Southern California (Thechieftainspear) – A disturbing incident at a Los Angeles Ralphs grocery store is under investigation after a group of teens on bicycles stormed the store, released pepper spray, and later harassed a married couple outside. The chaos unfolded on the evening of April 19 at the Ralphs located at Vermont Avenue and Adams Boulevard, just blocks from the University of Southern California.
According to Ryan Benson, one of the victims, he and his husband were sitting in their car in the parking lot when the teens began targeting them after ransacking the store.
“They surrounded our car, shouting slurs and asking, ‘You guys gay?’” Benson told KTLA. “They threw bottles, hit the car, and made us feel completely trapped.”
Inside the grocery store, the teens ignored security personnel, grabbed merchandise, and unleashed pepper spray, causing panic among customers and employees.
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“There was so much pepper spray in the air that everyone was coughing and covering their faces,” Benson said. “It was chaos.”
Benson shared that the couple’s car was left heavily damaged, with broken windows, cracked windshields, and multiple dents — repairs that will cost thousands of dollars.
The Los Angeles Police Department is looking into whether this group may be connected to other recent incidents, including a January vandalism attack in Mid-Wilshire and the February beating of a pedestrian near Beverly Hills. Investigators are also probing ties to a series of convenience store lootings.
Despite the seriousness of the attack, no arrests have been made as of yet. Benson posted video footage of the encounter online, which has since drawn attention. He also noted that he’s received threats from individuals he believes were part of the group.
“These kinds of attacks can’t be brushed aside just because the people involved are young,” Benson said. “What happened was dangerous and terrifying.”
