By Tori Richards
(Continued)
Party promoters charge a cover fee and rarely take responsibility for any violence or problems that happen inside, police say.
"They're just interested in collecting their money," Preciado said.
And they have a creative system to ensure that the right people attend.
"The flyer has a location where you go to. That won't be where the party is. There will be someone standing there with a map and if you look like someone who doesn't belong there, they're not going to give you a map," Sage said.
And if it looks like the party will be busted, the promoters text message to everyone a new location.
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Emmery Munoz Reward Poster |
Parties are also publicized on myspace.com where the Vicious Ladies and other similar party crews have sites. On one side of the Vicious Ladies site is a copy of a police flyer with Emmery's picture and details of a $50,000 reward for information leading to her killer. The other side of the page proclaims the latest party, listing a phone number that gives directions. Two other phone numbers have a recording where two unidentified male teens are discussing the underground party scene.
In a conversation laden with expletitives, the pair talks about the trials and joys of partying including how one had to take a bus ride to Chinatown because he couldn't get a ride. They also bemoaned the fact that violence has put a damper on their fun because the number of parties had dwindled over the past few years.
"A lot of people have been shot at and shit," said one. "I've been shot at — not directly — by people shoot at crowds. I hate that shit. Luckily, nothing like that has happened in the East LA scene lately."
Sage says violence and drugs are a byproduct of the underground party scene.
In Los Angeles, two police officers responding to a disturbance call heard gunshots. Two partygoers were killed before the gunman shot an officer in the stomach. The officer returned fire, killing the suspect. Two other teens were stabbed.
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Aaron Kyle Huff |
In Seattle, six people were shot to death by Kyle Huff, who then committed suicide by turning the gun on himself.
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