Nine People Arrested During Melee After Movie Premiere in Westwood

Nine people were arrested and at least three injured late Friday night in a series of fights that broke out in Westwood Village among crowds of youths who had apparently flocked to the area for the opening of director Spike Lee’s new movie, “Mo’ Better Blues.”

Los Angeles Police Capt. Willie Pannell said up to 500 people were crowded on the sidewalks of Broxton Avenue, Weyburn Avenue and Westwood Boulevard at the time the fighting began around 10:45 p.m. He said the disturbance was largely limited to about 60 youths, some of whom he believed had just finished viewing the premiere of the film.

It took 25 police officers about an hour to disperse the crowd and restore order, Pannell said. Although some of the youths were clad in gang dress, he said there is no evidence that the disturbance was gang-related.

“It was like a rampage type of thing,” the lieutenant said. “It’s hard to say how it got started.”

Police arrested four juveniles and five adults for investigation of such charges as curfew violation, failure to disperse and fighting in public. One 18-year-old Los Angeles man, Kevin Bailey, was booked for investigation of a felony charge, possession of a concealed billy club.

Three bystanders, who had apparently stumbled into the disturbance, were robbed and suffered minor injuries, police said. All three were treated at nearby UCLA Medical Center and released. Pannell said several others also suffered minor injuries during the disturbance, but declined medical care and left the scene.

Pannell said there was no damage to any businesses.

The cause of the fighting remained unknown Saturday as investigators sifted through the confused and incomplete accounts.

Pannell said most of the victims and suspects interviewed refused to discuss details.

Police Sgt. Jeff Hanson earlier described the scene in Westwood.

“Groups of teen-agers ran down the street and hit people for no apparent reason,” he said.

Workers and store owners in the area where the disturbance took place said they saw only sporadic fighting that did not involve many bystanders.

Ivan Marroquin, 26, who was working at a record store on Broxton, said: “It was a very small group of people fighting. Mostly, they were exchanging insults.”