The 1992 Los Angeles riots, also referred to as the 1992 Los Angeles uprising, was a series of riots and civil instances that occurred in Los Angeles County in April and May 1992. Unrest began in South Central Los Angeles on April 29th, after a trial jury acquitted four officers of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for usage of excessive force in the arrest and beating of Rodney King. The disturbing beating was recorded and widely viewed.
The rioting took place in several areas in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, as thousands of people rioted over a six-day period following the announcement of the verdict. Widespread looting, assault, and arson occurred during the riots. Local police had almost no control over the situation due to their lack of personnel and resources.
The situation in the Los Angeles area was only resolved after the California National Guard, the United States military, and several federal law enforcement agencies were deployed to assist in ending the violence and unrest.
By the time the riots ended, 63 people had been killed, 2,383 had been injured, more than 12,000 had been arrested. Estimates of property damage were over $1 billion, much of which disproportionately affected Koreatown, where the bulk of rioting occurred.
LAPD Chief of Police Daryl Gates, who had already announced his resignation by the time of the riots, was attributed with much of the blame for failure to de-escalate the situation and overall mismanagement.
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