The Long Beach City Council Tuesday night will consider a temporary curfew for bars in the Belmont Shore area due to a spike in violent crimes, including a deadly shooting late last month.
The council plans to discuss several options, including a bar curfew, which would cut off alcohol service at around midnight instead of 2 a.m.
The meeting was called in the wake of the violent death of 32-year-old Jeremy Spears on Oct. 25. Spears was shot and killed on the 100 block of La Verne Avenue at around 1:39 a.m. following what police described as an altercation that stemmed from an incident at a nearby bar.
An image of Jeremy Spears is seen at a memorial on Nov. 11, 2025, about two weeks after he was fatally shot in the Belmont Shore neighborhood of Long Beach. (KTLA)
Emergency crews respond to a shooting in the Belmont Shore neighborhood of Long Beach on Oct. 25, 2025. (OnScene.TV)
Detectives later arrested two suspects in connection with the murder and identified them as Jason Loving, 41, of Harbor City, and Dasmine Hall, 31, of Compton.
Residents say that while the popular bar and restaurant scene on nearby 2nd Street can contribute to the economy, it is also bringing unwanted behavior from visitors, ranging from drinking and littering to fighting and, in some cases, violence.
“They park their car and they drink in their car and then they come out about 11 o’clock, so I’m not sure how much they are helping the businesses,” Belmont Shore resident David Newell said. “These aren’t beer people, these are shots and vodkas … something has to be done. You just get the vibe that if something isn’t done, things will escalate.”
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said the incidents will not be ignored.
“This tragic incident has once again drawn attention to the late-night environment in Belmont Shore. Let’s be clear – the growing disorder and unsafe behavior linked to certain late-night establishments is unacceptable and will not be ignored. Belmont Shore is a residential neighborhood first, and our residents deserve peace and safety in their own community,” Richardson said in a statement.
The city council will also consider increasing police presence in the Belmont Shore neighborhood during Tuesday night’s meeting, which has the support of many area residents.
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