MBMS students are typically Manhattan Beach residents, as it is the single middle school operated by the Manhattan Beach Unified School District. Neighboring Hermosa Beach has its own elementary and middle schools.

Principal Speaks of 'Concern' and 'Anger' Over Attack

Speaking of the widely reported assault, Horvath wrote, "This event has understandably caused concern, anger, and sadness across our community, and I share those feelings. While I must protect student privacy and respect the ongoing police investigation, I can confirm that MBMS students were involved in this off-campus incident. I also recognize that students may feel unsettled or confused by what they are seeing in the news or hearing from peers, and our counselors are available to support any student who may need it."

"This recent incident is deeply concerning, and we want you to know that we are approaching it with the utmost seriousness, care, and confidentiality," Horvath added. "We take this incident extremely seriously, and we are fully cooperating with law enforcement."

"Because the students are minors and there is an active police investigation, I cannot provide any specific details about the students, the status of the investigation, or potential consequences," Horvath wrote. "The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) strictly prohibits schools from disclosing personally identifiable student information in situations like this."

Email Urges Focus on Student Discussions, Safety

(Manhattan Beach Middle School Principal Matthew Horvath. Photo via MBUSD.)

Horvath shared a set of talking points developed for staff to support students with questions or concerns about the incident, and suggested that parents might benefit from using them at home.

The talking points are meant to help guide conversations among students who hear about the attack at school, and to be respectful of those who may not feel comfortable addressing the topic at all. One point suggests that adults "be mindful that this topic may be emotionally heavy or confusing for some students."

The talking points specifically urge that these guided conversations should:

• "Avoid spreading rumors or trying to identify or discuss specific students involved."
• "Discourage speculation, gossip, or blaming, instead focus instead on values, empathy, and learning from difficult events."
• "Stress that privacy laws prevent schools from discussing specifics, and that families should avoid trying to identify students."
• "Remind students that law enforcement, not peers or parents, is responsible for determining what happened."

In a section titled, "A Call for Community Responsibility," Horvath urged "all families to have direct, honest conversations with their children" about:

• "Safe, responsible, and lawful e-bike operation."
• "Understanding that actions outside of school have real-world consequences."
• "Speaking up when things feel off or see others making decisions that can hurt themselves or others."

"These conversations are essential for all kids, not only those directly involved," Horvath wrote.

Nov. 21 Incident Most Violent Among Many Involving E-Biking Youths

All of the beach communities of the South Bay have faced complaints in recent years not only of unsafe e-bike riding behavior, but also of gang-like behavior, threats and criminal activity involving youths on e-bikes. That includes prior assaults.

In response, cities including Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach have increased enforcement of e-bike laws, partly to educate riders and families, and to deter and punish illegal activity.

The Nov. 21 incident, which occurred near 8:00 p.m. in an alley adjacent to the Hermosa Beach pier, was captured on multiple surveillance videos, which have been shared widely on TV and social media.

The teenagers can be seen struggling with the older man, throwing him to the ground, surrounding him, then punching, kicking and stomping him repeatedly. One youth is seen hitting the man with a pizza box, which the man had been carrying.

A young man's voice on one video can be heard saying, "He's dead, he's dead," as the youths scramble to leave the area.

The 56-year-old victim was brought to the hospital and reportedly treated for a concussion, among other injuries. He was released from the hospital on Nov. 24.

The incident was initially reported as a planned attack, but HBPD issued a statement on Nov. 25 stating that it "was not a targeted assault and that the resident walked past his intended destination to initiate contact with the juveniles." That statement, apparently meant to correct an early narrative about the attack, was widely criticized for appearing to blame the victim.

Geoff Van Sickle, who owns an e-bike store, suggested that he was familiar with the assailants, telling KTLA news, "These kids are noted for constant trouble. They run in packs, five to six bikes at a time... They circle people, and then they attack them." Van Sickle said he has witnessed attacks in Redondo Beach.

Van Sickle also told KTLA that the youths involved in the attack were riding "electric dirt bikes," which are illegal to ride on city streets.

HBPD said in a recent statement that it is continuing its investigation of the Nov. 21 incident and that community members with relevant information may contact Detective DiGenova at [email protected].

'E-Bike Gangs' a Hot Topic in Hermosa

Barely more than a week before the Nov. 21 attack, a public safety forum in Hermosa Beach featured both a presentation and Q & A about "E-bike gangs," described by Detective Dalton Blumenfeld as youths mostly between 13-16 years old, who "put fear into people... and do annoying things."

Detective Blumenfeld, who has handled a number of cases involving juveniles, said that this year, he has not heard a lot about some specific alleged e-bike gangs that had seemed to be more active in 2023-24, the "Goons" and "RBK." Whatever the case, he said the goal generally with misbehaving youths is "to hold them accountable" but "not put them in the criminal justice system."

"The district attorney will look at a case and determine whether, based on the severity of that case, whether criminal charges are advisable, or send them through [juvenile] diversion ... to get them on the right path," Detective Blumenfeld said at the forum, several days before the Nov. 21 assault.

 

One citizen at the forum described an incident where he was surrounded by 15 youths on e-bikes who were harassing him, whereupon he called 911, and even walked up to the police station to get away from them.

The man specifically asked Police Chief Landon Phillips whether adults are allowed to "respond physically to a minor" when under threat, as he felt he was at times.

"These kids are well aware," said the man, who did not give his name, "they literally said it to me, 'you can't do stuff to me, you can't touch me, I'm a minor, you're an adult... F you."

“That’s a very dangerous question. If anything is escalating and it’s close to getting physical, call the police," Chief Phillips said.

“If they are attacking you and you defend yourself, and defending yourself does include striking back, that’s okay," Chief Phillips continued in his answer. "The fact they are a minor isn’t going to take away your right to defend yourself.”