A man recalls the terrifying moment he was beaten and robbed while working at his family’s taco truck in Long Beach — the second time they’ve now been targeted.
The victim, Erick Flores, was working at the Los Bros Tacos truck located on Junipero Avenue and 7th Street when two suspects suddenly approached him on Thursday, May 2.
“They crossed the street and came walking up,” Flores recalled.
One male suspect was wearing a black hoodie and the other was wearing a red hoodie as Flores, who worked as a cashier in front of the food truck, spotted them.
As the man in the black hoodie began ordering food, that’s when his accomplice made his move.
“The guy with the red sweater ended up grabbing my hand and was struggling to get the money out,” Flores said.
Surveillance video captured the tense confrontation as Flores tried to fend off the robbers. As he yanked his hands away, that’s when the thieves knocked Flores to the ground and repeatedly punched him in the face.
“I remember he was screaming at me but I don’t actually remember what he was saying,” Flores said, still stunned. “Everything happened so fast.”
Flores’ coworker, Manuel Antonio, noticed the commotion and stepped into action. He was able to chase the suspects away but not before the men escaped with the money and some cash from Flores’ pocket.
He was left with a broken nose and was found bloodied and bruised by his coworkers.
Antonio can relate to Flores’ experience as he was also robbed at gunpoint and beaten while working the Los Bros Taco truck back in December 2023. The truck had only been serving the Long Beach location for two months back then.
“This was our dream goal to start a business and flourish as a family,” Flores said of his family’s truck.
Flores was filling in for his mother on the night he was attacked. He said he was relieved it was him who was there instead and that he is alive.
However, after the violent incident, the family said serving the Long Beach community has taken a toll and is considering whether the city is the best place for their future.
A GoFundMe page created to help Flores with medical bills and to replace the stolen money can be found here.
The suspects remain at large as police continue investigating the incident. Anyone with information can call Long Beach police at 562-570-7260.