A severe beating earlier this year of an out-of-town teenager and other assaults may be the work of a group who call themselves MLO, or Malibu Locals Only.
By Vicki Godal/Special to The Malibu Times
Malibu has managed to remain free of most of the nation’s urban problems, but no longer. Evidence of gang violence has surfaced beginning with a severe beating at a Malibu residence where a local teen was throwing a party, to a couple being attacked on the beach.
A letter by e-mail arrived recently at The Malibu Times asking that residents be informed of a group of local young males that call themselves MLO or Malibu Locals Only. A local law firm is investigating the group in connection with the beach attack. According to local sheriff’s officials, the MLO is believed to currently have about 20 male members between the ages of 17 and 23 years, and was known in past years primarily as consisting of paint taggers.
Some are suspected to have been the core attackers in a brutal beating at a Malibu home in March. According to witnesses, about 20 males attacked two others with beer bottles, bricks and a Maglite flashlight. As 11 watched, the other nine beat one young male into a severe concussion. The victims from Agoura Hills were invited to the party by the teen having the party.
Sheriff’s deputies have not determined whether this relates to the beating on the beach; however, witnesses in several cases have given details that are similar in all incidents. Everyone who spoke regarding this story, except for Sheriff’s officials, asked for total anonymity.
The letter received by the Times states that students at Malibu High School are intimidated by MLO members at school. According to witnesses, many students from MHS were at the late March party where the worst beating occurred.
The Juvenile Intervention Unit of the Lost Hills/Malibu Sheriff’s Station said the MLO started some years ago as a group of surfers that “guarded” their beaches. A local actor’s son was then the leader. In fact, Deputy Tim Cooley says the group is not being investigated as a gang now.
“The classification system for gangs is very specific,” Cooley explained. “There’s no real documentation that ties this group to what we consider to be gang-related activity.”
The victim beaten in March was hit about his head mainly with beer bottles and a large Maglite flashlight. ” I tried to talk my way out of it because there were so many of them,” the victim said in a phone interview. “It was futile. My friend went to the house to get help and they just kept hitting me and hitting me for a long time.”
Details as to what happened after the beating are not clear. The victim’s father said he had tried to reach his son for two days during that time.
“The people at the house where the party was kept my son there for two days before I knew what had happened to him or where he was,” the victim’s father said. “They didn’t want anyone to see him. It was that bad.”
The father speculates that Malibu witnesses are intimidated by the fact that the parents of these “alleged” gang members are powerful Malibu residents.
“That’s the only way it makes sense to me why no progress has occurred in my son’s case,” he said. “These parties were full of young people who saw them beat him almost to death. Lots of people saw it.”
Investigating detective J.T. Manwell of the Lost Hills/Malibu Station said they need more eyewitnesses to the incidents.
“To anyone who can put faces to these assailants, there’s a reward,” Manwell said. “There have been several incidents now where kids come from L.A. to local parties and they get attacked. That young man at that party last March was badly beaten. There’s no thought, they just start beating people. Frankly, we’re tired of it.”
Anyone with any information can contact Detective Manwell at the Lost Hills/Malibu Sheriffs Station at 818.878.1808.