A half-naked woman was dragged from MacArthur Park Lake by firefighters and police after splashing around in the water for over an hour Thursday night.
The Los Angeles Police Department told The California Post they received a call around 9:37 p.m. For a female, 25 to 30 years old, swimming in the middle of the lake at the 22000 block of W 6th Street. Video footage shows the woman splashing around the lake’s fountain wearing a shirt with a bathing suit top under it, yelling something unclear as firefighters, cops, and stunned onlookers watched from the shore.
A pair of firefighters boated out to her and coaxed her on board, bringing her to shore before she was taken into custody. The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed to The Post that they transported an adult female from the scene to a local hospital. A stringer on scene reported the woman went into the lake fully clothed and made her way to the center fountain, where she stripped down to just a bathing suit top. It took around an hour and 20 minutes for officials to retrieve her, they reported.
Police did not note any arrests or citations. It remains unclear why the woman required medical attention or what she was doing in the lake.
MacArthur Park has long been notorious for crime, homelessness, and drug dealing. The incident comes as community members contemplate a $2.3 million plan to surround the park with fencing up to 11 feet tall, aiming to address the park’s persistent issues. The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission argues the fencing cuts off access to a civic monument open to the public.
In the viral moment captured on camera, the woman is seen in the lake’s central fountain area, partially undressed and appearing agitated as emergency crews worked to reach her. The footage drew attention from bystanders who gathered along the shoreline, with the entire rescue operation unfolding under nighttime conditions at one of Los Angeles’ most troubled public spaces.
The park has seen other recent incidents, including two drownings in the lake in 2025. Earlier this year, businessman John Alle attempted to conduct a sonar search of the lake for possible bodies and weapons, but was stopped by Los Angeles Park Rangers for lacking required permits. “We’ve been told there could be dead bodies,” Alle said at the time. “Kids have gone missing. Police have been very helpful. They said some of them could be in the water.”
The Los Angeles County Homeless Initiative has conducted Pathway Home encampment resolution operations in the area, with MacArthur Park being the 51st such operation since the program began in August 2023.