. air support.

The suspect hoisted off of the roof by L.A. Fire.

L.A.P.D. officer with the suspect's spear.

The suspect on his way to the hospital.

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2011

Graffiti Removal Atop The Eagle Rock

A 14 member crew from L.A.F.D. station #88 Urban Search And Rescue grind away graffiti from the Eagle Rock located in northeast L.A. The work was deemed to dangerous for regular graffiti removal crews due to the extreme terrain of the Eagle Rock. The USAR team tethered themselves with ropes, repelled down the steep face of the rock, and grinded away at the graffiti tags with hand held power tools.
Several members of the USAR have assisted at ground zero in NYC, the Katrina disaster in New Orleans, and at the mudslide at La Conchita. This is their first graffiti removal exercise.

A hawk flies above the USAR #88 on top of the Eagle Rock.

Really old graffiti.

Grinding away at the vandalism.

A member of USAR #88.

USAR # 88 on top of the Eagle Rock.

Photos and video by Ted Soqui © 2011

Funeral Procession For Fallen Firefighter Glenn Allen

Thousand of firefighters from all over California lined the streets of downtown L.A. to pay respects to fallen L.A.F.D. firefighter Glenn Allen. The procession began at L.A. City hall and ended at the Cathedral of Our Lady Queen of Angels.
Allen's remains were carried on Fire Truck 97 from station 97 where he was assigned. He died earlier this week, when a ceiling collapsed during a fire he was working in the Hollywood Hills.
The fire is currently under investigation as possible arson.
Allen was a 31 year veteran of L.A.F.D. and one year away from retirement.

Photos by Ted Soqui © 2011