Viral video shows group of bicyclists attacking man on West Los Angeles street
A video showing a large group of teenagers riding bikes attacking a man in the middle of the street in San Vicente has recently gone viral, leading to an investigation from police.
The incident happened at around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon at the intersection of San Vicente Boulevard and McCarthy Vista, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Jarring footage, which can be seen on Instagram, shows as the group punch and kick the man as he attempts to protect himself in the middle of the street. Bicycles can be seen littering the roadway as the attack continued before they finally leave the man alone.
Police say that a group of 25 males, all of which they believe to be between 16 and 18 years old, attacked a man who confronted them after they allegedly vandalized his car.
"After a couple of suspects struck and kicked the victim's vehicle, the victim exited his vehicle to confront them," police said of the interaction that led up to the attack.
By the time officers arrived to the scene, the group had scattered, fleeing southbound on Carrillo Drive after witnesses attempted to intervene, police said.
The man, who has not been identified, suffered minor injuries in the attack and declined transport to the hospital. KCAL News spoke with the victim's aunt on Monday, who said that the 27-year-old is still recovering from injuries to his head and face.
One witness, who was inside of the car where the viral video was captured, recounted the disturbing moments.
"It was extremely violent, they didn't care about his life. You could tell," said Dimitri Kermani. "They were kicking him in the head, they were kicking him in the body. They had absolutely no sympathy whatsoever for this victim and it was completely unprovoked."
He said that some of the bicyclists "kicked the back of the victim's car" and "started kicking the lights," which prompted the man to get out of the car and confront them.
"A group of about 15 individuals when they jumped him and beat him unconscious," he said.
Police took a report for both vandalism and battery.
On Monday, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky shared a statement on the video, which read in part, "I'm deeply disturbed by the attack that took place near San Vicente and McCarthy yesterday. My heart goes out to the young man who was assaulted and his family, and I'm relieved to hear that he is recovering.
LAPD is actively investigating this incident, and while law enforcement has not indicated they think this was a hate crime, any act of violence like this is unacceptable. I urge anyone with information to come forward to help hold those responsible accountable. My office is in contact with law enforcement, and we'll continue working to ensure that our neighborhoods remain safe."
This is the second such incident to happen in the same neighborhood in recent months, after a different viral video showed a clash between the driver of a Mercedes-Benz and a group of young bicyclists that ended again with a group attack.
