The Los Angeles County Superspreader Task Force detained at least 900 people after shutting down five New Year’s Eve parties.
The task force also arrested or issued 90 citations and recovered at least six guns at the parties, three of them being in downtown Los Angeles, Malibu, and Pomona, KTTV reported.
The Malibu party was held at an upscale home after it had been promoted on Instagram.
The sheriff’s department showed up in the middle of the party, warning the crowd via loudspeaker, “This is the LA County Sheriff’s Department. This superspreader party is now over. Anybody who refuses to leave will be subject to arrest.”
Hundreds of people were ordered to leave immediately or face arrest or citation.
There were at least two arrests and two guns confiscated at the Malibu party.
The downtown Los Angeles party was held in a large warehouse with hundreds of people. The sheriff’s department also broke that party up.
The third New Year’s Eve party was held at a Pomona DoubleTree hotel. The sheriff’s department’s Response Team unit showed up to bust that party, citing and arresting dozens of people.
The crackdown on superspreader events in the county comes as it reports an increase in coronavirus cases.
As of Friday, Los Angeles County reported 20,414 additional cases of coronavirus and 207 additional deaths, although 40 of the deaths were associated with a backlog and reporting delays from over the holidays.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has arrested 235 people in December in connection with superspreader events.