WATCH: Three Off-Duty Marines Allegedly Attacked by Horde of Teenagers on California Beach

Workers use a tractor to build a sand berm south of the pier in San Clemente, CA, on Wedne
Jeff Gritchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty
Elaine Mallon

A horde of around 40 teenagers allegedly brutally attacked three off-duty Marines along the beach in San Clemente, California, Friday night.

Video footage shows two of the Marines in the fetal position as the attackers kicked at their heads and torsos. One girl is shown pouring a can of beer on them.

Authorities arrived at the San Clemente Pier Bowl around 9:50 p.m., the San Clemente Times reported.

One of the victims, Hunter Antonio, said it was supposed to be a relaxing Friday evening for the Marines to begin Memorial Day Weekend.

However, a group of teens were lighting fireworks off on the beach, disrupting the peace for many of the beachgoers. Debris from one of the fireworks hit Antonio in the face.

“They were being belligerent,” Antonio told KCAL news. “They were being obnoxious. They were annoying people, and we told them to stop.”

The crowd allegedly followed the Marines to the pier where chaos ensued.

The Marines sustained minor injuries and were not transported to the hospital. Orange County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Frank Gonzalez said authorities will utilize all resources to track down the suspects involved.

“This is considered an assault with a deadly weapon because of the amount of suspects we are investigating,” Gonzalez told CBS News. “The weapons that were used were their feet while these victims were on the ground. So regardless of 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.”

San Clemente Pier Bowl is a 25-minute drive from Camp Pendleton. The military base is “The West Coast’s Premier Fleet Marine Force Training Base” with approximately 42,000 active duty personnel stationed there.

“Look, this is San Clemente. Marines are always welcome here, always gonna be celebrated, always be taken care of,” San Clemente Mayor Chris Duncan told KCAL. “And that’s why this is so particularly tragic.”

Security cameras from Fisherman’s Restaurant and Bar apparently captured the incident, and IT technicians are working to isolate images to identify suspects.

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