A video has been circulating of a crowd of roughly 40 teenagers brutally assaulting three off-duty Marines on a California beach on Memorial weekend. This incident reportedly occurred after the Marines requested the youngsters to cease lighting fireworks which were causing a disturbance and potential harm.
Dozens of teens attack off-duty Marines on California beach over Memorial Day weekend
Footage shows two men on the ground in the fetal position trying to block kicks and punches.https://t.co/hOAD4SxU97
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These Marines were simply enjoying a well-deserved break when their peaceful retreat was interrupted and they were pursued by this unruly mob while heading toward San Clemente Pier Bowl on Friday evening.
One of the Marines, Hunter Antonino, recounted the incident to KCAL News, stating, “We disclosed our identity as Marines, hoping they would back down — but that wasn’t the case. They just kept escalating the situation.”
Tensions escalated further when the Marines began ascending some stairs. The mob, tailing them, spewed profanities and commanded them to vacate the area. A single individual, emerging from the crowd, then ambushed one of the Marines with a punch from behind.
Briefly taken aback, the assaulted Marine retaliated, counter-attacking his assailant and knocking him down. This act triggered the mob, and they swarmed around him, shouting obscenities and throwing continuous punches. One individual was heard repeatedly inciting violence, encouraging others to continue the assault.
In the ensuing chaos, two of the Marines were left incapacitated on the ground, desperately shielding their heads with their hands and arms, while the mob continued to assault them with kicks and punches.
The humiliation did not end there as members of the group subjected them to racial slurs and derogatory names, while the initial attacker brazenly poured a drink over one of the fallen Marines.
According to the footage, the Marines were only free from the assault when a man and woman intervened, shouting at the mob to stop the attack.
The video clip did not capture the entire incident as reports state that another Marine was attacked outside the video’s coverage, according to authorities.
Though the Marines displayed remarkable fortitude by refusing medical treatment despite the violence they endured, Antonino expressed concerns about potentially having sustained a concussion during the attack, stating, “My face still has, like, blood all over it.”
In recounting the cause of the attack, Antonino explained that the teenagers were not only setting off fireworks but also were causing annoyance and disruption to others. He approached them and asked them to cease, only after a piece of debris from the fireworks had hit him.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the attack, with estimates of the mob ranging from 10 to 30 initially, but later revised to around 40, after examining additional footage. The severity of the attack qualified it as an assault with a deadly weapon, due to the sheer number of aggressors.
The department’s Sgt. Frank Gonzalez promised that officers will investigate the matter thoroughly and hold the teenagers accountable even if the servicemen decide not to press charges.
