Police say they’ve identified the teenager responsible for lighting a firework that caused several minor injuries in Hermosa Beach. Anastassia Olmos reports for the NBC4 News on June 9, 2024.
A security guard who was at Hermosa Beach the night a group of teenagers illegally set off fireworks near a popular pier recalled how he tried to detain the teenagers accused of causing the commotion.
A group of teens on e-bikes injured several people Saturday evening when they shot fireworks near Pier Plaza, according to police.
“It was a loud explosion. It hurt a lot of people's eardrums and a lot of it sprayed a lot of people in the face and including one of our customers,” said Beau Bowden, who was working security at Patrick Molloy’s when the group of teens lit the firework in front of the busy bars.
Bowden said people tried to stop the teens from leaving.
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“An angry mob started to surround this young man," he said. "I got in there, I grabbed a hold of them to let people know that, you know, it's under control.”
By the time police arrived, Bowden said the teens were gone. However, two boys voluntarily returned and were detained, according to police. Because they weren't the ones who set off the fireworks, they were released to their parents.
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Officials said that video of the incident helped them identify the teen who set off the fireworks. That boy has not yet been arrested. Police said he could be facing charges anywhere from a misdemeanor of lighting a firework in a public place to a felony assault with a deadly weapon.
This comes just days after the city enacted an emergency ordinance giving officers more authority to crack down on e-bike violations and upping fines.
“It didn't seem to do much good, at least right away, because the kids were right back at it, their usual antics,” Bowden said, adding that he is very worried about the 4th of July holiday coming up.
NBC4 has reported on the issues of teens on e-bikes and illegal “electric motorcycles” terrorizing several coastal communities including alleged assaults and throwing fireworks at homes even starting a fire.
Hermosa Beach Police ramped up enforcement on e-bikes in May, impounding about a dozen illegal electric motorcycles.
“I think the parents need to be held accountable to some degree. They're spending thousands of dollars on these e-bikes and letting their kids roam free,” Bowden exclaimed.
