the parker center crowd grew riotous at approximately 9 p.m., eventually making their way through the civic center, attacking law enforcement, turning over vehicles, setting objects ablaze, and blocking traffic on u.s. route 101. nearby los angeles fire department (lafd) firefighters were shot at while trying to put out a blaze set by looters. the mayor had requested the california army national guard from governor pete wilson; the first of these units, the 670th military police company, had traveled almost from its main armory and arrived in the afternoon to assist local police. they were first deployed to a police command center, where they began handing out bulletproof vests to the firefighters after encountering the unit whose member had been shot. later, after receiving ammunition from the l.a. police academy and a local gun store, the mps deployed to hold the martin luther king shopping mall in watts.