Los Angeles is considering cutting power to at least three houses for violating coronavirus-related rules against social gatherings, according to police and city officials.
One is the Hollywood home where a social media star allegedly threw a birthday party with many guests.
LAPD officers issued citations for noisy gatherings at 13 different homes this past weekend, warning the hosts that they could have their utilities cut — including water and power — if they continued to host parties there.
The host of one party in the city’s Central Division refused to heed the initial warning and received a follow-up notice that same night, police said. That address, which police said they could not provide, was forwarded to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office for a potential utility shut-off.
Also forwarded to Garcetti’s office was the Hollywood address of a home where TikTok star Bryce Hall allegedly held a birthday bash, and where online videos showed guests not wearing masks or social distancing.
Police officials said that home had been the location of other parties as well.
Hosts of the 11 other parties who were warned this weekend complied with police directives to disperse their guests. Their addresses were not forwarded to Garcetti’s office, but have been added to a list of homes that have received a preliminary warning and would be subject to a utility cut-off if they continued to host gatherings, officials said.
“We’re keeping track of where these incidents occurred,” said Josh Rubenstein, a police spokesman.
Gatherings of individuals from different households, of any size, are prohibited under Los Angeles County’s coronavirus health order.
Garcetti first announced earlier this month that homes that host parties could have their utilities cut off, particularly after repeated violations. He made the announcement after a large house party at a mansion on Mulholland Drive on Aug. 3 ended in a fatal shooting.
Police said additional hosts had received citations and warnings since Garcetti’s announcement and prior to this weekend, including one additional Hollywood address that was referred to Garcetti’s office — but they did not have a total count of homes cited.
The city had not cut utilities to any homes as of Tuesday afternoon.
Some in Los Angeles, including the union that represents rank-and-file LAPD officers, have questioned the role of police in shutting down parties.
However, Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore told the Police Commission on Tuesday that police are in lockstep with health officials on the issue of parties during the pandemic — agreeing they should not be occurring — and will continue monitoring, citing and reporting hosts of large gatherings, especially those who show “blatant disregard” for the rules.
In addition to the two weekend parties forwarded to Garcetti’s office, citations were issued at six additional parties in Hollywood, two in West L.A., and one each in the city’s Wilshire, Hollenbeck and West Valley divisions, police officials said.
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