Mob beating at Hollywood nightclub kills father of 2 who took care of his grandmother
After a brutal mob attack left a nightclub security guard dead, police have no suspects and little information about the deadly incident.
The Los Angeles Police Department responded to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon around 2 a.m. Sunday in the 6500 block of Santa Monica Boulevard, the department said in a news release. Arriving officers found a man lying unconscious in the street and not breathing, the LAPD said.
He was identified by a relative as Daniel Sandifer, a father of two who also was his grandmother’s primary caretaker.
A group of seven to 11 men confronted Sandifer, who police said was working as a security guard at Dragonfly Hollywood nightclub. The mob, all of whom were in their 20s, kicked and stomped Sandifer after he tripped and fell into the street, authorities said. It wasn’t immediately clear what prompted the assault.
Police say the guard had been involved in a verbal altercation with a group of people outside the Dragonfly on Santa Monica. Then it turned violent.
After the attack, the group ran west on Santa Monica Boulevard and then south on Hudson Avenue, police said.
Paramedics with the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived to tend to the victim, but Sandifer died from his injuries, authorities said.
Police told KTLA-TV Channel 5 they do not know whether the initial confrontation between the guard and the group of men began inside or outside the club. On Saturday night, the venue hosted rapper Tee Grizzley, according to the club’s Instagram account. The event was scheduled to start at 10 p.m.
Evette Sandifer confirmed her cousin was the man killed in the attack. She said she last saw him about two months ago at a family funeral and understood that he had worked as a security guard for a few years. He was a father to two preteen daughters and took care of his grandmother, who is in her 70s, Evette Sandifer said.
She said he was a hardworking man who dedicated his time to his grandmother, who is in hospice care. It wasn’t clear who would be able to identify his body or make funeral arrangements, Sandifer said, because most of her cousin’s family live outside California and his grandmother is ill.
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner had not confirmed the victim’s name as of Monday morning.
Evette Sandifer said she can’t imagine why police don’t have a single suspect out of such a large group of attackers.
“I’m sure the club provided some footage. That’s on them, but everybody has cellphones nowadays,” Sandifer said when reached by The Times on Monday. “We need to get some suspects and hold them accountable.”
Anyone with information can contact the LAPD’s West Bureau Homicide Division at (213) 382-9470.
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