Unrest breaks out in San Diego after police stop

4 WOUNDED IN SAN DIEGO OUTBREAK

On a Sunday in July 1969, a San Diego police officer stopped a car carrying several young Black men near Mountain View Park. Shots were fired. An hours-long battle between police and protesters followed.

From The San Diego Union, Monday, July 14, 1969:

Sniper fire, looting and arson broke out late yesterday in Southeast San Diego in a wide-ranging eruption that brought in a massive concentration of police and firemen.

The looting extended to the College Grove Shopping Center at Highway 94 and College Avenue.

At least four persons, including a 5-year-old boy were shot and wounded.

One man, who attempted to hold up a liquor store, was shot to death by the clerk, but it was not known whether the robbery was connected to the disturbance. Dead was Willard Bryant, 27.

Several other persons were injured by rocks, seriously enough to require hospital treatment.

30 ARRESTED

Thirty persons were arrested on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, burglary or failure to disperse. About half were juveniles.

Police chief O.J. Roed thought the situation so tense that he stationed officers on the roof and in the patio of police headquarters on Market Street.

The Sheriff’s office at Front, Union and B streets mounted guards at the entrance to the jail and in the parking lot.

The Fire Department sent nine companies into the area to put out grass and structure blazes. At least 40 fire calls were received, a number of them false alarms

Chula Vista police held their day shift over until midnight for possible assistance to San Diego officers, National City police called in the second shift two hours early, and for a time halted northbound traffic on Division and Highland and Division and Palm.

A number of national City officers also assisted in patroling Otto Square on National Avenue, a large shopping center in Southeast San Diego. All bars in the area were closed.

START OF TROUBLES

The disorders began at Mountain View Park at 40th Street and Franklin Avenue.

All day, police said, a number of officers had been stationed across the street from the park on complaints of residents that visitors to the park either were rowdy or were parking their cars on the grass.

Chief Roed said the officers were constantly subject to heavy verbal abuse and rock-throwing.

About 5:30 p.m., a car passing and the park was stopped by policemen. Police were not able to determine immediately why the car was halted, but over the police radio their crackled an urgent request from an officer:

“I’m making an arrest at 40th and Franklin. I need cover.” Witnesses said the officer needed assistance because a crowd, mainly youths, had surged out of the park, and that two shots rang out.

The officers, police said, did not return the fire, but pulled back to a command post at 40th Street and Imperial Avenue.

A call for reinforcements went out, and the 8:30 shift of officers was summoned 90 minutes early.

More than 200 officers were deployed throughout the area.

Their forces augmented, police moved out of the command post to disperse the crowd, occasionally using tear gas. From a group of homes near the park, volleys of sniper gunfire broke out. Officers estimated about 100 shots were fired.