Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced on Wednesday that he would allow the city to shut off power services to residents holding large parties for violating health orders to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The operation targeting parties will start on Friday night. If the Los Angeles Police Department is made aware of and has found proof that parties repeatedly occurred at certain properties, they may request the city to shut off power and water at the homes within 48 hours.

The order was meant to put a stop to parties or events in Los Angeles during the pandemic. California is still the leading state in the country with high number of coronavirus cases, a CNN report said.

Garcetti noted that while bars and nightclubs have already been closed in the city, the big house parties have "essentially become nightclubs in the hills."

In a Los Angeles Times report, Garcetti said these kinds of parties happen at homes vacant or used for short-term rentals.

"The consequences of these large parties ripple far beyond just those parties," Garcetti said, noting the effects of the pandemic "ripples" throughout Los Angeles as it can spread quickly and easily from person to person.

Garcetti clarified that the order is not focused on small and ordinary gatherings in people's home, but on the people who are firm on breaking the rules.

California has over 530,000 diagnosed with COVID-19, and over 9,800 of them have died. Four out of 10 cases come from Los Angeles, as per the public health department's data. 

Large Parties Pose Problems in Los Angeles

City Councilman David Ryu said, "some homeowners choose to put everyone at risk" after letting their homes get rented out for big house parties. Ryu called the behavior "irresponsible bordering on deadly," the CBS reported.

Large, private parties were an issue of high controversy this week after a party at a Mulholland Drive mansion last Monday ended in a fatal shooting. Neighbors had complained about the number of party attendees. According to the police, around 200 people gathered that evening.

The officers impounded some vehicles parked illegally around the property but did not break up the party itself. Gatherings of any size are prohibited under the Los Angeles County's coronavirus health order. 

A shooting at the mansion party was reported in the early hours of the morning or at about 12:45 a.m., said LAPD Lt. Chris Ramirez.

Ramirez said there were women and a man found with gunshot wounds. All the victims were taken to a hospital and were in critical or grave condition. Meanwhile, two of the victims were stable.

According to officials, a 35-year-old woman died following the shooting. Detectives are tying the shooting incident to gang-related activity.

Ryu announced Wednesday a motion to increase penalties and give more enforcement options against homeowners who defy the city's rules, including the 2018 party-house ordinance of Los Angeles.

Apart from the Mulholland Drive party, the county is also looking into a part thrown for "first responders" at a Hollywood bar on July 31. 

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