‘Disgusting’ Livestreamer Placed In Psychiatric Care After Harassing Women

HERMOSA BEACH, CA — A man accused of sexually harassing women with "vulgar and rude comments" in Hermosa Beach has been placed on a mental health hold as police investigate whether he committed a crime, according to authorities.

Hermosa Beach police were called around 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, April 2, following multiple reports of a man livestreaming onto social media at Pier Plaza and taunting people.

"The videos the person was livestreaming included offensive and frankly disgusting content," Hermosa Beach Police Chief Paul LeBaron told reporters during a conference Wednesday. "This person was trying to seek reactions from passersby and the community at large who saw the videos after they were posted."

The man left before the officers arrived, but police were again called about an hour later after reports of a disturbance in the same area. There, police said they found the man surrounded by several citizens.

No crime occurred, according to Chief LeBaron, but he said that the man has a history of being taken into custody by beach city police departments, including Redondo and Manhattan Beach, due to mental health issues.

On Wednesday, he was placed on a mental health hold at a Southern California hospital and is under observation, Chief LeBaron added. In California, a person placed on a 5150 hold can be held in the hospital involuntarily for up to 72 hours.

"Many of the people have asked: 'Why don't you just arrest him for harassment?'" Chief LeBaron told reporters during a press conference Wednesday. "Well, the short answer is that most speech, even the vulgar disgusting speech that this guy was using, is protected by the constitution."

Hermosa Beach police are currently scouring through the man's videos to see if any crime has been committed, Chief LeBaron said. They're looking to see if he's been fighting or challenging someone to a fight, using offensive words that would provoke a fight, or willfully and maliciously disturbing another person—all misdemeanors.

"There is no actual crime of harassment, and if there were, we would certainly enforce it," Chief LeBaron said. "The crimes I described are not met until a victim has been targeted and is willing to press charges."

On Instagram, the man describes himself as a "dark comedian creating jokes."

But his page features various videos of himself approaching random women on or near the Hermosa Beach Pier and making vulgar or off-color comments.

In one video posted two days ago, he calls out to a woman who's not even looking his way, saying "Hey, perra, what's up girl, don't be shaking that ass like that to me, or I'm gonna go in a grab it."

Other videos show him in the Redondo Beach area. In one case, he enters a coffee shop and films a woman inside. On other occasions, he can be seen following women and making comments about their bodies or propositioning them.

Hermosa Beach police are asking anyone who feels they've been the victim of a crime to contact them at 310-318-0360.

"We're concerned for the safety of our community, we will continue to do everything possible to keep Hermosa Beach safe," Chief LeBaron added.

City News Service contributed to this report.