A security guard was caught on camera unloading punches on a homeless man in West Hollywood.
The Feb. 15 pummeling took place at West Hollywood Park, where the yellow-jacketed guard was seen in striking the man in the head from behind, KTLA reported.
The dramatic clip shows the homeless man trying to shield himself as the uniformed worker continues swinging. At one point, the victim nearly collapses under the blows before another guard rushes in to break up the fight and pull his colleague away.
Witnesses appeared stunned as the altercation unfolded in broad daylight. It remains unclear what sparked the violence.
“It’s alarming,” resident Breanna Startzel told KTLA. “I feel like the people who are supposed to be looking out for our safety should not also be attacking, hitting, kicking [people].”
The guard was identified as a member of the Security Ambassador Program, which contracts workers from private security giant Allied Universal to patrol the streets of West Hollywood. The ambassadors are uniformed but unarmed.
Allied Universal, a private security company, told KTLA the employee involved has been removed from the site pending an investigation.
City officials said in a statement that ambassadors are expected to treat all individuals — including those experiencing homelessness — with “dignity and respect,” adding that accountability and transparency are essential.
“The Security Ambassadors program is designed to enhance safety in West Hollywood,” a city spokesperson said. “Ambassadors are expected to conduct themselves professionally and in accordance with the city’s standards, including treating every individual, including those experiencing homelessness, with dignity and respect. Accountability and transparency are essential.”
An investigation remains ongoing.