The LA Riots as They Happened: 4/30/1992

So far, over 300 fires to buildings have been set, and more than 1700 fire incidents so far reported. All of Los Angeles is a war zone, even the valley. We have a dawn to dusk curfew set for tonight, and there has been talk of martial law. Riots have been reported in North Hollywood and Panorama City, both just blocks from here. I heard that fire has been set to the mall in Panorama City, but I have heard no confirmation of it. There were also reports of rioting two blocks from here. Buildings in Hollywood and West Los Angeles are burning. The company I work for, the Wherehouse, has so far lost 3 stores that have been burnt to the ground. How can hundreds of people be running around this city unchecked destroying everything in their paths? The scene is so incomprehensible. It is like a hurricane, but even eerier. It is like we are waiting for the world to end.

I just went outside. It is like someone dropped a neutron bomb on the city (note: notice how I didn’t use contractions then, even in an informal setting like a journal? very odd!). No cars, no people. The city around here is dead.

Earlier today, I went to the Wherehouse to check on the situation there. We were getting reports of riots in the area, so we shut down the store at 4:00pm. Chitra and Rich (note: two of my co-workers at the Wherehouse) ended up coming over for a sort of war slumber party. While we were sitting around talking at about seven, we smelled smoke. Thick smoke. We still smell it, but the glow to the event we saw earlier has disappeared. The smoke is still causing me to cough.

The police have come by, saying on their loudspeakers that everyone should get inside and stay inside.
We have had reports that the 7-11 store one block away has been sacked and looted. On the news, we see a place in Panorama City burning to the ground.