Park Festival Erupts Into Fighting; 1 Shot

One person was shot, several more were injured and at least six were arrested Sunday after a Cinco de Mayo celebration in Lincoln Park erupted into a rock- and bottle-throwing melee between rival street gangs, authorities said.

About 200 Los Angeles police officers, including mounted units, were called in at 4 p.m. to restore order after tension between rival gang members boiled over into widespread fighting.

Police estimated that 30,000 people attended the celebration, which one longtime area resident dubbed “La revolucion de Lincoln Park.”

Started on Athletic Field

Fighting eventually spilled onto Lincoln Park Boulevard, terrorizing and disgusting families who had come out for the event.

Witnesses said the first fights began on an athletic field about 200 yards from a stage where the rock-salsa group Tierra was ending its performance. One woman said she saw some youths fighting with baseball bats and bottles. At least one gang member wielded a crow bar, challenging all comers.

“I’m from Monterey Park, and I’m not from a gang,” said Alex Chavez, holding his 16-month-old daughter, after the fighting started. “We are celebrating Cinco de Mayo, but (the gang members) don’t even care. They don’t even know what Cinco de Mayo is about. This is the day we are supposed to be proud.”

Elena Alarcon, a Colombian mother with two children--one in a stroller--said she was trapped against the stage when fans panicked and began fleeing the fighting.

“This should be fun,” she said of the event. “I was crying. I was scared. They only come to drink and to take drugs,” she said of a nearby group drinking openly from a fifth of whiskey.

Gunshots Heard

A second wave of fighting erupted when organizers announced that the event was being ended prematurely. At least a dozen mounted officers rode to a hilly area in the park, where witnesses said they heard gunshots.

An officer at the scene said five to six people were injured in the fighting. One person, whose identity was not available, was taken to County-USC Medical Center with a wound to the abdomen from a small caliber handgun, officers said.

“The shooting appeared to have taken place on Valley Boulevard as the crowd was being dispersed,” said Sgt. George Spitzer. “About half a dozen suspects were arrested for various misdemeanor and felony charges.”

No suspects have been arrested in the shooting, however, police said.

Late Sunday, investigators were attempting to determine the exact number of injured, including one officer who reportedly was struck by a thrown object.

“We are disappointed that a few people had to ruin a festive occasion,” said a spokesman for Tierra. “It is not reflective of the Hispanic community.”

In downtown Los Angeles, the Olvera Street area festival was canceled at 9 p.m., about 30 minutes early, due to excessive public drunkenness, police said.