3 Reputed Skinheads Held After Man Beaten in Park

Three reputed skinheads were arrested early Wednesday after they allegedly beat and kicked a Laguna Beach man in a public park and then stole his skateboard, police said.

Police arrested the suspects, two of whom had recently been paroled from state prison, a few minutes after the attack shortly after midnight at Alta Laguna Park.

Paramedics treated the 24-year-old victim, whose name was withheld, for a broken nose, cuts and scratches.

The attack occurred after the victim and three friends, two men and a woman, called out to a group of women in the park, located at the northern end of Alta Laguna Boulevard. It was unclear what they said, according to police.

Shortly afterward, the suspects, who were with the women, shouted a profanity. Then, according to police, the suspects ran at the victim and shouted, “We’re white supremacists. We own this place.”

One of the suspects punched the victim, knocking him to the ground, police said. The other two punched him and kicked him with their boots, police said.

One of the victim’s friends ran to a pay telephone and called police with a description of the suspects, who had gotten into a car, police said. Officers stopped the car a few blocks away.

Investigators said they did not know why the attack occurred. The suspects refused to talk to investigators, said Capt. William Cavenaugh.

“Right now it looks like some guys came over and beat on the little guy,” Cavenaugh said.

Arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon were: Andrew Michael George, 19, address unknown; Erick Lee Dunn, 23, of La Habra, and Patrick Duain O’Donnell, 18, of Fullerton. George and Dunn were paroled earlier this year from state prison, where they were sent after burglary convictions, according to the state Department of Corrections.