Security increased at LA venues after Manchester concert attack

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (FOX 11 / CNS) - Security will be beefed up Tuesday night at the Forum in Inglewood, where R&B singer Chris Brown will headline a show one night after a bombing at an arena in Manchester, England, at the end of an Ariana Grande concert.

According to the venue's owner, Madison Square Garden, the company "has increased security measures, including a greater police presence and is continuing to work closely with local law enforcement to ensure we remain informed of any potential concerns.''

At least 22 people, including children, were killed and 59 were injured at the concert in Manchester Monday night.

Grande was not hurt. She later posted a message on Twitter that read, "Broken. From the bottom of my heart, I am so so sorry. I don't have words.''

Inglewood police on Monday night acknowledged the tragic blast in Manchester, posting a Twitter message that read, "Praying for you Manchester.''

Inglewood police noted that although there is no specific threat targeting the Forum, "out of an abundance of caution, we will maintain a heightened awareness around tonight's event."

"We will continue to uphold public safety and we encourage everyone to come out and enjoy the concert," according to police.

Los Angeles police said Monday the department was monitoring the situation in England and assured residents that adequate resources are deployed in an effort to keep people and public spaces safe.

"We are aware of the incident that occurred over in Manchester, England, and continue to monitor that (situation) here in the department,'' Officer Mike Lopez of the LAPD's Media Relations Section said.

Lopez stressed that the department is not aware of any credible threat to the city or its public assembly venues, but is nonetheless ready to respond to anything that might arise.

"We are prepared with adequate resources for the citizens of Los Angeles and their safety,'' he said.

Lopez added that the eyes and ears of residents are an invaluable resource in helping keep the community safe. He urged people to be vigilant and report anything that seems suspicious or even out of the ordinary, repeating the manta, "If you see something, say something.''

But FOX 11's own Hal Eisner reports that after the attack on the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England the emotional effects have reached all the way to Inglewood. In fact, to the Sizzler Restaurant just across the street from The Forum.

There are people like Carla Gordon. She's a mom of four kids and says her sense of safety and security has been shattered by terrorism.

Says Gordon, "I'm already paranoid as it is so, my daughter doesn't go anywhere unless I'm there or there are parents there."

After the attack in England Brown tweeted: "The World is falling apart. Wanna send my love to everyone." To some at the Sizzler, Brown's right... about the world. Raisuli Gordon says, "As far as the world is right now there's a lot of tension because you have you've got North Korea. You've got Russia."

And, terrorism ... remember... his wife wouldn't take a free ticket to a concert from me if I had one and neither would Lionel Peters who wouldn't let his son into an arena that could be a soft target with him being by his son's side. That, he says, is because "I would be fearful that something could happen. A catastrophe could happen like this terrorist attack so, I wouldn't feel safe with him going to a concert by himself."

Given Manchester, Peter's girlfriend, Sophie Nah, wouldn't even go to a concert alone. She says, "I wouldn't be comfortable."

Mayor Eric Garcetti offered a message of solidarity to the people of Manchester, which has a Friendship City relationship with Los Angeles as part of the city's Sister City cultural exchange program.

"Los Angeles stands with the people of Manchester at this time of unthinkable anguish and loss,'' he said. "We send prayers for peace and comfort to the victims and their loved ones, Mayor (Andy) Burnham, and all people touched by the tragedy in our Friendship City.''

Copyright 2017 FOX 11 Los Angeles : Download our mobile app for breaking news alerts or to watch FOX 11 News | Follow us on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube . Be a citizen journalist for FOX 11 and get paid - download the Fresco News App today.