Alex Villanueva says 911 response needs improvement after shots heard near Leimert Park event
Shots fired near event attended by Alex Villanueva
Alex Villanueva was attending an event at Leimert Park when shots were heard nearby. Villanueva said he called 911 but was placed on hold for several minutes.
LOS ANGELES - Alex Villanueva, who is running for his former position as Los Angeles County sheriff, was attending an event in the city of Los Angeles.
During the Black LA Vote event at Leimert Park, shots were heard a half-block away.
"It was chaos," says Villanueva, who says he went outside to check out the situation.
He saw LAPD officers, who had been flagged down, and says he dialed 911, only to find himself on hold for several minutes.
911 issues have been a point of discussion in the Los Angeles County sheriff’s race, but the shooting happened within Los Angeles city limits.
Mayor Karen Bass has been addressing critics of 911, trying to consolidate the system to improve response times.
FOX 11 reached out to LAPD for comment and is waiting to hear back.
Villanueva emphasizes that the officers did a great job and, luckily, no one at the event was injured. But as far as the 911 system, "it needs to improve," he says.
The Source: This story is based on statements from Alex Villanueva about the shooting near the Black LA Vote event, his call to 911 and his comments about LAPD officers and the emergency response system. FOX 11 reached out to LAPD for comment and is awaiting a response.