London blast prompts more security in L.A.
Officials assign additional officers to Metro stations, trains and buses.
Law enforcement agencies in Los Angeles County stepped up security on trains and buses Friday after a bombing attack on a London subway.
The Los Angeles Police Department said that although “there is no evidence of a nexus between the attack in London and Los Angeles,” officers were not taking any chances.
As a precaution, additional officers were assigned to Metro stations, trains and buses. Police also planned to tighten security at major tourist venues.
“The recent attack in London has once again reminded us of the threat of terrorism against innocent people throughout the world,” the LAPD said in a statement Friday. “The hearts of the men and women of the Los Angeles Police Department go out to those injured by today’s senseless act and the many people affected by this tragic incident.”
In London, a massive manhunt was underway for the person who left a homemade bomb on the crowded subway Friday, Associated Press reported.
Police said more than two dozen people were injured in the attack.
“Clearly, this was a device that was intended to cause significant harm,” Prime Minister Theresa May said. “The police and security services are obviously doing all the work to discover the full circumstances of this cowardly attack and to identify those responsible.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department’s Transit Services Bureau is also monitoring any developments surrounding the London attack, said Ramon Montenegro, the bureau’s spokesman.
“Currently, we believe that our daily robust deployment, with Metro’s multiagency policing model, is keeping our patrons safe,” he said. “However, we are always monitoring world events and assessing possible threats to adjust our deployment if necessary. We are always at a heightened state of readiness on the Metro transit system.”
Law enforcement urged the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity.
‘The recent attack in London has once again reminded us of the threat of terrorism against innocent people throughout the world.’ — statement by the Los Angeles Police Department