LA MESA, Calif. — The La Mesa Police Department issued a call for public assistance Tuesday in identifying “subjects” from incidents that occurred on May 30. Specifically, the flyer shared on LMPD’s Facebook page mentioned Pierre’s Jewelers which was broken into during riots and looted extensively.
The pictures shared by LMPD show several males and what appears to be one female inside the shop located at 8324 La Mesa Blvd.
Pierre's was one of several stores in the area that was looted after a peaceful protest took place earlier in the day outside La Mesa Police Department headquarters. Pictures and videos showed the jewelers' windows were smashed and everything inside appeared to have been taken.
The original protest that preceded the vandalism started peacefully that day with protesters calling for justice after an altercation was captured on video between a La Mesa police officer and a black man earlier in the week. The man, Amaurie Johnson, was arrested but LMPD later dropped all charges against him. Protests this past weekend again called for the firing of the officer involved. No issues were reported at or after that protest.
Several arrests have been made in connection with the La Mesa riot and looting. One man was arrested just days later accused of looting the Play it Again Sports store located in the La Mesa Springs Shopping Center. Another man was charged last week with possessing incendiary devices known as "Molotov cocktails" the night of the riot.
On June 9, La Mesa city officials released a 12-page timeline of the events beginning on May 30 at 2 p.m. with the protest and detailing events through 3:30 a.m. on May 31. The same day authorities announced a $10,000 reward for information on a man suspected of breaking into a federal firearms licensee in La Mesa and stealing nine guns on May 30.
Anyone with information on the subjects in the LMPD photo is asked to email lamesatips@cityoflamesa.us or call the tip line at 619-667-7532.
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