The following letter is written by Mykul Chretien, a friend of Jeremy Thurber, who was attacked on Santa Monica Blvd approximately two weeks ago. Jeremy has had the support of a number of friends who are helping him heal and he wanted his story to be told. He did not file a police report.
I remember growing up as a kid when life was so carefree. I have always loved to walk everywhere since my childhood days to my current adult life. I walked the streets from home, to my favorite places, and I felt safe—with little worry back in the day. I’ve lived in some of the best, busiest cities in California throughout the years: San Francisco, Downtown Los Angeles, and now West Hollywood. But after what happened a few weeks ago, I prefer not to walk alone at night. It’s just scary! On January 5th, someone very close to me experienced the unexpected and the unthinkable. You never think it will happen to you, but it happened to Jeremy Thurber.
Jeremy is a talented singer/songwriter who has been living in West Hollywood for the past sixteen years. Well-known and loved by the entire WeHo community, he’s had long lasting relationships with best friends, celebrities, fans, acquaintances and most of the local business owners. Jeremy knew and was loved by everyone—except the evil people who beat him unconscious for no reason and left him to wake up in a pool of his own blood. Ever since, we’ve both been forced to be more on guard, maintaining extreme awareness of surroundings and feeling uncomfortable, scared to walk alone at night. Jeremy himself is experiencing mental anguish and will be traumatized for life. He will no longer feel or be the same. This type of violent incident impacts the victim forever. In a city we both call home, walking the streets of West Hollywood no longer feels safe.
I just happened to spend the night at the ranch in Agoura Hills the day before. I fell asleep early that night and woke up to find something was very wrong. I roll over and check my phone for the time. It was 9:23am. I scroll down to see I had 37 missed calls from Jeremy. I quickly called him back and all 6 of my calls went straight to voicemail leaving my mind racing: what possibly could be wrong? I barely gathered any of my belongings at the ranch, even leaving my dog, and rushed home to try to figure out: what was the urgency for all the calls? How will I find him? Who will I call? What should I do?
He’s always lived somewhere in the heart of WeHo within walking distance of all the popular places, restaurants and bars. He walked to them all the time. There was never a reason to not feel safe. It’s natural to assume that nobody would want to harm another person without some sort of provocation. But in the past year, the number of random unprovoked attacks has been rising. Jeremy never thought something like that could happen to him. It was so unexpected.
When he woke up in a pool of his own blood on the sidewalk of Santa Monica Blvd he felt lost, scared, and confused with no answers to why this happened to him or what even happened. He called me and friends many times frantically until his phone died. He managed to pick himself up, but then saw no one to offer help. It was only about 12:30am and we questioned what was going on with our community? Jeremy is a handsome, 6’2” blonde man with bleach blonde hair and pink tips that you can’t miss. How and why did no one stop to help?
He staggered down the sidewalk in search of safety, but he didn’t go far—his vision was off: he would see flashes, blurriness. Like in the movies, he recalled quick, disappearing images of his whereabouts in bursts of fuzzy snapshots. While feeling so numb, dizzy, cold and not knowing where to go, or what to do next. Suddenly a blurred vision of the Westbourne Street sign appeared in front of him. Everything was still hard to see and unclear. He then remembers I live one street over, on Huntley. He knew if he could just get there, he could feel and be safe with me. But I was not home.
That morning when I got back home, as I walked up to my door, I noticed the door and the windows looked unusually dirty. As I get closer, I see it’s not dirt. It’s more red than brown. Then I realize it’s dry blood! My mind instantly starts racing with crazy thoughts. I lean to look into the window, stressing as I think to myself, “What has happened here? Is there someone inside? What should I do? Do I call 911?” Countless thoughts I couldn’t keep up with passed through my mind so fast. Looking inside, I now notice there is someone in my bed. I see a head with blonde bleach hair. I think to myself, “Oh my god! That’s Jeremy in my bed!” I opened the door, which felt like it was in slow motion, and thought, “Is he alive?!” I got closer and thankfully he moved! “He is alive!” I thought to myself with the biggest relief!
Then I noticed his face, his head, and arms. Blood is everywhere. I go to the bathroom sink, heat the water, then wet a washcloth. I go back to the bed and gently sit down beside him and I start cleaning the blood off his face and try to wake him. I then ask, “Are you okay? What happened? Do I call the Police?” He opens his eyes and looks at me and I can see he is so scared, confused, lost, but at the same time relieved I’m there and that he is alive.
It took a few days for him to piece the story together and some parts are still unclear. It has taken almost two weeks for him to physically recover. He will never be or feel the same after this. It’s a shame something like this would happen to anyone. We never think it would happen to us or someone we love. But it does! I can say that this is a reality check for Jeremy, myself and everyone close to him. There are horrible people out there and we need to be more aware that this can happen to any one of us.
How does someone 6’2″ and well built lose a fight on Santa Monica Blvd, has he had any training at all ❓ I ask this as someone who trained in Boxing🥊 and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu🥋 having WON numerous fights on the streets in South and East LA. My problem’s with the LAPD🐷 SWAT team threatening to shoot me dead on the spot with their weapons drawn if I “try anything ❗ ” YES random unprovoked attacks increased because, gentrification has removed working people able to stand up to bullies and, seriously fight them.
Get these male breeders out of weho NOW
I am flabbergasted I missed the Part at the top at first that said ‘police weren’t called’ I just inferred it from the article and then I looked at the crime reports and nothing was called and then I went back to the article and they made a point to say that he didn’t call the police? AND He said it was a hate crime, but he doesn’t remember anything? I would truly hope he would report it so they could pull footage and get a description but you’re absolutely correct. Something is strange from the way this is written.
Sadly, this has become more of the norm in West Hollywood under the current troika of morons – Hamas Byers, Erickson, and Hang – running the city. After owning businesses in West Hollywood since 1995 (and living here most of the period since 1993), about 6 months ago, I had to move my last business out of WeHo (and into Beverly Hills). The final straws were when employees of mine were being called “faggot,” an African-American woman was called the “N” word, and a swastika was painted on the retaining wall in front of my former office. Indeed, I contacted… Read more »
I live in West Hollywood and I carry my taser with me every time I leave the house.
Like house keys, you have too. Our leaders are too worried about Drag awards and Rainbow sidewalks instead of basic safety.
I carry a knife.
I am sorry to hear what happened to this fellow.Walking late at night is becoming unsafe and inadvisable for a city such as West Hollywood. Several years ago when visiting, I felt safe in the city walking alone, but now I wouldn’t do it.There are too many criminals and homeless people wanting to hurt innocent people.This is all the more senseless as nothing was taken form this fellow.Someone wanted to have a good time beating up somebody who just wanted to meet up with friends. Everyone needs to keep aware of their surroundings while out and about,day or night.It might… Read more »
I think it is very interesting that this happened knowing this person has had bad dealings in the past has a serious drug problem with cocaine and has asked many people in the community to help pay his bills and rent money when he spends all of his money on vapes and drugs I would say he is known within the community, but not on a professional level more on a sloppy bartender level, he has been fired from most of the bars on the strip and he brings nothing to the table other than drugs and cheap drinks. I’m… Read more »
I stumbled home one night too after getting popped on the head. Glad you are healing to tell the story –
What?
Dude why don’t you go to sheriff
This is simply awful.
Wishing Jeremy a full and fast recovery.
Sorry, but it’s stupid that nobody called the cops.
Thank a liberal voter every time you hear of a story like this or have to ring a bell to buy anything at CVS bc it’s all behind glass
You are so right. My heart breaks for Jeremy. Thank God he survived this senseless brutal attack. It may seem like the liberals have compassion but they don’t. Why would they ignore the laws and refuse to prosecute dangerous individuals that make all of us live in fear. Why do they want to defund the police. The policies of the left do not solve problems.
We need Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass to come in and fix Weho.
That was untrue & unnecessary. So tired of Republiturds mouthing off without facts.
But this is Trump’s fault
But we spent $500k on a 10 day skating rink? Thought that was supposed to solve all our issues!!!
Infuriating.
So Erickson and Byers can post pictures to their IG, we being governed by young teenage intellect. I dunno, last I heard John said we safe? Waiting for ASB to say the same, oh wait, she may not, there still cars on the street, there still people eating meat, maybe she won’t.