Some Long Beach business owners say they’re frustrated by mounting safety concerns after two high-profile crimes in the same area of Downtown that involved men exposing themselves—and in one case, attacking a woman.
In the latest incident, police say they arrested a man who was captured on video masturbating while looking into Salon 500, in the 500 block of East Broadway, around 2 p.m. Wednesday.
A video recorded by someone inside the salon shows the man pressing his head on the salon’s glass, and with his hand inside his shorts, tugging at his groin area.
“Can somebody call the cops, ’cause they’re not answering me,” the person recording the video can be heard asking in the background.
Long Beach police said they responded around 2 p.m. to a report of indecent exposure at the salon, but the man fled the area before officers arrived.
“Officers are actively investigating and are looking for the suspect,” said Richard Mejia, a spokesperson with the LBPD. “The South Division Patrol Resource Officer along with officers from the Neighborhood Safety Bike Team, Quality of Life, and Mental Evaluation Teams are in the area today to connect with businesses and residents to help provide resources and information.”
The indecent exposure report comes less than a week after surveillance cameras in the same area of East Broadway captured the moment a man lifted a woman’s skirt, pressed himself against her and knocked her to the ground.
The man, whom authorities identified as 30-year-old Miguel Avila, ran off before officers arrived that day, but police located him hours later and took him into custody. The Long Beach City Prosecutor charged Avila with misdemeanor sexual battery and vandalism after the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office declined to file felony charges.
Days after the video of the attack circulated online, city leaders called for an “enhanced and renewed focus” on safety in the area.
In a Post on X, formerly Twitter, Mayor Rex Richardson said he visited Salon 500 and other nearby businesses on Thursday.
“These folks are strong, and they deserve our support,” the post said. “Tomorrow, we will detail some of the immediate public safety actions that are underway. We look forward to sharing more comprehensive updates next week.”
Local businesses have said the city isn’t doing enough to help as the state of Downtown continues to decline.
“That is unacceptable for us who work Downtown and bring in tax revenues to the city,” Joy Shannon, a local business owner, said in an email to the Long Beach Post. “What it feels like Downtown is like walking through a dangerous mental hospital where there is no one in charge.”
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Shannon has owned Paper Crane Studio, a tattoo shop, with her husband for the last 10 years. She believes the area has become more dangerous.
“The city needs to act now,” Shannon said. “There is not a way to ‘rebrand’ this or ‘reframe’ this. Women are being assaulted Downtown, good people who contribute to our city are being harassed. This is not ok.”
Joe Kross, a Downtown resident, gave police credit for arresting Avila soon after the alleged sexual battery last week, but he emphasized how “disappointing it is to live in Long Beach with a reactive police force where we need a proactive approach.”
Following the latest incident, he told the Post in an email, “We are totally upset here, as Long Beach is not able to squash the illegal behaviors on our streets.”
Kross, who is a vice president of a real estate development company, said he’s talked to many business owners in the Downtown area who are considering selling and moving their shops elsewhere.
“We understand there is a shortage of housing, we understand there is a massive drug addiction problem and a mental health issue,” said Kross. “But, we want a police force that has zero tolerance at this time for any illegal behavior on the street.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated with a statement from Mayor Rex Richardson and to clarify the time police responded to the incident reported on Wednesday, Nov. 2.