Google Maps is very helpful with providing directions, but it has also proven to be a wealth of strange and interesting images. From UFO crashes on deserted islands to invisible men running away to creepy killer clowns to cheaters caught in the act to demons or aliens to petty neighbors, you never know what you might find on it. Well this week, something disturbing was spotted in the satellite imagery of L.A. on Google Maps, and it has upset many people who have seen it.
In an area about a mile east of Los Angeles City Hall, just off of North Mission Road, is a plot of land that has the word "HELP" spelled out dozens of times on the ground with materials that had been laying around the site. In addition, words like "LAPD," "FBI," "FEDERAL," and the Spanish words "TRAFFICO" and "TERRORISMO" (traffic and terrorism) can also be seen.
Some folks think the unsettling messages were put there by a person dealing with human trafficking as a cry for help, especially since the location is close to the city's shipping yard, where human traffickers might be engaging in illegal activities. There also appears to be what looks like entrances to holes or tunnels in the pictures.
Since Google is always taking new photos, there is no indication as to when the images were from, however, people on X visited the site and saw for themselves that the messages are still on the ground there. One person, LAguy on X, encountered a woman experiencing homelessness at the site. She explained to him a man named Jose has been laying the "HELP" signs for years, stating, "[José's] the one who puts [the messages down] all the time. He writes it everywhere... it's been years." She said she didn't know why he does it. Another person tweeted, "Live in the area, it's a homeless dude who isn't all there. Been doing it for a few years now. Paints it on roads and sidewalks, uses rocks and other materials and lays them out next to freeways to spell out 'HELP.'"
The reasons for the signs only upset people more, with many urging locals to investigate further, perhaps to even find Jose and speak with him to ensure he is okay. Officials have not yet commented on the situation.
You can see the images for yourself by putting in the coordinates "34°03'18'N 118°13'30'W" as the location on Google Maps.