Chainsaw-wielding suspect cuts down several trees during overnight vandalism spree in downtown LA

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Several trees in downtown Los Angeles were cut down in an overnight vandalism spree, apparently by a bicycle-riding suspect wielding a chainsaw, prompting outrage from local residents.

"Some piece of you-know-what decided that they were going to go around last night, chopping down trees all over downtown L.A.," a video posted Saturday on the Instagram account @DTLAInsider said.

Media Moussavy, who operates the @DTLAInsider account and has lived downtown since 2017, told ABC7: "Anybody that does this, this is an act of destruction."

When he first learned of the fallen trees, he thought their toppling was part of a city cleanup operation.

He said he "started getting pictures from many different people in the influencer space, downtown space, saying, 'Did you see what they did last night?' I realized this was a little more malicious than the city chopping trees down."

At least five toppled trees were spotted at Grand Avenue and Wells Fargo Center, Olympic Street and Figueroa Boulevard, Broadway and Cesar Chavez Avenue, and at Grand Avenue and Fifth Street.

Security guards at two separate buildings in the area said surveillance video showed the unidentified vandal was riding a bicycle and equipped with a chainsaw. The footage was not immediately released and a detailed description of the suspect was not provided.

"That someone would do this is truly beyond comprehension," Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement provided to ABC7. "City public works crews are assessing the damage and we will be making plans to quickly replace these damaged trees. LAPD has opened an investigation into what happened and those responsible must be held accountable."