Landlord Attacked by Tenant Over Eviction Notice

“LANDLORD ATTACKED BY TENANT OVER EVICTION NOTICE”

Increased Reports of Shootings at Apartment Communities and Workplace Violence  

AAGLA Responds to this Crisis by Offering AVERT Workplace Violence Avoidance Training

A housing dispute escalated into violence when a tenant, Kevin Figueroa, physically assaulted his landlord following an eviction notice. According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, upon receiving the eviction notice, the suspect injured his landlord and then barricaded himself inside his trailer on the premises, refusing arrest for over four hours.. Unfortunately, all too often, similar incidents seem to be taking place and the violence is escalating. Just Google the term “landlord attacked by tenant,” and hundreds of acts of violence against landlords are evident nearly every day throughout the U.S.

Here's a simple question: when faced with an active shooter at one of your properties or at your workplace, how would you respond?  Would you freeze-up the way most people react?  Or would you run and hide?  Perhaps you would bravely face-off with the attacker to protect others?  The bottom line here is, do you have a plan?  Most of us do not have a plan when it comes to a life-threatening situation, but unfortunately, these types of situations often consisting of mass shootings have become very real and are very much now part of our daily lives, particularly when it comes to the news cycle.

You can avoid injury or harm and save lives when faced with a violent perpetrator by taking Active Violence Emergency Response Training (AVERT) offered by the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles on July 31, 2024. This could be the most important training course taken, ever.

AVERT: Active Violence Emergency Response Training

Recognizing the growing possibility that many of us might someday be exposed to a life-threatening situation, during the month of April, the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles offered training courses in “AVERT,” which stands for Active Violence Emergency Response Training.  During two, 3-hour sessions, participants learned how to recognize the signs of danger, how to react appropriately, and how to make rapid survival decisions. In the addition, the AVERT training went beyond active shooter response training and participants also learned how to control life-threatening bleeding.

Participants included a wide range of individuals from the small, “mom and pop” landlords, to large property management company personnel, to staff from the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles.  When asked why they wanted to attend AVERT training, many participants told stories of past exposure to violent or threatening incidents, and many also expressed their concern about dealing with renters who have been threatening or aggressive to them.

During the two training sessions, participants learned that when violence occurs, seconds count, and having a plan and knowing what to do is critical.  Each participant became empowered to become an immediate responder by learning the tools to prepare for potential violence and react quickly in life-threatening situations.

The AVERT training courses were taught by emergency responders, and the “key” takeaways from the AVERT training session were:

• Recognize warning signs using situational awareness
• Decide whether to Escape, Evade or Attack
• Apply critical bleeding control techniques
• Respond quickly and confidently in an emergency
• Develop an Emergency Action Plan (EAP)

The next AVERT training course if offered on July 31, 2024, at the AAGLA headquarters at 621 South Westmoreland Avenue, Los Angeles (Free Parking is Available). 

For more information, contact Diana Alcaraz at Diana@aagla.org or simply register online at www.aagla.org/events.  Remember, taking AVERT training can save lives, including your own…we hope to see you at the upcoming training session.