LOS ANGELES, CA – A 19-year-old woman has been arrested following a violent altercation with a downtown Los Angeles street vendor that was captured on video and widely shared on social media.
The Confrontation and Arrest
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) arrested Harmunie Heaven Church on Thursday on suspicion of felony battery. Church is currently being held on a $50,000 bail.
The incident took place on June 15 near the busy intersection of 7th Street and Figueroa. According to police, Church initially approached the hot dog vendor—identified by her family as Arabelia Martinez—and demanded to see her vending permit before a heated argument erupted.
Escalation Caught on Camera
Surveillance and witness video from the scene shows a woman squirting sauce directly onto the hot dogs cooking on Martinez’s grill cart. The vendor responded by throwing a red or orange powder toward the woman.
The situation rapidly escalated into a physical brawl, during which Martinez was pulled to the ground.
“It was mayhem,” said witness Brian Caphart, who saw the chaos unfold. “I couldn’t believe it. It was shocking.”
Social Media Posts Lead to Identification
Witnesses quickly rushed in to break up the fight and protect the vendor. Investigators were ultimately able to identify Church through videos she allegedly posted to her own social media accounts, where she claimed she was acting in self-defense.
The investigation remains ongoing as local street vendor advocacy groups call for increased protection for local workers.
