In a city already teetering on the edge, a grim discovery has added another layer of tragedy to the spiraling unrest in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the New York Post, the lifeless body of a man was found on a sidewalk at West 3rd Street and Broadway early Tuesday morning, as violent anti-ICE protests and rampant looting continue to grip the city, alongside a heavy law enforcement response, including National Guard and Marine deployments.
Trouble first erupted on Friday when a crowd of demonstrators clashed with ICE agents during an immigration enforcement operation in Los Angeles and Paramount, California.
By nightfall on Friday, the confrontations had intensified, with violence spilling over into the weekend and beyond.
Authorities have accused anti-ICE activists of hurling rocks and cement at federal agents, torching vehicles, and blocking highways in acts of defiance.
Looters have ransacked local businesses, including several T-Mobile stores and Foot Locker outlets along South Broadway. They also targeted a gas station marketplace in Compton early on June 8.
Amid the turmoil, someone called police to the downtown intersection around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. When officers arrived, they found an unresponsive man wearing a red sweatshirt, as early footage from the scene shows.
Authorities have not yet identified the man or determined whether the protests and looting caused his death.
Notably, a T-Mobile store at the same intersection was among those looted during the recent unrest, painting a stark backdrop to this tragic find.
As the city grapples with chaos, law enforcement has arrested scores of individuals over the past three days in a bid to restore order.
President Trump, never one to shy away from decisive action, ordered an additional 2,000 National Guard troops to the region on Monday, on top of the 2,000 already deployed, while Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth sent in 700 Marines.
Trump claimed his intervention prevented the city from being “completely obliterated,” emphasizing the gravity of the situation. Still, observers question whether his rhetoric eases tensions or inflames them.
Not everyone agrees with the federal response, as Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has sued the Trump administration over the National Guard deployment, accusing the president of “stoking the flames for political clout.”
Some may find Newsom’s critique compelling, but when rioters burn cars and shatter businesses, critics argue that leaders should act first and debate later—because actions carry consequences, even in California.
Meanwhile, LA Mayor Karen Bass, acknowledging the crisis has “reached a tipping point,” has imposed a curfew on downtown Los Angeles to curb the escalating vandalism and looting, a move that signals just how dire things have become in a city known for its progressive policies.
