A military policeman in the Army reserves, named KC Short led a lawless protest in La Mesa last May 30th that evolved into a full-scale riot under his lead. Three of the towns main buildings were burned to the ground, two of them major banks. The rioters broke into dozens of businesses and looted them. Several vehicles were set on fire, one of them belonging to the fire department, which was trying to respond to the fires.
NBC7 reported that KC Short was a veteran, implying that he is no longer a military police officer. But this is misleading, because he is reportedly still in the Army Reserves.
Short says he is not responsible for the riot and that the left about the time the intense rioting began, at 5:45PM. However, he led the protesters early on in criminal acts, which were being livestreamed to the public by many people. Mass intimidation by a mob of people intent on committing criminal acts as a group does not constitute a “peaceful protest”.
While he was there, he led protesters in disobeying lawful orders from the police and blocking traffic on Interstate 8. It is illegal for hundreds of people to block freeway traffic, endangering the lives of motorists as well as protesters. KC Short led the protesters in this illegal activity and more.
Then after they returned from illegally blocking freeway traffic, still under KC Short’s lead, the protesters swarmed the La Mesa Police station and started spraying graffiti, breaking windows and throwing rocks and bottles at the police. It seemed they were trying to take over the police station. If they gained access to the police station, the protesters probably would have ransacked and burned the police station as other protesters had done in Minneapolis just the night before.
It is not clear that Short did anything to stop the rapidly escalating lawlessness, but it is clear that he organized it from the beginning and they were committing serious crimes while he was leading them. After the riot was well started and self-sustaining, he left to minimize his own culpability.
He says he is not responsible for everything that happened after he left. In this case, that is just as irrational as an arsonist saying he is only responsible for setting a small patch of grass on fire, but not the forest and houses that burned down after he left. Short led them in the initial law breaking that escalated over time. Leaving after he has started the criminality does not exonerate him.
Since a number of people were livestreaming the event to thousands of local people, one even declared to her followers that “the revolution” has started”, Tasha Williamson. It is not surprising that many other criminals were attracted and did come to join in the riotous, criminal behavior that they saw beginning as KC Short was still in the lead of the group. He is an officer of the law, a military police officer. He should be held to a very high standard.
This video by On.Screen TV shows KC Short taking the lead of the protesters and leading them towards I-8 to storm past a police line (illegally) and block the freeway (also highly illegal). KC Short should be charged with the crimes that he committed. The other, thin, black man wearing a vest and cap, who appeared often to be directing KC Short, also should be investigated and charged.
At one time on his Toopics webpage, he wrote that he would “lead the revolution”. He appears to have deleted that incriminating remark, by now. He has not expressed regret that his event turned so destructive. He is absolutely a traitor to the U.S. He is a disgrace to the Army and the U.S. Military. Why have charges not have been brought against him already?
We have to blame Mayor Mark Arapostathis for that and the City Council. He said publicly that the town had come under attack that night. Why are they not trying to bring the leaders of this attack to justice?
The Mayor is the man in charge, but he probably does not want these terrorists charged for political reasons. A lot of voters in La Masa support Black Lives matter, even after they burned, vandalized and looted downtown La Mesa. Sadly, after the attack, there were pro-BLM signs put up all over town, even in front of the burned-out ruins that “Black Lives Matter” created.
KC Short Command Contact Info
KC Short is a member of the 96th military police battalion, stationed in San Diego, under the command of the 11th military police brigade in Los Alamitos, Ca.
This is the contact info for what I have been told is his Army Reserve brigade command.
562-795-2013
562-795-2018
Email: usarmy.usarc.200-mp-com.list.11th-mp-bde-g1@mail.mil
This is a military base and they are busy with work. Please respect them and don’t spam them with irrelevant junk emails. That would be counter-productive. Would like to have them sent more serious, more formal emails that specifically address the problem in La Mesa. Or, emails would be good from those who have military experience, who can address the problem from that perspective. If you don’t live in the area and are not that familiar with the situation and/or the military, maybe it is better not to write. We don’t want to fill up their inbox with emails that are not relevant.
Riot Timeline
This is the police timeline of events, according to a report by KUSI. KC Short said he left at 5:45pm. That would be 45 minutes after the event had been declared an illegal assembly by the police. His presence there after the order to disperse was given was also illegal. There is no evidence that Short ever spoke out against or tried to stop the criminal acts that were being committed while he was present and even leading them in their criminal acts.
On May 30, just after 2 p.m., a group of about 200 people gathered outside the police department. The group marched onto I-8 freeway an hour later.
At 4:28 pm., a large group of 200 gathered again outside the police department, where the American flag was set on fire, twenty minutes later. During this time, rocks were being thrown at officers and at the building.
Just after 5 pm., a first order is given to disperse. The first tear gas was deployed by Sheriff’s deputies at the police station at 6 p.m. By this time, the Sheriff’s Department was involved in providing mutual aid.
Over the next hour between 6 and 7 p.m., more tear gas was deployed as officers were targeted by more rocks and bottles.
At 7:16 p.m., a deputy was injured and around this time, a group moved into the city hall area, hurling rocks and setting a fire.
At 8:16 p.m., a protester, named Leslie Furcron, was injured by a bean bag round, when she was struck between the eyes.
At 9:12 p.m., police received reports of looting at the Vons supermarket and looting and vandalism occurred at other businesses on La Mesa Boulevard.
At 11:11 p.m., Chase Bank was reported to be on fire
At 11:29 p.m., Union Bank on the same street was fully engulfed in flames, and looting continued on La Mesa Boulevard.
An overnight curfew went into effect at 1:30 on Sunday morning.
This minute by minute summary is a part of a larger review detailing police actions that day.
Police Chief Walt Vasquez said he hopes this will be a tool to help both citizens and police move forward.
Tensions were building in the city before the riots, with the May 27 arrest of Amaurie Johnson at a La Mesa trolley stop. The police department later dropped the charges against the teenager.
The detailed timeline released Tuesday was done at the request of City Council-members.
Related Articles:
He should answer for his horrific crimes! He shouldn’t be in the Army reserves as if he is ever called to duty, you couldn’t trust him!
You couldn’t be too sure in which direction he would be shooting, could you?
He even looks like a terrorist to me. Be drummed out of the military and deported if he is not born on USA soil.