2 Lifeguards Beaten by Gang at State Beach : Violence: A gun was taken from one of the park peace officers after they attempted to break up a fight at Bolsa Chica. Police arrested 11 suspects.

Two lifeguards at Bolsa Chica State Beach were beaten and one had his gun stolen Saturday night when they attempted to break up a fight among gang members, police said.

Police arrested 11 suspects and are seeking several others in the brawl, which erupted when the lifeguards attempted to arrest a man who had been in an earlier fight.

One lifeguard is in stable condition at a Long Beach hospital where he was taken by helicopter, according to police.

“They are keeping an eye on him, just to make sure nothing serious develops,” said Lt. Louis Ochoa of the Huntington Beach Police. The second lifeguard was treated at Pacifica Hospital.

Both suffered blows to the head in the brawl, which began when they investigated the report of a gang fight in a beach parking lot restroom at 11:15 p.m.

While attempting to arrest one gang member, the lifeguards were attacked by about 15 others who wrestled them to the ground, kicked and pummeled them, and beat them with their own batons, police said.

A third lifeguard and several bystanders were instrumental in stopping the assaults. Other bystanders called police, who blocked street exits to the beach and arrested two suspects; nine others were arrested later based on vehicle and other descriptions.

“Most are from the El Monte-Baldwin Park area and are believed to be affiliated with Los Angeles County gangs,” according to Ochoa, who said it was not unusual for Los Angeles County gang members to use the state beach.

“We see them down here all the time, especially in the summer,” he said. “We’ve had trouble with them before, but last night is by far one of the most serious incidents.”

Unlike lifeguards at county-run beaches, those who patrol Bolsa Chica are state park peace officers and are authorized to carry guns and make arrests, although their official title is “lifeguard.”

The Huntington Beach Police provide assistance and follow-up investigations of serious crimes that occur at the state-run beach. There have been other incidents of assaults and occasional gang fights at the beach in recent years.

Ochoa praised witnesses for helping police in the face of threats of retaliation from the gang members. “Without them we couldn’t have made so many arrests this quickly,” he said.

“At first it looked like they were here just to enjoy the beach,” said one witness who asked not to be identified.

“They had their families with them and it seemed like a peaceful gathering, although some of them had had a lot to drink,” said another witness. “Then all of a sudden this huge fight broke out. The lifeguards were chasing one guy on foot through the parking lot when the rest of the gang members attacked them.”

“I came came upon all this right after it happened,” said Eddie Herrera, a nurse’s aide who stayed to help the injured lifeguards. “This really makes me mad. . . . The lifeguards were just trying to break up a fight and keep the people who attacked them from getting hurt.”

Times staff writer David Avila contributed to this story.