A homeless lawyer who has been documenting uninhabited residents of the Venice space for greater than 20 years was attacked by a homeless man on Wednesday whereas filming, he advised Fox Information.
Tony Vera Echevarria, 62, mentioned he was on the seashore to dwell stream plumbing staff cleansing the world alongside the boardwalk.
He filmed the rubbish vehicles as they drove away and a few folks distributing meals to the homeless from about 30 meters away, he mentioned. A homeless girl urged him to cease and accused him of “stealing her info,” which prompted her boyfriend to assault, Echevarria mentioned.
“Bear in mind, I am in your facet,” he advised Fox Information. “The man’s after me and attacked me badly. So I beat him up after which he chased one other man, a mentally sick particular person. The entire thing was ugly.”
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A video of the incident posted on-line reveals a girl chasing Echevarria whereas filming. The footage then switches to the truth that he’s attacked by a person calling for his telephone.
Somebody filming the incident warns the alleged attacker to cease or he faces jail time.
“I want to go to jail. I dwell outdoors,” he replies.
Echevarria, a New York native who lives in Venice, kicks the attacker to get him to cease. He mentioned he pulled a muscle in his leg and the authorities have been referred to as. Los Angeles police responded to the scene and handcuffed the person.
“That is why I beat you up, dude,” Echevarria tells the person whereas he is being held. “You do not put your fingers on anybody. I am in your facet.”
Ultimately, Echevarria determined to not prosecute and mentioned, “I believed the man’s had sufficient issues.”
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Homeless camps line the bike path because the coronavirus illness (COVID-19) pandemic continues on Venice Seashore in Los Angeles, California, america, on April 14.
(Reuters)
Los Angeles police mentioned there aren’t any information of an arrest associated to the incident.
The assault occurred close to the Cadillac Lodge on Venice’s well-known promenade, Echevarria mentioned. Earlier this yr, the lodge participated in Challenge Roomkey, a program to accommodate the homeless vulnerable to critical sickness from COVID-19.
Echevarria has documented the world’s homeless inhabitants for greater than 20 years and stands up for individuals who search assist, he mentioned.
“I am not making an attempt to defend all of them, however I get mad when folks say that each one homeless persons are the identical,” he mentioned. “They aren’t all the identical.”
“It left me with a nasty style in my mouth, nevertheless,” he added. “I do not make any cash with it.” For instance, ‘What am I doing? I am making an attempt to assist these folks. ‘”
He primarily makes a residing filming arrests at Los Angeles Worldwide Airport the place he was allegedly attacked by Mike Tyson whereas taking footage of the previous heavyweight boxer and his household.
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Wednesday’s expertise put him off. He plans to maintain documenting the homelessness disaster whatever the dangers.
“I used to be overwhelmed up by Mike Tyson,” mentioned Echevarria. “We’re pals now. I sued him and gained.
