Over Memorial Day weekend, a group of Marines were walking along the pier in San Clemente, California.
The confrontation began when the Marines asked the teens to stop lighting fireworks. The altercation then turned violent when one of the teens threw a piece of debris at Hunter Antonino from behind, before multiple teens began to kick the two men while they were on the ground in a fetal position. Antonino reported to local station KCAL that the group was “stomped on” and “beat up.”
2 Marines jumped by 50 “high schoolers” in San Clemente in California.
Article https://t.co/1dnyUJNVDx pic.twitter.com/BsXfgxzHBA— MRS WILKES PATTERN RECOGNITION LAB (@ItsMrsWilkes) May 29, 2023
Fortunately, no major injuries.
The incident has prompted Orange County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Frank Gonzalez to state that it is being considered an “assault with a deadly weapon,” regardless of the victims’ wishes.
“This is considered an assault with a deadly weapon because of the amount of suspects we are investigating,” said Orange County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Frank Gonzalez. “The weapons that were used were their feet while these victims were on the ground. So, regardless if the victims choose prosecution or choose medical attention the sheriff’s department is going to investigate this to the fullest and try to determine who the suspects are.”
The video below shows how large the mob was.
San Clemente Mayor, Chris Duncan, stated that he was increasing patrols to ensure the safety of the locals. Duncan also said that the attack was “particularly tragic,” seeing as the Marines were “always welcome here” in San Clemente.
The incident, which was caught on two local cameras, serves as a reminder that these situations can quickly escalate and that violence should never be tolerated. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is working to identify the perpetrators and hold them accountable for their actions. Local residents are advised to be vigilant and report any suspicious behavior.
