The Wrong Kind of Fireworks, and a Holiday Shattered

In 1874, the Santa Monica Pier was built. The new town’s entire population at the time was only 300 or so. But more and more vacationers would undoubtedly be drifting toward the oceanside in the future to take up residence permanently, or to at least enjoy a happy-go-lucky holiday.

Sometimes, in a spot as spectacular as this, every worry in the world can go away. Watching the waves, riding the rides, playing carny games in the arcades, even jumping at the sound of firecrackers on a Fourth of July, it’s easy to feel far from harm’s way.

Yet even 126 years ago, when the pier first went up, you never knew what kind of Wild West desperado you might run across.

For example, that very year, 1874, was when the wanted-dead-or-alive criminal Tiburcio Vasquez finally got caught and hanged.

A posse apprehended the notorious Mexican bandit in a cabin along what is now Santa Monica Boulevard. The elusive outlaw--who stabbed a lawman at 14--was found guilty of robbery and murder and put to death in March 1875 at the age of 36. Vasquez became famous--or infamous--enough that more than a century later, a stage musical called “Bandido” was based on his exploits.

So today, when Southern Californians fret that crime is rampant and it’s dangerous just to set foot outside of your house, they tend to forget that even our most beautiful spots have never been 100% safe.

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“Yacht Harbor * Sport Fishing * Boating * Cafes” reads the archway marquee of the Santa Monica Pier, a place as pretty as a picture.

It probably would scare off too many tourists if the sign were ever expanded to also mention: “Crook Hangout * Cop Fighting * Shooting * Hostage Taking.”

But the sad truth is, the fireworks that visitors to the amusement pier got for this year’s Fourth of July weren’t the kind they had in mind.

These fireworks came a little past midnight, when the holiday had just barely begun.

And they weren’t sparkly starbursts, with everybody standing on the boardwalk and going “Oooooh. Pretty.” Nor were they hand-pulled poppers, with paper streamers spilling out.

These bangs came from guns.

According to a lieutenant from the Santa Monica police, it was 1:04 a.m. when a call came in about a possibly armed and dangerous guy hanging around the pier. The call came from the sheriff’s department in San Bernardino more than 70 miles away, where someone had received a tip.

A suspect was wanted in connection with murders in Victorville, Baldwin Park and Ontario, plus a shooting in Fontana last month at a deputy’s car. The police tried a pager number believed to be the suspect’s, and when somebody responded, the call was traced to a pay phone at the Santa Monica Pier.

Off work or out of school, holiday revelers were already there having fun.

Some were startled to see a struggle break out by the pay phone. Santa Monica cops overpowered a man and seized two weapons. A police dog even took a bite out of him.

A second man ran into an arcade. Trying to escape, he opened fire and hit five people--a 17-year-old male, a woman of 35 and three police officers.

All of a sudden, the boardwalk known for roller coasters and merry-go-rounds was turning into a cops-and-robbers scene out of movies like “The Sting,” much of which was actually filmed there.

Fifteen hostages were taken.

For the next five hours--with this backdrop of fun and games--a standoff existed as a hostage negotiator implored the shooter to surrender. A number of civilians were set free around 4 a.m., and the remaining ones were released at 6:40 with the Independence Day sunrise. That’s when their captor gave himself up.

Just another holiday in paradise.

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“A successful resolution to what otherwise could have been a catastrophic incident,” Lt. Gary Gallinot described it Tuesday.

True, it could have been much worse. All five shooting victims were struck in the arms or legs, with none of the injuries considered life-threatening.

But the pier itself and its reputation are also shot full of holes. Five other visitors were wounded by bullets there in March, after a brawl broke out.

Now one of our most popular holiday spots had to be closed on the Fourth of July, like a beach where sharks had just been seen.

Because when tourists go to an arcade, they generally don’t enjoy becoming targets in a shooting gallery.

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Mike Downey’s column appears Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Write to: Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. E-mail: mike.downey@latimes.com