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1992 Los Angeles riots facts for kids

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1992 Los Angeles riots
ANG40InfantryDivisionLosAngelesRiot1992.jpg
Two National Guard soldiers patrolling the city during the riots
Date April 29 – May 4, 1992
Location
Los Angeles County, California, United States
Caused by
  • Four policemen acquitted of beating Rodney King
  • Killing of Latasha Harlins
  • Racial tension within Los Angeles
Methods Widespread rioting, looting, assault, arson, protests, property damage, shootouts
Parties to the civil conflict
Rioters and looters, primarily from African American and Latino communities.
United States government
Government of California
  • California Army National Guard
  • California Air National Guard
    • 144th Fighter Wing
    • 144th Security Police Squadron
    • 146th Airlift Wing
  • California Highway Patrol
County law enforcement
Armed civilians, notably from Korean American communities, defending property from rioters and looters.
Casualties
Death(s) 63
Injuries 2,383
Arrested 12,111

The 1992 Los Angeles riots were a series of riots and civil disturbances that occurred in Los Angeles County in April and May 1992. Unrest began in South Central Los Angeles on April 29, after a trial jury acquitted four officers of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for usage of excessive force in the arrest and beating of Rodney King, which had been videotaped and widely viewed in TV broadcasts.

The rioting took place in several areas in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, as thousands of people rioted over a six-day period following the announcement of the verdict. Widespread looting, assault, and arson occurred during the riots, which local police forces had difficulty controlling due to lack of personnel and resources. The situation in the Los Angeles area was only resolved after the California National Guard, the United States military, and several federal law enforcement agencies were deployed to assist in ending the violence and unrest.

By the time the riots ended, 63 people had been killed, 2,383 had been injured, more than 12,000 had been arrested, and estimates of property damage were over $1 billion, much of which disproportionately affected Koreatown, where the bulk of rioting occurred. LAPD Chief of Police Daryl Gates, who had already announced his resignation by the time of the riots, was attributed with much of the blame for failure to de-escalate the situation and overall mismanagement.

Images for kids

  • South Central Los Angeles 1

    South Central Los Angeles, where much of the rioting took place

  • Florence and Normandie

    Looking northeast from the southwestern corner of Florence and Normandie, in March 2010

  • ANG40InfantryDivisionLosAngelesRiot1992

    National Guard soldiers patrolling the streets

  • Los Angeles Riots, 1992 (17094264951)

    Smoke over the city from a distance

  • Los Angeles Riots, 1992 (17094954065)

    People looting a clothing store

  • Marine deployment to L.A

    U.S. Marines disembark from their trucks and Humvees in Compton for riot control operations. Thousands of federal troops patrolled Los Angeles to restore order.

  • LA Riots aftermath - 1991 (149046646)

    Burned buildings in Los Angeles

  • Los Angeles Riots, 1992 (17094267471)

    Remains of a burned building

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Disturbios de Los Ángeles de 1992 para niños

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