Four men were taken into custody after a melee near the Santa Monica Pier that left one man with a stab wound and one man with a possible broken ankle, police said Friday.
The almost 20-man brawl occurred around 2:20 p.m. Saturday, Santa Monica Police Department Officer David Hodgson told City News Service.
Efigenio Tacuba, 30, was arrested on suspicion of sexual battery and assault, all felonies, and Jorge Luis Cruz Murcia, 29, Samuel Manzanarez Hernandez, 39, and Oscar Samuel Hernandez were arrested on suspicion of felony assault, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.
The fight was near Tower 14, north of the pier, police said.
“Additional responding officers arrived shortly after and intervened. The fight started when a vendor identified as Efigenio Tacuba approached a group of beachgoers and sexually battered several females,” the department reported.
Others in the group confronted Tacuba who then requested assistance from fellow vendors. Several vendors allegedly armed themselves with umbrella poles, belts and at least one knife.
“I can confirm one victim had an injury consistent with a stab wound,” Hodgson said. “The wound was not believed life-threatening. The two injured men had been involved in the fight and were not bystanders.”
The injured men were taken to hospitals for treatment.