Residents of Little Tokyo and Arts District are no strangers to fireworks in Downtown LA.
A late-night fireworks display on Sunday in Little Tokyo appears to have been deliberately initiated, according to the LAPD Central Division’s Twitter page.
The blasts began around 10:50 p.m. and continued for several minutes.
Rafu Shimpo reporters were on the scene half an hour after the display ended. They found evidence of fireworks in The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA parking lot across the street from a Federal facility. There were at least 11 boxes of fireworks, some of which appeared undetonated.
The fireworks that did go off left flaming remains only a few hundred feet away from the Japanese American National Museum.
“It sounded like bombs going off,” said an employee of a nearby Little Tokyo business.
At least 9 of the boxes appeared to be 500g “cakes” of 100-shot “Dream Keeper” fireworks. Comparable fireworks retail for around $100 per box.
With the assistance of the public, Central Officers were able to find the location of where the midnight fireworks show was deliberately initiated. Right across the street from a Federal Facility. 🎥 This was a planned incident. pic.twitter.com/wqqYoIYYu0
— LAPD Central Division (@LAPDCentral) January 22, 2024
As of Monday, the culprits have not been apprehended.
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