Following a shooting that injured five on Saturday night at Royal Palms Beach in San Pedro, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn and Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker are announcing restricted beach hours. Royal Palms Beach continues to be closed today at the direction of Supervisor Hahn and will reopen tomorrow. Until further notice, Royal Palms Beach will close at 4:30 pm Friday through Sunday. The beach will continue to close at dusk Monday through Thursday. These operating hours will include the beach parking lot. “We need to balance preserving access to this beach with the demands of public safety,” said Supervisor Hahn. “This shooting was an escalation of a series of problems we have had at Royal Palms. Closing the beach early on weekends is going to help us prevent another tragedy while we work with law enforcement on a long-term strategy.” “The tragedy of this weekend highlights why it’s so important to keep our beaches and our parks safe,” said Councilmember McOsker. “Our community remains shaken by the shooting that occurred last Saturday and I hope the suspects are quickly apprehended and brought to justice. Royal Palms has previously been a place of dangerous behavior so it’s critical we make adjustments now for the safety of our neighbors and beach goers.” Today, Supervisor Hahn and Councilman McOsker met with officials from the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors to develop a public safety enhancement plan for Royal Palms. |