Watts pool drowned in violence

A day after opening the summer swim season in the midst of a ferocious heat wave, the L.A. City Department of Recreation and Parks shut down one of the more troubled neighborhood pools in Watts after a band of young men took over the pool deck, attacked the manager and threw him, a lifeguard and a locker room attendant into the water.

The 109th Street Swimming Pool is between two public housing projects, Nickerson Gardens and Jordan Downs, and two competing neighborhood gangs. And it wasn't the first time the facility had experienced difficulties.

Last year, the city stationed armed guards at the pool during swimming hours and installed video cameras in an attempt to monitor and control unruly crowds that had become a threat to the pool staff and younger swimmers.

But in the sweltering heat Sunday, trouble turned into terror. The pool was packed with more than 200 swimmers, and the two armed guards and six pool workers were easily overwhelmed when up to 30 men went on a rampage.

The chaos at the 109th Street pool was the only reported incident at the start of the city's summer season, which on Saturday drew 23,000 swimmers to 30 seasonal pools and 17 year-round facilities operating on extended hours. But the incident has sparked a debate over pool safety in the city's pockets of gang activity.

Community leaders in Watts and other parts of South Los Angeles have asked for more protection and plan to man the pools with neighborhood volunteers, primarily older men.

On Monday, Recreation and Parks officials announced that the pool would be closed "until further notice or until we figure what we are going to do," said Jane Kolb, a department spokeswoman.

Councilwoman Janice Hahn, who has been backing an effort to increase security at the pool, said the violence was "unacceptable."

"I want that pool open again, but it has to be safe for the staff and children," she said. "Now we have 200 children who are out on the streets and doing what?"

News of the closure was not welcomed outside the pool, where a group of teenagers showed up expecting to escape the heat with an afternoon plunge.

"It's hot out here," complained Antwon Miller, 15, who briefly contemplated a trip to the county pool on 103rd Street. "There's nothing to do. If we go over to 103rd Street we could get popped."