A man on a bicycle was murdered when he was assaulted in Downtown Los Angeles early this morning.
According to My News LA, the victim was riding near the intersection of Seventh and Flower in DTLA when he was pulled off his bike by an unknown assailant, striking his head on the pavement.
He died at the scene.
There’s no word on whether his bicycle or anything else was taken, or if there was some other reason for the attack. Or any reason at all.
KTLA-5 identifies the victim only as a man in his 30s.
Anyone with information is urged to call 877/527-3247.
This is at least the 36th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 13th that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County. It’s also the eighth in the City of Los Angeles.
Update: The victim has been identified as 28-year old Duarte resident Oscar Gaytan.
Update 2: Gayton’s family reports he had attended a game at Dodger Stadium, and was likely headed to the nearby Metro station to catch a train home when he was attacked.
Police are looking for a suspect described only as a man in his 30s.
A crowdfunding page to help pay funeral expenses for the professional nurse has raised slightly less than $10,000 of the $25,000 goal.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Oscar Gaytan and his loved ones.
Was he wearing a helmet? None of the news stories have mentioned this, maybe because it seems insensitive… but it seems really important. Biking is dangerous, even without psychos on the street pushing you. Such a fall could have been due to a pothole, or car, or gravel in the road. Helmets save lives, and should be the law in California.