Be alert! - String of assaults in Silver Lake

Ran across this on Metroblog. Not photo related but figured I'll help spread the word !

Dear neighbors,
This past Friday January 30, a friend of mine was brutally assaulted walking from Blair’s near Hyperion to Edendale Bar and Grill on Rowena. It was maybe between 11:30 PM or 12:30 AM near the West Silver Lake Street entrance on Rowena. He was pulled into the back of a dark driveway, had a gun pressed against his temple and then savagely thrown to the ground and beaten, crushing his left cheek; he blacked out and doesn’t remember what happened next. He couldn’t see both suspects but got a look at one who he describes as a tall, young Hispanic male.

Larry was rushed to Kaiser on Sunset and when the police came, one exclaimed that this was the 9th such assault by the same suspects in 2 weeks in the Silver Lake area, almost one assault a day!!! The police also said they were just there the night before with another victim who had his face sliced from the corner of his eye to the the corner of his mouth by the same SOB, they also said they (the police) were on it.

I think if they were truly “on it” we SL residents would have been warned somehow, either by fliers or a news blurb. My friend is puzzled by the attack and thinks it’s a hate crime since they didn’t take his wallet nor his watch but isn’t quite sure. I am scared but really really pissed at the police for keeping the 9 assaults, one after the other, on the down-low, so I’m going to spread the word somehow and someway.

A friend and I are making fliers and going to some of the neighborhood bars, cafes and stores and posting warnings. If you have any ideas– contacting the news, email blasts etc., let me know or just help spread the warning any way you know how.

PS. Another female dog-owner/friend on Michelterona and Sunset was sexually assaulted 3 weeks ago at 7:30 PM by a tall white male with shoulder length hair. He didn’t care if she had her 140 lbs dog with her, he grabbed her from behind, pushed her up against a wall and began to fondle her and only let go when he saw a family walking towards them down the hill from Micheltorena.

I apologize for all the somber news but I’m sure you’d rather be safe than sorry.

LINK


UPDATE :

Metblog has info about tonight's (Thursday) meeting.

Los Angeles Police Department
Office of the Fourth Council District
Office of the Thirteenth Council District
Invite you to a Special Silver Lake Community Meeting

Thursday, February 5, 2009
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Ivanhoe Elementary School
2828 Herkimer Street
Los Angeles, CA 90039

All neighborhood residents are invited to discuss recent crime activity in the Silver Lake community.

For additional information, please contact the Office of Councilman Tom LaBonge at (213) 485-3337.

UPDATE : Eastsider blog has some info too.

UPDATE 2/9/09 : LAist reports two suspects arrested. Details here. Press conference schedule for tomorrow

UPDATE 2/10/09 : LAist has more on the two suspects arrested here and Eastsider blog takes about the press conference today here.