As Dodgers fans flooded the streets of Los Angeles to celebrate the team’s World Series win on Wednesday night, a few criminals took advantage of the moment by looting stores and, in at least one case, setting a Metro bus on fire.
The partying began immediately after the Dodgers recorded the final out of Game 5 to beat the Yankees 7-6 in New York.
Across Los Angeles, particularly near Dodger Stadium in Echo Park, downtown and East L.A., tens of thousands of fans crowded streets to celebrate by waving flags, setting off fireworks and honking car horns. Several cars were seen doing donuts near Sunset Boulevard and Vin Scully Avenue as crowds of onlookers cheered.
The Los Angeles Police Department ruled the gathering unlawful and ordered the crowd to disperse just before 10 p.m.
Shortly before midnight, however, a hostile crowd that gathered just blocks away vandalized a Metro bus before setting it on fire near Sunset Boulevard and Echo Park Avenue.
A bus is set on fire as fans celebrate the Dodgers World Series win in Echo Park on Oct. 30, 2024. (KNN) 
A man is seen using a fire extinguisher to smash the front window of an Metro bus after the Dodgers won the World Series on Oct. 30, 2024. (KNN) 
A bus is set on fire as fans celebrate the Dodgers World Series win in Echo Park on Oct. 30, 2024. (KNN) 
A bus is set on fire as fans celebrate the Dodgers World Series win in Echo Park on Oct. 30, 2024. (KNN) 
Fireworks are set on the streets after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees to win the baseball World Series Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope) 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 31: A Metro bus bus burns following Dodger fan celebrations in the area after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in Game 5 to win the World Series on October 31, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers plan to hold a victory parade on Friday. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) 
People are seen at a ransacked Nike store after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees to win the baseball World Series Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope) 
A person carries out items from a ransacked Nike store after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees to win the baseball World Series Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope) 
A person carries out items from a ransacked Nike store after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees to win the baseball World Series Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
One man wearing a blue T-shirt used a fire extinguisher to smash the front window of the bus and shouted “F*** the Yankees” before the flames overtook it.
Investigators said no one was injured in the incident.
Police in riot gear were sent to the area and, at one point, deployed foam bullets to try and disperse the crowd. The group finally left shortly after midnight.
A citywide tactical alert issued Wednesday was canceled as police largely maintained order, but officers were still patrolling the Echo Park area Thursday morning.
In downtown Los Angeles, crowds were seen breaking windows and looting a Nike store near South Broadway & 6th Street.
Police also reported projectiles, rocks and bottles being thrown at officers near Olympic Boulevard and Grand Avenue.
Twelve arrests were made in connection with the “at times violent and hostile celebrations,” including two for failure to disperse, four for receiving stolen property and six for commercial burglary, the Los Angeles Police Department said Thursday morning.
