In July 2024, two men walked into his office holding guns, he testified with the help of a Mandarin interpreter. Pointing their weapons at his chest, the pair demanded money. He told them he had none. According to authorities, this was an old-fashioned shakedown carried out by the largest gang in the city, Pomona 12th Street. The Times is not identifying the witness over concerns about his safety.
Security sources expressed that politicians' remarks regarding the case of Evan Fitzgerald could inadvertently support gang activities by suggesting leniency in firearms cases.
