The War in Hemet

By Douglas V. Gibbs

A friend of mine that lives in Michigan gave me a call a couple months ago asking me, "What's going on in Los Angeles?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I hear that gangs are attacking the police, booby-trapping the police department offices, and blowing up city vehicles."

"That," I replied, "is not happening in Los Angeles. It is happening about a twenty minute drive up the road from where I live in a town called Hemet."

On December 31st natural gas was rerouted into the office of the Hemet-San Jacinto Valley Gang Task Force office, and it was rigged to explode. The attempt failed.

On February 23rd a gun attached to the gate of the office of the Hemet-San Jacinto Valley Gang Task Force was rigged to fire when the gate was opened by an officer punching in his code. The shot barely missed the officer opening the gate.

On March 5th a deadly device was affixed to an officer's vehicle, but it fell off when the officer parked the vehicle at a convenience store. The device failed to explode.

On March 23rd four Hemet code-enforcement pickups were destroyed by fire while parked at City Hall.

On April 12th the Hemet police firing range was torched in a blaze caused by arson.

On June 4th a World War II-era bazooka training rocket ignited a pallet fire. The rocket had been aimed at the roof of a market at the Hemet Police Station.

On June 28th a fire destroyed the inside of the Hemet police evidence storage facility.

The Hemet area is not historically a gang infested area, or at least not until the last decade or so. Hemet is more known for being a retirement community, instead. The joke used to be that no city had more banks and mortuaries. This is not to say Hemet hasn't had its share of difficulties. Because of the city's location, which has a tendency to get quite warm in the summer, and the city is not near any other largely populated area, prices have always stayed down, and so some parts of Hemet has attracted lower income residents. With the low-income influx came the gang elements with it.

During the housing boom the least expensive homes in Southern California, far away from the chaos of Los Angeles, were in Hemet. The city grew, but so did the lower income zone.

In Los Angeles, the Black and Hispanic gangs hate each other. In Hemet, they work together. However, the main problem seems to be Motorcycle gangs and white supremacist gangs.

Now, with the Hemet offices being in a new location, moving from Latham to Florida Ave., the gangs have decided to target the city's facilities. Some say the attacks are because Hemet has been willing to crack down on gangs.

The goal is the same as with other violent groups. They believe if they are violent enough, eventually the forces for law and order will back down. Fortunately, Hemet's law enforcement has not done such a thing. Instead, they have stepped up their efforts, and now have arrested two of the men they believe may have been orchestrating the seven attacks against Hemet's officers.

Physical evidence located at the scene of one attack linked one suspect, but he may very well have been involved in all seven attacks. The case is also being reviewed for possible federal charges.

The second suspect was arrested on a parole violation, a felon in possession of a firearm. Though there is no evidence he is connected to the attacks against Hemet police officers, he knows the first suspect, and has other incriminating connections.

Hemet Police are still searching for two other suspects.

The arrests are the result of the work of a six month investigation by the Hemet Police Department, Riverside County Sheriff, district attorney's office, FBI, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Though no one has been injured in any of the attacks, booby-traps, assassination attempts, and arsons are serious crimes, and the hunt is far from over. I have a feeling the attacks have not reached an end, either.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

2 men arrested in Hemet police attacks; 2 suspects remain at large, authorities say - Los Angeles Times

Two Arrested in Hemet Police Attacks - Press Enterprise