The four U.S. Marines arrested early Monday morning for allegedly spouting derogatory terms before assaulting a Silver Fox patron were identified Wednesday.
Police say they arrested Lance Cpl. Lewis Serna, Pfc. Thomas Pentek, Pfc. Sean Miller and Lance Cpl. John O’Leary for assault and and are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime. All of the suspects are Marines based at Camp Pendelton, where they were returned to their units Tuesday after posting bail.
Authorities were trying to determine each person’s role in the assault, which quickly escalated after the bar began to drain of people at 2AM. Silver Fox bartender Sky Sunday told the Post that he was attempting to help the suspects move out of Redondo Ave. just after the bar closed when he became surrounded by the men who were calling him a “fag” and insulting the fact he worked at a gay bar.
Though Sunday says he made it back inside the bar after only being shoved by the suspects, a San Dimas man and his boyfriend emerged soon after and that is when fists flew. The victim, who is requesting not to be identified, was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Two others who came to his aid also sustained minor injuries.
Because at least one of the suspects used derogatory terms about the victim’s orientation, Long Beach Police Department is investigating the assault as a possible hate crime. The Marine Corps is also conducting its own probe.
“This is an isolated incident,” Camp Pendleton spokesman Major Manuel J. Delarosa told the Huffington Post. “Committing any hate crime is unacceptable behavior and is not tolerated in the Marine Corps.”