Police are searching for a man who threw an exploding firework into a large crowd at an LGBTQ+ Pride event in Hermosa Beach.
On June 17, the suspect was near a silent disco event at a bar/restaurant called Vista around 9:45 p.m. when he pulled out a firework, lit it and threw it into the crowd. The incident was captured on a video shared by police.
Fragments of fireworks struck multiple people at the crowded restaurant, located at 11 Pier Ave., police said. Despite the “significant explosion,” victims’ injuries were not life-threatening.
Jeremy McDermott, the manager of Vista, said hundreds of people were attending the event celebrating LGBTQ+ culture and Pride month when the explosion went off.
“We had 400 people already here,” McDermott said. “It was pretty rough and a rude awakening for everyone enjoying a silent disco here. It was an unfortunate event. It’s something we do here every month.”
The suspect, accompanied by two other men, fled on a gas-powered beach cruiser bicycle after tossing the explosive. The bike has a fuel tank under the handlebars and an American flag near the back tire.
The suspect appears to be in his late teens or early 20s and was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt with yellow vertical stripes, dark pants and a red, white and blue helmet.
“Based on some of the video and the nature of the explosion, it was a pyrotechnic-type firework,” said Captain Landon Phillips with Hermosa Beach Police. “I would say it was like a cherry bomb or an M-80, probably a little bit larger.”
Police said they are now looking into the possibility of the incident being a hate crime.
“It was a silent disco and it was a Pride event,” said Phillips. “Had it detonated close to someone’s face or something more sensitive it could have caused serious injury. So we are investigating this as a crime and, more specifically, as a potential hate crime.”
While the motive remains under investigation, Phillips noted that reported hate crimes targeting the LGBTQ+ community have seen a troubling increase.
“We are doing everything we can, but it is concerning that these are on the rise,” he said.
A new report issued by California’s Attorney General reported hate crimes targeting California’s gay community saw a sharp increase.
According to the “State of Pride Report,” between 2021-2022, there was a 29 percent increase in hate crimes against the gay community and a 55 percent increase in hate crimes targeting transgender people.
As the investigation remains ongoing, police said the suspect could face felony charges.
“It could be a felony because this is a potential of very serious injuries to the crowd, combined with the enhancement of a possible hate crime,” Phillips said.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Hermosa Beach police at 310-318-0360.
