Man beaten by group of e-bike riders
KCBS
By Nicole Comstock, Dean Fioresi
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HERMOSA BEACH, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Disturbing video captured the moments that a group of teenagers on e-bikes attacked a man seemingly at random outside of a pizza shop in Hermosa Beach last week.
Locals say that the group targets people at random, surrounding them in a circle before harassing or assaulting them. They believe that the teens are being protected because they’re minors, even as the encounters become increasingly violent.
The latest incident happened in an alley near the pizza shop, as the victim, a man in his 60s, was walking home with a slice of pizza. The violent encounter saw six teenagers attack the man, ending the beating by stomping on him while he laid on the ground.
“He was fighting back as best he could, but you could tell he was gonna be facing severe injuries and he needed medical help there,” said Matt Terrill, a good Samaritan who jumped in to help the man.
He said that he called 911 and tried to assess the man’s injuries while he spoke with paramedics.
“They immediately transferred me over to the live ambulance team that was on the way so they could get prepped for what was going on,” Terrill recalled.
He says that the man was hospitalized with a concussion, and Hermosa Beach police now say that they’re investigating the incident as an assault.
Some residents are skeptical that anything will be done.
“It is pervasive and it continues to go on without any form of recourse,” said Tracy Robinson. She says that the increasingly dangerous incidents have been reported to police time and time again, including the time that they allegedly launched fireworks at people on the pier and chased a man on a motorized scooter while hurling objects at him.
“It was actually a friend of mine who was on his Vespa, and the e-bike kids were coming after him with big stones and rocks,” Robinson said.
She says that the teenagers have yet to face consequences from any of the incidents, and is one of many in the community who are concerned that if something doesn’t change, someone innocent could end up dead.
Hart Cardoza says that he was victimized by the group in early November.
“All of a sudden, I get whacked on the back of the head,” Cardoza said. “Bleeding profusely. Concussion. Fourteen staples.”
He says that the e-bikers surrounded his car and stabbed his tires before hitting him over the head with a collapsible baton, near the same spot that Friday’s attack took place. He says that he hasn’t received any new information on the investigation from Hermosa Beach police after filing a report.
“I have no doubt there are more of us out there that have reported or have tried to report, and there’s no follow-up,” Cardoza said.
HBPD officers say that they are currently working on another press release on the incident, which they expect to be released early Tuesday.
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