A bus was set on fire, shops were looted and fireworks thrown at police in scenes of lawlessness and “absolute chaos” in downtown LA following the Dodgers’ historic World Series win over the New York Yankees on Wednesday night.
LAPD said at 10:43 p.m. (1:43 ET Thursday) on X that there were reports of several stores being looted on Broadway and 8th Street. Various videos posted to social media, including one shared by the official LAPD X account, showed people walking out of a Nike store holding goods.
An unknown number of people have been arrested in connection with the disturbances.
Police issued a dispersal order because of fireworks and projectiles being thrown at officers. Then a “hostile crowd” surrounded an MTA bus on Echo Park Avenue, a short distance from the Dodger Stadium, at around 12:35 a.m. (3:35 a.m. ET) and set it on fire, police said.
The driver and five passengers managed to leave the bus before the fire started, the transport authority said.
Eyewitness and LA resident Taylor Rosa, 27, told NBC News how the celebrations turned ugly.
“It’s been absolute chaos. People were excited and having a good old time, but people got out of control and started looting and jumping on top of a bus,” he said.
Rosa explained that a female driver was still inside when the crowd surrounded the bus: “After she got out, they all started lighting fireworks inside the bus, jumping on top of the bus, dancing.”
He said that as police issued a dispersal order someone set off an explosive inside the bus and it “completely blew up.” Rosa said he didn’t see if anyone was injured but described the streets as “completely destroyed” with fireworks launched at several local businesses.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority said in a statement: “Metro is disappointed and angered by the senseless act of vandalism on one of our buses following the Dodgers World Series Win earlier this evening.
“We are thankful that the bus operator and the five passengers were safely evacuated before the bus was set on fire.”
The Dodgers beat the New York Yankees 7-6 in Game 5 on Wednesday to win the World Series four games to one.
This is a developing story, check back here for updates soon.
Matteo Moschella contributed.
