Federal authorities are investigating alleged racially motivated attacks by a group of skinheads against a young couple and two Marines near the Oceanside Pier in San Diego County in June 2023. Three male assailants are accused of seriously wounding three individuals during the incidents, according to a federal search warrant.
The first alleged assault targeted a young couple. One of the men reportedly yelled a racial slur directed at the 21-year-old Asian man before striking him repeatedly and slamming his head into a concrete wall. The female victim was reportedly unharmed.
Shortly after, the trio allegedly confronted two U.S. Marines from nearby Camp Pendleton. The assailants identified themselves as skinheads, according to the warrant. The Marines, one white and one Black, reported hearing the N-word used multiple times. When the Marines attempted to disengage, they were allegedly attacked. One Marine was placed in a headlock, and the assailant reportedly called him an "N-word lover."
Both Marines sustained head injuries. One of the Marines continues to experience blurry vision in one eye, officials stated.
The individuals identified as the alleged attackers are Austin Yohe, Johnny Lane, and Daniel Burns. Evidence cited in the warrant includes Yohe's Instagram account, which features the white supremacist symbol "1488" and an image of him wearing an Iron Cross. Lane's Snapchat account reportedly contained a video of him giving a Nazi salute and exclaiming "Heil Hitler."
Authorities indicated that two of the alleged assailants consider themselves members of the "Hemet Coors 88" white supremacist gang. Burns is noted to have a "SKINHEAD" tattoo on his arm.
Multiple witnesses reportedly observed the assaults and captured video footage. When questioned by law enforcement, all three alleged assailants claimed self-defense. Police apprehended two of the men near the pier, and the third was located elsewhere. No charges have been filed yet, but the warrant suggests that pending charges may include hate crimes, violent interference with federally protected rights, and conspiracy.