Los Angeles Times reports a memorial in Watts for 94-year-old Earlene “Mama” Curtis, a respected community figure known for mentoring youth and promoting peace, turned tense when a large LAPD presence arrived on a narrow street where attendees had gathered to grieve.

Officers confronted mourners, at times wielding batons and Tasers, and one attendee was arrested, prompting outrage from family members and residents who said the forceful response was unwarranted for a mourning event. Local Councilmember Tim McOsker criticized the tactics and noted that community-oriented policing models should have been used.

The incident highlighted ongoing mistrust between some Watts residents and law enforcement, underscoring how fragile efforts at building trust remain. UCLA professor Jorja Leap, who has studied Watts extensively, put it plainly: “Watts wants to trust, but it can’t forget past history,” adding that such relationships “can’t be taken for granted for that, and Mama Curtis is a reminder of that.”