Families came to play soccer in the street. They looked up to find snipers on the roofs.
Local police stationed 'overwatch officers' on top of Inglewood businesses to guard a World Cup watch party.
You expect to see soccer balls and food trucks at a neighborhood street fair. You do not expect to see hooded figures with high-powered rifles looking down from above.
WHAT HAPPENED
Photos surfaced online showing armed security guards on top of local shops in Inglewood, California. They sat on a clothing store and a pawn shop on Market Street.
Below them, families gathered for a street fair before a World Cup match at SoFi Stadium. Some children were playing soccer on the pavement right under the guns.
Inglewood Mayor James Butts said these are local "overwatch officers." He said they are there to protect people from active shooters at major events.
FACT BOX
- 1 mile: The distance from the roof snipers to SoFi Stadium.
- 2 local businesses: A clothing store and a pawn shop used as sniper posts.
- 5 agencies: Local police, LAPD, Sheriff, FBI, and Secret Service working together.
- 2028: The year Los Angeles will host the Olympics, using this event as a security test.
WHY IT MATTERS
Major sports events are changing how our cities feel. Police say these extreme steps are needed to keep large crowds safe from modern threats.
But for many neighbors, seeing hooded guards with rifles can feel more scary than safe. It shows the high cost of hosting global events in local neighborhoods.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Security will stay tight as more matches come to SoFi Stadium. Local police, the FBI, and the Secret Service will continue their joint patrol plans.
City leaders will watch how the public reacts to these visible safety measures to plan for the Olympics.
WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW
- How many overwatch officers are deployed across the city?
- Did the shop owners agree to let officers use their roofs?
- Will this level of visible armed security become normal for everyday city events?
Transparency notes
Published: Jul 6, 2026. No major post-publication update has been logged.
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Sources
External source links were not provided in this article body. Our editors reference publicly available materials and update stories as new verified information arrives.
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