Sheriff’s East L.A. fundraiser ends in brawl
A fundraiser being hosted by Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials Thursday night ended in violence, with one guest arrested and more arrests possible, a department spokesman confirmed.
Sheriff’s deputies were hosting a party at Cities, a bar and restaurant in East Los Angeles, to raise money for an annual law enforcement relay race.
About 2 a.m. Friday, there was an altercation that involved off-duty deputies and guests.
One woman invited to the party was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer. Her deadly weapon was a high-heel shoe she allegedly used to hit a deputy.
Sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore identified the woman as Aracely Lozano, but declined to say whom she knew and how she was invited. He said she is not a deputy.
The incident is being investigated by the department’s internal criminal investigators, who generally handle cases of potential criminal conduct by sheriff’s employees.
Whitmore said it was unclear if any deputies are suspected of crimes.
“Whether they were involved I don’t know,” he said. “We believe alcohol may have been involved.”
The manager of the restaurant could not be reached for comment Friday.
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