LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A peaceful celebration of the Los Angeles Lakers' first championship since 1988 deteriorated into mayhem as hundreds of fans torched two police cars, vandalized businesses and set dozens of small bonfires in city streets.
Hundreds of police in riot gear restored calm early Tuesday after the Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers 116-111 in Game 6 on Monday night to become NBA champions.
At least 12 people suffered minor injuries in the violence in the downtown area near the Staples Center, where the game was held. There were at least a dozen arrests, police said.
"It's pitiful. This is worse than anything I've ever seen down here," said Stephen Auth, president of the Kaiser Brothers' car dealership. "We had one window broken out during the 1992 riots."
Vandals smashed the ground floor windows of the Kaiser Brothers Oldsmobile-Honda dealership and damaged eight showroom cars. A nearby dealership also was damaged.
In addition, a computer store was looted, street lights were broken, newspaper racks overturned and bus benches tossed into the streets.
"There was glory tonight and there was sadness," said Mayor Richard Riordan. "I condemn the lawlessness of so-called fans who destroyed property and endangered the safety of fans and families in the vicinity. Even though the unrest did not spread citywide, it was reprehensible nonetheless."
Nearly 10,000 people had gathered around the arena by the time the game ended, with nearly 20,000 more inside. As violence erupted outside, fans were kept inside as a precaution and authorities barred the Pacers' team bus from leaving for 2+ hours.
The crowd had been mostly peaceful until nearly an hour after the game, when fans began throwing debris at limousines. The crowd smashed the windows on a white sport utility vehicle and a television news van.
Dozens of men used boards and tree limbs to strike the vehicles, while others looted the van. As the crowd was cleared away, smaller groups used trash and Pacers T-shirts to set small fires.
Patrol cars raced down the streets to respond to reports of looting and to aid officers who had rocks and bottles tossed at them. Fire engines also wailed as they sped to put out small bonfires, including three near the Original Pantry, a restaurant owned by Riordan.
Lt. Horace Frank, a police spokesman, said non-lethal techniques were used to disperse the crowds, including the firing of rubber bullets.
Television showed rioters vandalizing and burning cars for up to 15 minutes before they were chased away, but police said the caution was warranted.
"We feel very good about our response," Frank said. "We were very much prepared for something like this. We were hoping it wouldn't occur, but we had a full contingency of personnel on standby."
Magic Johnson, a Lakers vice president and member of the last championship team, called the violence "a shame."
"That takes away from what happened here tonight," he said.
Similar riots occurred in recent years in Denver and Chicago following championships in professional football and basketball, respectively.
