Downtown Los Angeles has seen a lot of craziness in recent years, with office vacancies going up and businesses closing due to the pandemic, and issues like homelessness and mental health crises on the rise. Even with some development happening, there’s still a sense of chaos hanging around. The unveiling of the 6th Street Viaduct turned into chaos pretty quickly, with street takeovers and copper thieves ruining its lighting. Not to mention the graffiti that covered two skyscrapers, making everyone wonder why anyone would do that.
This weekend, things got even worse when someone decided to take a chainsaw to six of the city’s lovely trees. Cassy Horton, a downtown local, was not happy about it, saying it totally goes against all the efforts to improve the community. Safety and green space are top priorities for the almost 100,000 people living downtown, so this tree massacre really got people riled up.
The LAPD arrested a 45-year-old man, Samuel Patrick Groft, for this felony vandalism, connecting him to 13 downed trees in five different locations. Groft was caught on camera multiple times using his chainsaw to destroy trees, starting as early as April 13th. The city bureau StreetsLA confirmed that six trees, including ficus, sycamore, and Chinese elm, were vandalized downtown, and they’re still figuring out the cost of the damage and replacements.
This disrespectful act has many people feeling like city officials are dropping the ball on keeping downtown safe and beautiful. John Sischo, a local developer, thinks that nobody’s really paying attention to what’s happening, which is why things like this keep happening. There’s still a lot of work to do to address issues like homelessness and safety concerns, and it doesn’t seem like anyone’s stepping up to the plate.
Despite all the chaos, some progress has been made downtown. Apartments are full, new restaurants are opening, and plans for the 2028 Olympics are in motion. But this attack on the trees has really hit a nerve for many in the community, who are hoping it inspires positive change and unity. People like Ricardo Sebastián are working hard to change the negative image of downtown, but incidents like this tree vandalism make their jobs a lot harder.
Horton and other residents are demanding action from city officials to replace the trees and hold the vandal accountable, in hopes of turning things around in downtown LA. Councilmember Ysabel Jurado is getting involved, pushing for stricter penalties for tree vandalism to prevent future incidents. The city is working on replacing the trees quickly and ensuring that those responsible face consequences.
While some people don’t see this incident as a big deal, the loss of these trees is a huge environmental and community loss. Trees provide shade, help manage stormwater and pollution, and create habitats for wildlife. Despite the setback, many in downtown LA are hopeful that this incident will bring positive change and unity to the community.
