April 13, 2023
City News Service
The lobby of the Los Angeles Police Department's Southwest station will remain closed for a while and some personnel will be relocated after an arson incident last week, Police Chief Michel Moore announced on April 11.
Mishauna Eaton, 30, was arrested Friday morning and booked on suspicion of arson. She was being held on $250,000 bail. Eaton remains in custody, Moore added.
Eaton allegedly pushed a burning shopping cart into the lobby of the station in the 1500 block of West Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard at approximately 11:25 p.m. Thursday.
The flames caused more than $1 million in damage to the front and interior of the station, Moore said. No injuries were reported.
“According to the video evidence that was gathered, it appears that she had set a cart on fire with combustibles that were inside of it,'' Moore said during Tuesday's Police Commission meeting. “The Fire Department responded and was able to extinguish the fire in approximately half an hour.''
Detectives and officers will continue to work out of the station while repairs are made to the lobby.
“Community members who would like to meet with an in-person officer of detective may visit any local station,'' police said in a statement issued last week. “We encourage people to utilize online reporting at LAPD@online.''