July 5, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Lightning kills 20-year-old man in Venice Beach

AIR7 HD captured this photos of the response to the Venice Beach lightening strike. Twitter/@ABC7
AIR7 HD captured this photo of the response to the Venice Beach lightning strike. Twitter/@ABC7

Lightning strikes in Los Angeles County killed a 20-year-old man in Venice Beach today and injured nine other people, one of them critically, authorities said.

Eight people — seven adults and a 15-year-old said in broadcast reports to be a boy — were hospitalized after lightning struck Venice Beach around 2:20 p.m., said Katherine Main of the Los Angeles Fire Department. Another was struck earlier on Catalina Island, according to the sheriff’s department.

Lt. Larry Dietz of the county coroner’s office said a 20-year-old man was pronounced dead at a hospital after being taken there from Venice Beach.

He was unable to confirm that the deceased victim was a swimmer who, according to the fire department, was in grave condition when pulled from the water and taken to a hospital with CPR in progress.

“The guy wasn’t moving. He wasn’t responding at all,” beachgoer Jesus Zamudio told the Los Angeles Times.

Six people, including the teen, were hospitalized in fair condition and were expected to fully recover, fire officials said.

All victims were believed to be identified, Main said.

City fire paramedics set up a triage and treatment center on the crowded beach near Washington Boulevard.

Thirteen people were assessed, including those who were hospitalized, according to reports from the scene.

Angelica Roquemore, who was visiting the beach with her family from Bakersfield, told The Times the lightning startled fishermen and others on the Venice pier.

“My hair was standing up,” she said.

Roger Davis, who told the newspaper he was inside his home on Ocean Front Walk near Driftwood Street when the lightning struck, said, “The whole place shook.”

He ran outside and saw his neighbor, who is a doctor, administering CPR to a victim, he told The Times.

Mayor Eric Garcetti issued a statement saying he and his wife were praying for the victims.

“This tragedy reminds us that we can take nothing for granted or underestimate the power of nature,” he said.

Also hit by lightning from the same storm, but 90 minutes earlier, was a 57-year-old man struck on a golf course at Avalon, on Santa Catalina Island.

Minor flooding hit Avalon, and at least two brush fires broke out as a thunderstorm hit there at midday today.

“At 12:55 p.m., Doppler radar indicated a line of thunderstorms between the Palos Verdes Peninsula and Catalina, producing locally-heavy rainfall,” the National Weather Service said. “This line of storms was drifting to the northwest at around 10 miles per hour.”

The small number of Los Angeles County firefighters and deputies on the island were scrambling with several simultaneous emergencies at and near Avalon, according to Sgt. Robert Berardi.

The Avalon lightning strike victim was preliminarily identified as a 57-year-old man, who was struck on a golf course. He was in stable condition a deputy at the sheriff’s Avalon Station said.

Two brushfires from lightning strikes were confirmed in the bone-dry back country, “and a couple more were popping up” as the storm moved northwest across the island, Berardi said. They were all put out quickly. Lightning also struck and damaged the exterior house and a car in Redondo Beach, where power outages were reported, according to media accounts.

The thunderstorm had earlier drenched the San Diego coast, and struck Santa Catalina Island at 12:45 p.m. today.

The National Weather Service issued a special marine weather advisory, warning of thunder, lightning, hail and possibly sudden choppy waves.

Thunderstorms are unusual along the Southern California coast because the ocean tends to cool the thermal dynamics required for such storms, NWS officials say.

The storm dissipated as it moved northwest up the coast.

in Crime, News
Related Posts

Michael Madsen, Star of Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, Dies at 67 in Malibu

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Actor Remembered for His Intense Performances and as a Poet  Actor Michael Madsen, known for his distinctive gravelly voice and...

Los Angeles City Council Cracks Down on ‘Disaster Tours’ in Pacific Palisades

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

City Council Bans Commercial Bus Tours in Burn Zone Amid Community Backlash Tour buses that have been operating in fire-ravaged...

Tow Truck Scammers Target Crash Victims Across L.A.: Authorities Warn of Fraud at Accident Scenes

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Officials Urge Drivers to Stay Alert After Collisions as Rogue Operators Demand Inflated Fees  Motorists involved in vehicle accidents are...

Woman Dies After Melrose Store Altercation: LAPD Launches Homicide Investigation

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Critically Injured Young Woman Died July 2, After She was Badly Beaten at Work  The death of a woman critically...

CHP Officer Dies in Culver City Crash: Medical Emergency Suspected Behind Tragic Incident

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Officer lost consciousness while transporting a suspect before crashing into a tree California Highway Patrol Officer Miguel Cano died early...

L.A. Beaches Brace for Holiday Rush: Over 1 Million Visitors Expected This Fourth of July

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

County Officials Urge Beachgoers to Pack Out Their Trash and  Monitor Water Quality More than one million visitors are expected...

(Video) A visit to New York Bagel & Deli in Santa Monica

July 3, 2025

July 3, 2025

Authentic NY Style Bagels with Extra Creamy Cream Cheese and Multi-Cultural Desserts. Located at 2216 Wilshire Blvd. A visit to...

Hot Dogs & Rosé: Something About Her and The Culver Hotel Roll Out Summer Specials

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Westside Venues to Serve Playful Bites and Seasonal Sips For the Holiday Weekend A bold new offering is making its...

NeueHouse Hosts Bold One-Night Dinner With Culinary Phenomenon Diego Argoti

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Acclaimed Chef Brings Culinary Mischief With a Five-Course Tasting Experience. NeueHouse Hollywood will host an exclusive, one-night-only dining event on...

(Video) Legacy, Reimagined: Architecture, Design & Construction by Home Front Build Los Angeles

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Go To Homefrontbuild.com For More Information @home_front_build Legacy, Reimagined: Architecture, Design & Construction by Home Front Build Los Angeles Go...

405 Crash Near the Getty Sends Three to Hospital: Two Seriously Hurt Near Site Where LAPD Sgt. Died

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Early Morning Multi-Vehicle Collision Shut Down Lanes Near Brentwood Three men were injured and traffic was snarled for hours following...

(Video) Jikoni, the AfriCali PopUp from celebrated cookbook author Kiano Moju Has Been Extended Until July 3 at Citizen Public Market

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Bold Flavors and Spice Merge with Crisp, Chewy Chapati. Delicious With a Caring Chef and Staff. Jikoni, the AfriCali PopUp...

Pentagon Orders Troop Drawdown in LA: 150 National Guard Members Reassigned to Wildfire Duty

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Federal Forces Begin Partial Withdrawal From Protest Response as California Leaders Push Back U.S. Northern Command announced Tuesday that 150...

California Highway Patrol Deploys for Independence Day Enforcement Surge

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

All Available Officers to Hit California Highways for Holiday Weekend As Californians gear up for Fourth of July festivities, the...

Court Postpones Arraignment for Driver in Malibu Crash That Killed Four Students

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Fraser Michael Bohm Faces Murder Charges in Fatal PCH Wreck  The arraignment for Fraser Michael Bohm, the 23-year-old man accused...