A victim is speaking out after he said he was violently assaulted by a group of teens in a racially-motivated attack outside a Simi Valley movie theater.
On Aug. 2, Michael Robsinon, 18, was enjoying a night out with friends near Regal Cinemas on Tapo Canyon Road when a group of intoxicated, hostile teenagers started by picking on his friend, with whom they had prior issues.
They reportedly punched his friend in the face before turning their attention to Robinson, yelling racial slurs at him.
“They hit one of my friends in the face first,” Robinson said. “Then, they hit another. Then, they rush me and I’m in between two cars. I managed to get out from behind the two cars and I run into the parking lot. As I run into the parking lot, they proceed to slam me into the hood of somebody’s car and jump me.”
Cell video captured by a witness showed the teen assailants repeatedly punching and kicking Robinson as they surrounded him in the parking lot.
Robinson tried running away, but they followed. At one point, he tried to shield himself with a chair as the group moved in and hurled profanities at him. He asked a mall security guard for help, but said the guard refused to intervene.
“They still caught me, and when they caught me, they decided they were going to put my head in the trash can and proceeded to hit me in the back of my head,” Robinson said.
Video of the assault, which was widely circulated on social media, has prompted community outrage and concern. Some social media users have described the incident as a “horrific anti-Black racist hate crime.”
The attack left Robinson with cuts, bruises and a chipped tooth. After Robinson and his mother reported the attack, a criminal investigation was launched. Robinson said he had no association with any of the assailants.
On Aug. 3, four teens were arrested for battery. A department spokesperson confirmed that one of the teen suspects is the son of a Simi Valley police officer and noted that the officer would not be involved in the investigation.
During a Simi Valley city council meeting on Aug. 4, residents called for justice, with many saying the suspects needed to be held accountable for their actions.
“What happened on Saturday is a hate crime and I urge you to ask the DA to investigate and prosecute it as such,” one resident said.
“Hate crimes cannot continue to be swept under the rug,” a young resident said. “On behalf of the Black student body of Simi Valley, we demand justice for Michael Robinson.”
Jamal Tooson, the attorney representing Robinson, said he and many others are calling for an equitable investigation.
“The entire county of Ventura is watching and, broadly, on a national level, we are going to be looking to see how this situation is handled,” he said.
Robinson said that by sharing his story, he hopes to not only bring awareness to such issues, but that it will prevent another person from being attacked in the same way.
“I forgive [the attackers], but there are consequences to your actions,” he said.
The four teenagers have since been cited and released. KTLA has reached out to the Ventura County District Attorney’s office for an update on whether hate crime charges will be filed and is awaiting a response.
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