The 1965 Watts Riots and Mechanisms of Injury
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Apparently a significant number of people carried guns on the street. "There was another thing: a lot of people had guns, in the waistbands of their trousers or even in their hands. They weren't firing the guns, they merely had them, but that was frightening enough (Rayner, 1992)." CDC data indicates that 69% of the sixty-two records reviewed reported that the injury was an intentional assault or homicide (CDC, June 6, 1992). Three shootings were identified as drive-by, gunshot wound while driving a car, or shot by sniper (Sacramento Bee, May 6, 1992). It is very difficult from available information to determine who assaulted whom and why. As the data shows, gunmen shot members of their own community, often people they apparently did not know. None of the commission investigations of previous riots examine what motivated these acts. Neighborhood residents chased out motorists and other non- residents by throwing rocks and bottles. Other motorists' windshields were broken or they were dragged from their cars and beaten. For example: "Seven-month-old Joshua Bejar suffered multiple cuts when a vehicle driven by his mother, Maria, was stopped in the intersection. Miller allegedly leaned into the car and struck passenger Francisco Aragon in the face with a brick, then smashed a back window, showering the baby with glass" (Sacramento Bee, May 29, 1992). Takao Hirata was forced to stop his truck by objects being thrown at it. He was pulled out and beaten (This and the following are from: San Francisco Chronicle, May Fiedel Lopez was pulled from his truck, beaten, a caustic liquid poured on him, and his wallet and tools stolen. One car smashed into another after the first was stopped by a brick hitting the driver in the head. The passengers were pulled from the car and beaten. On at least one occasion a bus was stopped by armed African-Americans. At least one passenger, a Mexican-American, was beaten (Los Angeles Times, May 13, 1992a). Additional information indicates that some assaults may have been associated with fights over looted merchandise. A few rioters tried to kill firemen with their cars (Sacramento Bee, May 2, 1992b) |
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Medical Care for the Injured