2 arrests made in tagging of downtown L.A. skyscraper under construction

Two men were arrested, cited and released in connection with graffiti covering some 27 floors of an unfinished luxury skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles while nearly a dozen others were able to get away, authorities announced Thursday.
Eric Spillman reports for the KTLA 5 Morning News on Feb. 2, 2024.
Details: ktla.com/news/...
KTLA 5 News - Keeping Southern Californians informed since 1947.

[@particulatematter]

Maybe don't let Chinese investors build luxury apartments and then peace out when they run out of money! The LA City Council only has themselves to blame. These taggers are doing the city a favor by bringing that horrible decision to light.

[@stevenf5902]

Spot on!!

[@MrSesmith11]

How many arrests made in the developers who started building and left these giant eyesores?

[@ericdraven4445]

Arrest them because they rather spend money on a place that isn’t a💩hole? RIGHT!

[@LunaticMenace]

no, but they should be fined until they are bankrupted. CAN'T HANDLE THE BUIDLING, SELL IT.@@derk3933

[@em.415]

@@derk3933 That makes no sense.

[@em.415]

@@ericdraven4445 They didn’t know that before starting the project?

[@pattilemonhouse7911]

I agree, the investors are culpable as well. They gambled and lost, the effect negatively impacted the community. Time for them to be held accountable.

[@redxracing90]

calling it an eye sore is a bit of a stretch. The building has been an eye sore since development stop. At least now the building serves a purpose now, being a giant canvas, instead of a useless piece of concrete that absolutely serves no purpose. Keep tagging it, maybe they'll finish it instead of it being a waste of space.

[@scab3045]

SeRvEs pUrPoSe lmao

[@incognitoazzmobsta]

For real tho.. all the damn ads on billboards are much worser of an eye sore than some sick beautiful graffiti art.

[@reviewithme9913]

Why should police bother over abandoned PRIVATE property??

[@bubblybubbles9052]

Maybe find the tag owners and send them to prison? lol...

[@stevenf5902]

Because they are servants to the capitalist clown overlords!!

[@FilmSureelist97]

Agreed. We have murders and lots of fentanyl being smuggled into the city but LA only wants to focus on graffiti artists

[@bubblybubbles9052]

​@@childishguido6861 If a person spray paints on your car, is it a crime? LOL, get back to your broken non-logical way of thinking... If a person sprays paint on something they don't own, send them to prison... You're taking up too much oxygen to be on earth...

[@bubblybubbles9052]

@@childishguido6861 BTW, I'm an actual artist who paints things that are beautiful, not a graffiti GANGBANGER... lol... As I said, get back to your broken logic...

[@eleazarabrego4596]

Pretty sure the unlisted skyscrapers are an eyesore not the graffiti. Maybe don't let people build without the funds

[@Modernaire]

If graffiti VANDALS hadn't defaced it, like they deface, vandalize existing active construction sites, abondoned buildings, businesses, LA river, most of industrial DTLA, it wouldn't be a giant eyesore. Many are at fault. Incluidng developers, city leaders, soft on vandalism, soft on graffiti policies and law enforcement not going afte them anymore. The high rise would be a clean high rise waiting to restart contruction. But losers had to up in it to make ti a social media adventure amonst their graffiti vandal sub culture. what heroes. Backfired, but soft on vandalizm will continue.

[@pasqallysquigglyjunior277]

@@Modernaireblud wants to live in an abandoned city💀

[@Dontbesosoft]

​@@pasqallysquigglyjunior277 "blud" literally pointed that out as the issue 😂

[@Aurora-hl9ub]

Nice artwork, LA’s new tourist attraction. 😂

[@rickyeska1]

LOL nice job advertising it now every tagger in the city is coming

[@norwegianblue2017]

They should have at least blurred out the tags.

[@ninobrown90]

wouldn't be safe

[@michaeltabanao8092]

Need to see some Banksy

[@ninobrown90]

@michaeltabanao8092 no we don't stop tagging things that don't belong to you

[@ninobrown90]

@davidhays2846 yeah keep them over there

[@jayceh1031]

I'm pretty sure you can house thousands of homeless in that abandoned building.

[@MR-backup]

that makes too much sense & keeps blue pockets empty.

[@sarahbaartmansrevenge]

NEITHER PARTY gives a damn about the homeless!

[@Userf451]

It’s unfinished and abandoned so they’re probably living in it now.

[@zbignoz.tunnlerwitz_109]

Instead of the hundred already there?

[@ryanbarker5217]

@@sarahbaartmansrevenge if any party is going to maintain the average citizen's rights while also doing the most reasonable, common sense things to help homeless, it's conservatives.

[@orbscorbs]

The graffiti actually improves the abandoned monuments to greed.

[@DurgaUsagi]

Yeah man makes me thinkof the whole ordeal in nyc abt 5points...... THE ARTISTS WON! en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_Pointz

[@scifiguy810]

THIS!

[@gordonwardhaugh8266]

This just in LA City Council to impose $50.00 per can tax to deter graffiti

[@IComeFromSimbobwe]

racking cans:

[@Modernaire]

Those "monuments of greed", which I think you're also insunuating most of the high rises skyscrapers in the financial, legal district, bunker hill, provided JOBS. ANd a way out of poverty for those that trained in the various areas needed to support those momunents of GREED. ONly losers tag, vandalize and celebrate things that are actually positive. You exposed the sentiment why graffit vandals do what they do, but in working class communities it only OPRESSES their own communties MORE. And you... blame greed.

[@alphapred]

"eye sore"? As if unfinished highrise buildings sitting for years aren't already.

[@DurgaUsagi]

Right?!?! At least theres art on them now!!!!

[@RudeBoy77777]

They should get payed by the city!!@@DurgaUsagi

[@alphapred]

If Banksy was to do a piece they'd be trying to sell the building at Sotheby's!!!!

[@AlAnsikk]

we've got homelessness, rampant crime, immigration, and open air drug crises. but please, LA, hold an urgent press conference about the scourge of graffiti on abandoned buildings because that's what really keeps me awake at night. 🙄 that and LAPD's 17 helicopters.

[@worldofru725]

"Don't you know, that drug use in the park, and homeless pooping on the sidewalk, along with crim is less important than graffiti".... LA city officials. 😅😅

[@satya_satori]

It's cuz the rich people that "hAvE tO LoOk aT iT" from their precious lofts are throwing a tantrum about it.🙄🙄

[@AlAnsikk]

@@satya_satori i think it adds color and character. the reporter called it "an eyesore." i actually like it and give respect to the ingenuity of these taggers because they've managed to take their work to a global audience. i wish i could see it from my place. i guess it's all a matter of perspective.

[@satya_satori]

@@AlAnsikk agree. I've always loved graffiti art. I think this is also a type of activism. It's bringing attention to the issue of the abandoned building and is basically going to force the city's hand in finally doing something about it.

[@FilmSureelist97]

This is why so many people are leaving. Priorities girl 🙄

[@zblumenfeld]

How about creating more housing that is actually affordable and stop building luxury apartments? These taggers are practically heroes.

[@alldayallnitelv]

The guy with the bag pack doing the interview probably one of them lol

[@Sufferingsassafrass]

No, he’s a street photographer. This report just didn’t mention this but yesterday’s did.

[@NuPuhblik-fk8vz]

That's Daron. He's a legend in the livestream world.

[@Swaze742]

Thank you. I feel much safer. I can finally sleep.

[@DurgaUsagi]

😂😂😂😂 lort hope this is sarcasm 😅😂😂😂

[@Swaze742]

@@DurgaUsagi of course it is

[@Modernaire]

Graffit vandalism attracts crime, its an indication law enforcement is ignoring the problem along with city leaders, thus, the working poor that have to deal with graffiti have to end up dealing with sleeping in fear because of the gun fire going on. Yes, you can sleep sound asleep, safe, when they stop being soft on vandalism. One negaitive perpetuates another.

[@Bobross83475]

They will hire old taggers as security

[@MR-backup]

Funny.

[@DurgaUsagi]

😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣

[@Modernaire]

To work in 'monuments of greed' like graffiti vandal lovers say? They work? They want to be part of capitalism? HA!

[@funny-af-name]

Lmao oh man way too true

[@roverandmorerestore7266]

It’s a trash building anyways

[@TheStreetFoolosopherMr187]

Facts 😂

[@roverandmorerestore7266]

@@sbespn3820 YOU lololol (me)

[@stiannobelisto573]

That is why the grafitti fits, bad art mixed with another bad art form

[@roverandmorerestore7266]

@@stiannobelisto573 you’re a beautiful art form 😌

[@zbignoz.tunnlerwitz_109]

Abandoned? What are they crying about?

[@calikid3336]

I notice that railroad cars in trains coming out of Los Angeles are decorated with art masterpieces; Reminds me of the annual Rose Parade where art exhibits pass the review booth for comments.

[@coledenton4889]

That’s vandalism you’re gonna clean the train cars that are tagged up not art sorry to burst you’re bubble

[@RayNLA]

Uhhh…since forever

[@ryanbarker5217]

that's everywhere. trains have been popular targets for generations.

[@Volksoner619]

@@coledenton4889art is subjective. Sorry to burst YOUR bubble. You’re is a conjunction of you are. Learn to English

[@55Dr.EvilArticWolf]

the art actually looks nice, why does anyone care they left it abandoned for years

[@JoseSalazar-or1oo]

They should charge the owners of this building for leaving a monsterous failure of consyruction. Yeah luxury thousands of dollars going to waste. They wanted to rip us off and take that money over seas. Yet nothing has been done about family homelessness. Thats the true crime here.

[@Jasonronsteinberger]

So brave, thank you for your service saving me

[@bustedknuckles4953]

You call arresting TAGGERS brave?? And tell us how they "saved" YOU😂😂😂😂

[@Jasonronsteinberger]

you must be the smartest in whatever circle you travel in huh?@@bustedknuckles4953

[@Acehitman369]

There are so many buildings in LA covered in tags the only reason why this is a big deal it's because it's where the rich people stay at if this was in the poor neighborhood they wouldn't have cared about it

[@Modernaire]

Graffiti vandals vandalize deface their OWN poor communities and outsider 'graffiti artists' from upper middle class and wealthy neighborhoods who bought into the whole graffit hip hoppity thing COME INTO poor neighborhoods and help create BLIGHT.

[@sebastianpaisley]

this happened in downtown la not beverly hills

[@Acehitman369]

@sebastianpaisley I know that, but it is still a rich area of downtown

[@elmono3939]

City should force the Chinese developer to complete the project within given time period - or tear it down. Another option would be to confiscate it using eminent domain and sell it for $1.00 to local developer, who would contractually commit to finish the project and put it in use.

[@namehere4954]

Good ideas! It is just an eye sore otherwise.

[@theultimatereductionist7592]

Well said, elmono!

[@lrod8721]

Start charging the owners of the properties for not having adequate security

[@snickers513]

In a city where real estate is highly coveted and housing is in short supply, how can we allow a foreign developer (with no ties or loyalty to our city), leave a massive project unfinished and festering in such a densely populated, expensive area? If you can’t finish your project, the city should allow another developer to buy them out and finish the project. So much of the buildings and businesses in LA are vacant, likely due to greedy developers like this.

[@Ren0799]

Real crime: unfinished Abandoned sky scrapers when LA has the WORST HOMELESSNESS PROBLEM!!!! WHO approved that high rise project!????

[@satya_satori]

I think it started back when garcetti was mayor

[@andrewfreeman88]

@@satya_satori is this Satya from ucla?

[@satya_satori]

@@andrewfreeman88 no sir🙂

[@andrewfreeman88]

@@satya_satori Oh okay. Yes I remember when Garcetti was talking about this project and I think he gave them 25 years tax deferments and millions in grants.

[@odesangel]

They turned it from an abandoned eye sore to a street art museum.

[@user-nv1bx2ju2i]

City of fallen angels

[@rayg2324]

Keep that same energy with the rest of LA

[@GardenerEarthGuy]

Graffiti probably wouldn't happen if those buildings weren't abandoned....

[@guangxidavidliu]

arrested and released without bond.

[@JoshSnowden0]

phenomenon of developers taking money for construction, then stopping (sometimes by the prospective residents themselves) I have seen in Brazil, Russia, many other places as well. corruption, negligence or both take your pick

[@scifiguy810]

There need to be consequences for developers that start buildings and then leave them abandoned, or more controls over foreign investors building properties they won't finish to launder money... Ooop.

[@tflkwiz594]

I wonder if the inside is hit up, too. I bet there are some really nice pieces inside.

[@marieramerez11]

Im so proud to be apart of this piece of art history In LA

[@Imfrostedup6348]

Help! I’m being held at gun point! Oh wait they’re too busy dealing with the graffiti in LA

[@RayNLA]

I love public art! ❤

[@Grillinnap]

Yeah why don’t you ask them to tag your house?

[@1solosoldier]

Dude wrote 4 words and had to edit 😂

[@RayNLA]

@@1solosoldier Predictive text…Your flip phone doesn’t have it! 😜

[@RayNLA]

@@Grillinnap My house is private! 😝

[@1solosoldier]

@@RayNLA you wrote I and 3 words 😆 🤣 and edited. You are daf.. private cave with meth fumes got your brainiac a little insane

[@croiners4166]

I hope they don’t try to pile charges on these guys just because they’re the only ones they could catch.❤

[@TheHomieNess]

They got exactly what they wanted thousands of people to see their tag names good job news 😑

[@Localdave310]

The people of Los Angeles want more paint!!!! ❤️💛💚

[@Hezekiah1]

Chinese developers stopped…..🤔, no point in investing in the west coast especially with what’s coming

[@M4tTh3w909]

What’s coming Einstein?

[@Hezekiah1]

@@M4tTh3w909 read a book. Maybe you’d have a clue Dora, get to exploring. That is how Einstein became, read, instead of asking for all the answers. Just be happy I gave you a hint.

[@richardmesser1091]

Another stable genius@@Hezekiah1

[@Hezekiah1]

@@richardmesser1091 doesn’t take a genius to calculate the future, it may feel that way when lacking intelligence. Promise I’m not smart, just good at math and read a lot. But I’ll take the genius crown if that’s how you feel about it.

[@XtraLongD]

They should focus on cleaning up the streets of L.A. and housing the homeless in these eyesore of unfinished buildings instead of advertising the Graffiti that'll cause other Graffiti Artists from across the country to come and get their "fame" by painting their name and have it advised through news coverage!

[@em.415]

They only care because it is a wealthy person’s investment.

[@prodbyb0nds]

To those saying this is not real art, Graffiti is one of the 5 elements of hip hop! Long live Graffiti and the 5 elements, know your history! Teach your kids! This is beautifully dope 🎨

[@media_gts]

All of LA is tagged up for the most part, let’s not talk about the homeless problem, but once a “luxury apartment” gets vandalized NOW the mayor wants to do something.

[@henryha9578]

We Need Affordable Housing In Los Angeles Not Luxury Housing For God's Sake. No Wonder The City Of Los Angeles is going to hell. All these housing developers just stole the money and get away with it. That's a damn shame.

[@kirkl1057]

City should use that building to house the homeless?

[@IFIXCASTLES]

😮😮are you nuts!!! Fires would be dangerous and you know it would be torched...😮😮😮

[@kirkl1057]

@@IFIXCASTLES I don't mean just open it up and let them in on their own. I meant the city opens a few floors or so and supervises everything. Supportive housing style. Ideally, a safe haven where folks with addiction issues can stay even while addicted but no substances or alcohol allowed on the premises. while there they are connected to social service programs that can help get them the help they need.

[@VicInCalifornia]

Worth over a Billion.. Won't somebody have sympathy for the Billionaires??

[@Filmthis1212]

Legendary!!!

[@lynncollver6067]

Why bother when there are important things to take care of ?

[@edger433]

Da Ron Burgundy 😆

[@h3nry0430]

But don’t bust the people robbing the malls in plain site . This makes sense

[@Obeijin]

I'd give them 90 days in jail .

[@kastrofamily6012]

Los Angeles county jail only does 10% so 90 days in jail would literally be a process in process out.

[@homiedclown2623]

LA in a nutshell

[@Opiemus]

Two whole arrests!!! 😂🤣😭

[@Acehitman369]

It was probably only white people, too 😂

[@sarahbaartmansrevenge]

who gives AF ?!? eat a bagel each time this ‘reporter’ says the word ‘here’

[@GettingthruLife]

A really simple solution that even a moron can/should be able to understand is make this a harsher crime with a stiffer penalty, and them actually follow up by enforcing the law.

[@freedomrulesjavier3904]

LOL! I crack up when I hear people call this art..and then complain when businesses choose not to open in the neighborhood.

[@enriquedelrivero7577]

Honestly inst that art?

[@tammanyfields3583]

What happens when they get injured or killed from falling? A lawsuit for a nuisance that tempted them to deface property?

[@pasqallysquigglyjunior277]

If they sue they get caught and arrested for the graffiti so they won’t sue anybody

[@brucewestoby]

Nah ...just leave the tagging there...When rhe mayor actually does something with all the illegals, homeless, crime, overcrowding then wash it off...its a tribute to our backward political system.

[@rickyricardo5423]

Stop calling them homeless, they’re simply bums

[@pasqallysquigglyjunior277]

@@rickyricardo5423I mean they are literally homeless they aren’t butts

[@Network126]

A broken society reaps what a broken society sows... 😂

[@andrewwadsworth1143]

They should donate the buildings as a street art gallery where spots rotate wekly that way they can have a place to get up instead of everywhere else. Would be dope to see a legal form of graffiti

[@lindavick2646]

Please the minute you inter L.A. and see downtown you see GRAFFITI SO WHAT ELSE IS NEW?

[@BOLIS]

People under the stairs: earth travellers.

[@Jason_The_Man]

What an embarrassment to Los Angeles. Add it to the list of Democrat failures.

[@dominicr9068]

So news media sees them tagging and don't bother to call the police?

[@seanallen3948]

The police are aware this is going on.

[@myrrhavm]

State of California shown on Tv daily. Like the rest of America, deteriorating.

[@MegTelevised]

I ain’t mad at it

[@kikeruiz539]

The city can finish this towers for low income housing

[@alfredot709]

I think it's for insurance policy somebody must have contracted them

[@1Madam73]

Too lenient on crime out there. Get them & keep them in jail!!

[@djmarvelousmark]

Showing the taggers name on live tv is what these taggers wanted mission accomplished

[@danielberg7644]

I hope they were immediately released because they learned their lesson.

[@FrankGallagherr]

Ask Newsom family how they are enjoying Florida

[@lisal6121]

Put them in custody and make them CLEAN it.

[@Volksoner619]

Agreed. Get the developers in charge of this mess to take care of it.

[@Botched_toes]

WHO CARES, THE BUILDING HAS BEEN ABANDONED! MAYBE DONT LET CHINESE COMPANIES BUILD HERE

[@MedicatedMemory]

Don't you have better things to do.. ?

[@robertoromero641]

The bigger problem is why are foreigner developers buying properties in this country. All i see in los angeles are this type of buildings being built "luxury apartments" that no one can afford or even stay longer living there, instead of building more affordable housing.

[@drew1980ish]

Sadly graffiti isn't taken seriously and domestically violence, they gave a list of crimes that would be petty

[@jeffsemon1774]

Is the building now open for low income,homeless and low rent housing???

[@danasmith858]

Imagine if they put that kind of work into a job?

[@Volksoner619]

What do you mean? It looks like they’re putting in work to me😂 A lot of these guys sell art in order to travel the world and do graffiti.

[@youngceez562]

This L.A CULTURE! 💯

[@polomaseratti5007]

Graffiti is always gonna be around it's been here since the cave man days to the Egyptians writing stories on the wall and to when the Indians where mad when Mount Rushmore was chiseled in the mountain with our US President up to now these multi million dollar abandon non used buildings Graffiti is world wide and it's here to stay permanently

[@MR-backup]

That isn't graffiti, but w/e.

[@MR-nl8xr]

@@omi_god Aaah, finally! Someone who knows how to use their grey matter :) This is where the facts begin & end: Definitions. So how do we define graffiti? In society? In law? I won't answer, because I personally have not made one, since this subject is not "in my lane" much. But know, that legally, socially, & historically; those things are NOT graffiti.

[@Volksoner619]

@@MR-nl8xrfrom Wikipedia The term graffiti originally referred to the inscriptions, figure drawings, and such, found on the walls of ancient sepulchres or ruins, as in the Catacombs of Rome or at Pompeii. Historically, these writings were not considered vanadlism, which today is considered part of the definition of graffiti.

[@BoondockGore]

Let them go. It's your fault developers for all your embezzlement ploys falling through

[@DurgaUsagi]

Great job you arrested some artists....must feel like a big guy. 😂😂😂😂😂

[@Goodguy1ful]

Oh great.... now I can rest easy at night knowing that the LAPD took their time to take down these dastardly graffiti. artists. thanks, KTLA for spending air time reporting this

[@eli1538]

This city is so concerned about graffiti go look at all the homeless encampments what a waste of resources as usual

[@buzzkillg230rc]

they should go after the taggers and fine the developers for abanndonment

[@1solosoldier]

Imagine being homeless living in that high rise

[@Jazzlobotomy]

The police is not your security guard. FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT Jun 20, 2022 - These FOEs are estimated to employ 630,159 residents, who earned an estimated $64.1 billion in wages last year....kevin de leon not the brightest bulb

[@ry3788]

Why are they releasing these criminals?

[@AbbyEllie69]

Chinese owned, no security. Sounds intentional…..

[@EduardoHernandez-db3yp]

History has been made

[@emiliovelazquez2789]

Police should focus on other things. Whenever we call and it's not an emergency, they don't come.

[@AdverbsAndNouns]

That's a phat fine. My friend had to pay 5,000 for "Defacing Property"

[@keithb7240]

Some dam fools and if they fall they gone graffiti the ground 🙄

[@scannon3213]

More blight on society becoming a Mad Max world 🌎

[@missfreshair]

graf is cultual heritage. better than bs fake grammys across the road. yup, we live in a topsy turvy world. keep it up 👊🏽☀️🔥

[@Volksoner619]

Graffiti dates all the way back to the cavemen. You know what’s funny is these same clowns crying about it gush over banksy.

[@missfreshair]

@@Volksoner619 how ironic

[@jasonmitchell8883]

imagine if those 2 worked that hard to be a productive member of society

[@pasqallysquigglyjunior277]

The world would be the same🤡

[@jasonmitchell8883]

@@pasqallysquigglyjunior277 lol, spoken like a Mexican tagger

[@pasqallysquigglyjunior277]

@@jasonmitchell8883 💀

[@Dev_is_not_real]

They ain’t gonna do nothing for society☠️