Police arrested eleven Asian-American high school students, nine of whom were Arcadia High School students, after a 2-month investigation of extortion and terrorist threats by suspected gang members against junior high school students.
A federal investigation of a San Gabriel Valley-based Asian crime syndicate led to the arrests of 18 suspected Red Door gang members in several San Gabriel Valley cities, including Arcadia. The effort was dubbed "Operation Paint it Black." Authorities seized seven guns, 12,500 ecstasy pills, 2,230 marijuana plants and a Lamborghini. The 18 were indicted on drug trafficking and international marriage fraud charges.
A 22 year old Monterey Park man was shot and killed after leaving the Sportsrock Cafe about 1:30am and getting involved in an argument with 10-15 men in a nearby parking lot. He was shot with an illegal pen gun.
Police from across Southern California, including Arcadia, are joining Monrovia Police and sheriffs in a task force to try to obliterate street gangs that are committing crimes. This joint task force comes after four people were killed recently in Monrovia. Police suspect Black and Latino gangs of the murders.
Arcadia city council will vote on an ordinance prohibiting loitering by members of street gangs. The ordinance defines a "criminal street gang" as three or more people with a primary activity to commit offenses, such as murder, assault, robbery, or drug-related crimes. There are eight active Asian gangs within the city.
Two dozen rounds were fired into an Arcadia apartment complex in the 400 block of Second Avenue. No one were injured. The shooting is believed to be Asian gang related.
The Mexican Mafia, also known as La Eme, has a stronghold on illegal drug trafficking in the San Gabriel Valley. Fighting within the gang is causing violence, even as some key members are in prison.
Arcadia police, working with other law enforcement agencies, uncovered a major auto theft ring operating in the San Gabriel and San Fernando Valleys. Two men were arrested and four cars were recovered from a warehouse in Arcadia.
Kianji Zhai and Hua Kiang of Arcadia were arrested and booked on charges of kidnapping, extortion, slavery and assault with a deadly weapon. They are accused of enslaving and torturing their 20 year old babysitter.
Local gang violence is on the upswing. Racial hatred and territorial disputes fuel battles over unincorported county areas of Monrovia, Duarte and Arcadia.
15-year-old Richard Ung was arrested at his parents' home in Arcadia, where sheriffs recovered nine guns, including an AK-47 assault rifle and an assault pistol. Ung is being investigated for alleged involvement in the stabbing death of Boo K. Lee.
An international businessman was abducted from his Arcadia home and later released the same evening after his abductors demanded he pay them $1 million. He was told that he would be contacted the next day with instructions about where to put the money, but no money has been paid. This is the first kidnapping of this type in Arcadia, although there have been four other kidnappings in the San Gabriel Valley since last October.
Asian immigrants are changing the face of San Gabriel Valley. Los Angeles County reports 1.3 million Asians, with many of them moving to Arcadia for jobs and schools.
A special report on the Asian population of the San Gabriel Valley. Arcadia is a city with an Asian population near or above 50 percent. A chart shows Asian presence in the San Gabriel Valley and the percentage who speak English "not well" or "not at all."
Nine visitors to the Arboretum were injured when a large eucalyptus branch fell on them. They were taken to Arcadia Methodist Hospital where all but two were treated and released. The more seriously injured had a broken right arm and spinal damage.
A joint raid by more than 200 deputies and officers, targeting parolees with connections to the Pasadena Denver Lanes Blood gang, resulted in 15 arrests on charges ranging from possession of narcotics to weapons. The 6:00 AM raid occurred simultaneously at 71 residences in Altadena, Pasadena, Los Angeles, Monrovia, Arcadia and Temple City.