Los Angeles Police said a group of bike riders — ranging in age between 16 and 18 years old — physically attacked a lone male victim at an intersection in broad daylight Saturday.
The carnage was captured on cellphone video, which shows the mob of at least a dozen repeatedly punch, kick, and stomp on the victim, who winds up flat on his back and barely moving in middle of the busy street.
‘The victim could have died if his injuries were more severe. The level of trauma he and his family are now going through is heartbreaking.’
Police said Wilshire Area officers responded around 5 p.m. to the area of San Vicente Boulevard and Carrillo Drive for an assault with a deadly weapon investigation. The area is about 10 minutes southeast of Beverly Hills.
“Officers met with witnesses, who initially observed the victim get into an argument with the suspects, who consisted of a group of 20-30 bicyclists,” police said.
A KTLA-TV video report noted that the bike riders were “attacking cars all along” San Vicente Boulevard when one man called them out.
Police added that “after a couple of suspects struck and kicked the victim’s vehicle, the victim exited his vehicle to confront them. A physical altercation ensued, which resulted in additional suspects joining the altercation. The suspects immediately overwhelmed the victim, punching and kicking the victim, even after he had been pushed and pulled down to the ground. When witnesses approached to intervene, the suspects left the area together, riding their bicycles southbound on Carrillo Drive.”
Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to the scene and treated the victim, who sustained minor and visible injuries, police said, adding that the victim declined to be taken to the hospital.
Natasha Espinal, who told KNBC-TV she knows the victim’s family, said in reference to the victim that “one eye was closed, he had a black eye. The jaw was swollen; he did not look good at all, which is really, really sad. It should not happen. It’s extremely sad for everyone to see. It’s scary.”
KNBC added that Espinal has been in contact with the victim’s mother, who reached out to her neighbors to see if anyone recognized the teenagers who assaulted her 27-year-old son.
An Instagram user claiming to be a witness wrote that “we saw a guy get jumped by a group of teenagers on bicycles” and that it “took more than 20 minutes for paramedics to arrive and another 10 minutes for police to arrive. You can thank the @mayorofla for that. The victim could have died if his injuries were more severe. The level of trauma he and his family are now going through is heartbreaking. I will say I am grateful for the 6 people who stayed to help which included a Navy nurse who stayed with the victim.”
Police said those with information about the attack should call Wilshire Area’s Detective Carlos, Serial No. 41244, at 213-922-8229. During non-business hours, or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247), police said, adding that those wishing to remain anonymous should call L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go to www.lacrimestoppers.org. Police added that tipsters can download the “P3 Tips” mobile app and select L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.
Not a new trend
Blaze News has covered numerous stories about violent crimes carried out by such gangs on wheels. In L.A., a mob of about 30 teenagers on bicycles were caught on video brutally beating up and robbing a lone man last August.
But sometimes they just rob businesses. Bicycle-riding mobs looting 7-Elevens has become a kind of trend in Los Angeles lately. Also last August, a mob of about 20 individuals pulled off three nighttime smash-and-grab robberies in a span of 20 minutes. In September, 50 juveniles on bicycles easily ransacked and robbed a 7-Eleven in L.A. and escaped police. But later that same month, there was a small break when a handful of parents turned in their kids after L.A. police shared nearly 200 surveillance images of recent 7-Eleven mob robberies by “youthful males.”
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