LAPD sees dramatic spike in number of shooting cases, mostly in South Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Police are seeing a shocking increase in the number of shooting incidents in Los Angeles, especially in South L.A.

"I was just walking home and someone robbed -- stole my phone with a handgun," said Michael Sadri, who lives in South L.A.

Sadri took to social media to vent his anger over what he says is the rise in violent crime in his neighborhood. In an interview with ABC7, he said recently there have been two shootings on his street and another shooting a block or so away.

"I've lived here for about eight years," Sadri said. "Most of the time it has been safe and it hasn't been that chaotic over here. But starting in like November -- about that time it became very, very dangerous around here."

Los Angeles Police Department statistics support what Sadri claimed. In the first 18 days of 2021, the department reported, 105 people have been shot in the city. That's more than tripled from the year before.

Fiery crash caught on camera as vehicle flies into embankment near downtown LA freeway

A horrifying crash in downtown Los Angeles was caught on camera, and the quick actions of several good Samaritans may have helped save the driver's life.

LAPD statistics show that more than two-thirds of the shooting victims were wounded in South Los Angeles. Murders have more than doubled in the city when compared to the same time last year.

The LAPD released the tragic statistics for the first three weeks of the year, saying it's the shared responsibility of the department , community members and elected officials to work together to stop the violence.

"The violence in Los Angeles is really out of control," said LAPD Detective Jamie McBride, speaking on behalf of the Los Angeles Police Protective League. "And to be quite honest right now, in Los Angeles we're fighting two pandemics. We're fighting COVID and gun violence."

Sadri said the causes are economics and the pandemic. More people in his neighborhood are out of work and businesses are closing. It will take more than just police patrolling to stop the violence, he said.

Community leaders and activists are expected to hold a Friday news conference to voice their frustration over the increased violence and talk about needs to be done to stop it.