4 teens arrested in violent assault outside Simi Valley movie theater

Four people, believed to be juveniles, have been arrested in connection with a violent late-night assault near a movie theater in Simi Valley, police confirmed Sunday. The brawl, which broke out shortly after midnight Friday near the Regal Cinemas on Tapo Canyon Road, was captured in graphic videos that have since circulated widely on social media.

In a statement to KTLA on Sunday, a Simi Valley Police Department spokesperson provided more details surrounding the investigation.

“Upon arrival, the victim of the assault was no longer on scene,” the spokesperson said. “On Aug. 2 at approximately 12:45 a.m., SVPD was called by the victim and his mother regarding the assault. Officers responded to their residence and a criminal investigation was launched.”

In the footage obtained by KTLA — which contains violence and much profanity; viewer discretion is extremely advised — a group of juveniles is seen punching and kicking one victim. Some are heard yelling for the group to get back into their cars, while others, clearly agitated, kept yelling and trying to fight.

Another angle of the same altercation appeared to depict the moments that led up to the fight and showed the group attacking the victim, who appeared to be covering his head in self-defense.

One of the three videos included in the post (which also contained a slide of pictures of some of the alleged suspects) shows one of the teens in the vicinity at the time leaning casually against a Simi Valley Police Department squad car right next to officers.

“I lying! Fake! Fake! Fake! I lying [sic],” the young man is heard saying in a mock accent, before transitioning to a different tone of voice. “Gangster s–t! I’m with all the cops…yeah, we own this s–t.”

After trying to put his arm around the shoulder of one of the officers, the teen is told to get in the police car. Someone is heard threatening to tell his father; however, the video ends there. Many of the social media posts pertaining to the incident claimed that one of the attackers is the son of an SVPD officer.

After that video ended, more footage of an altercation between a group of youths and a victim is shown. The victim, who was holding up a chair in self-defense, was surrounded by the group, who was hurling profanities at him.

The victim then ran away, but his assailants pursued and started beating him in an outdoor area.

Another post on Facebook claimed that the victim may have been targeted in a racially motivated attack. The post, purportedly published by the victim’s sister, said that her brother was violently beaten and that “eight [or] more” assailants were hurling slurs at him. 

“They punched him in the head, the back and the mouth to the point where he now has a chipped tooth. [They] kicked him and were even dragging him by his sweater,” the post from Jasmine Gonzalez states. “They called him many racial slurs like dirty [N word] with a hard R…”

Police on Sunday also confirmed that there is a second victim: an 18-year-old man. Between the two victims, authorities said injuries included a possible concussion, chipped teeth and minor cuts.

Sgt. Ryan Morton, a spokesperson for the department, confirmed to KTLA via email that four individuals had been arrested on suspicion of battery. He added that one of the suspects is related to a member of the Simi Valley Police Department. That employee was not at the scene and will not be involved in the investigation, officials said, adding that the relationship “has no bearing on this investigation.”

“At this time, it remains unclear what initiated the altercation or whether it may constitute a potential hate crime,” Simi Valley Police Department officials said.

Authorities said the four individuals arrested are facing charges of battery. The investigation is ongoing, and police are continuing to review video evidence and interview witnesses.

This incident occurred the day before another group of juveniles got into an altercation that turned violent in Santa Clarita. In that case, a teen was detained for breaking a bottle over another teen’s head.