Homeless fight near Hollywood school raises safety concerns: 'Pretty wild'
LOS ANGELES - A bloody brawl between two armed homeless people that broke out near a Hollywood middle school on Wednesday is raising major safety concerns from parents and neighbors.
There are two homeless encampments on the same block as two schools - Selma Avenue Elementary School and Larchmont Middle School.
The campuses are sandwiched between both encampments and parents say they've seen some very disturbing things, including a fight.
"One guy with a hammer was chasing and swinging at another guy," one witness said.
"It was like a whole ‘Fight Club’ situation… these people are pretty wild," another said.
That's just one of the reasons why parents at both schools are so concerned about the encampments.
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The city has an ordinance barring camping within 500 feet of schools, but it appears that has not been enforced here.
Some parents are worried this is compromising children's safety.
"My concern is just you know safety for the students and for the families. I am very alarmed when it comes to my children, her being so close to a homeless encampment," one parent said.
"I don't want anything to happen to her, but I think the city needs to really get on top of it."
Neighbors told FOX 11 they bring the homeless people food and other necessities.
FOX 11 also spoke to one man who lives in the encampment. He told us that the Los Angeles Police Department routinely comes in, some days with animals to root out drugs, and he says they also patrol the encampments.
But neighbors say that's not enough.
They say they believe the situation has become untenable and they are hoping the city will take action.
Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez's office released the following statement,"Our office has been working in partnership with service providers, parents, local stakeholders, and law enforcement to get the people living in the encampment at Selma Ave and Schrader Blvd off the streets and into housing as soon as possible in the coming weeks."