A 24-year-old man was walking to a Little Caesars in Santa Ana when he was accosted by a group of individuals, according to the Santa Ana Police Department. The incident, which occurred near the intersection of 17th and Fairview streets, involved a robbery and a subsequent group beating.
Authorities reported that one suspect approached the victim from behind, forcibly removed a gold chain from his neck, and then shoved him to the ground. Multiple other suspects then joined in, repeatedly punching and kicking the victim. The entire group fled the scene after the assault.
Surveillance cameras captured the violent encounter. The victim described the assailants as Black males wearing ski masks. The Santa Ana Police Department has released images from the surveillance footage and is asking for public assistance in identifying the suspects. The date of the attack has not been released.
This incident follows another recent event in downtown Santa Ana where a confrontation between officers and a crowd led to five arrests. That incident involved officers attempting to detain a man for public intoxication and was partially captured in a viral video. An internal use-of-force investigation is reportedly underway for that separate event.
Detectives urge anyone with information regarding the robbery and assault to contact the Santa Ana Police Department.