Deputy says Monrovia in a 'race war'

In the midst of a spree of retaliatory shootings that has left two three dead and two other victims injured, the gang situation in the San Gabriel Valley community of Monrovia "has completely degraded into a race war," says Sgt. Richard Westin of the sheriff's Operation Safe Streets gang unit. "It's not just about being a gang member anymore," he told the Pasadena Star-News. Authorities yesterday made some raids and arrested a murder suspect, and this week issued warnings to residents. Sheriff Lee Baca said yesterday, "When you examine the 16-year-old boy who was shot and the two Hispanic girls, it's clear that the insanity has reached a level that is hard to comprehend. It's reached this level of wanton behavior where anyone is subject to being a victim."

The Star-News and San Gabriel Valley Tribune have put up a special web section with a map of the shootings and links to the running coverage. Frank Girardot's Crime Scene blog has also been covering the violence extensively. Other bloggers that are swarming the Monrovia situation include Monrovia vs Mayberry RFD and Frazgo at Blogging.la.

Speaking of homicide: The New Yorker's Dana Goodyear blogged about Jill Leovy's Monday night appearance at Zocalo and says of The Homicide Report: "The comments alone constitute an alternative history of the city."