Video posted to the Nextdoor app shows a West Hollywood Security Ambassador sucker-punching a homeless man at West Hollywood Park — hitting him from behind in the head while the man had no idea it was coming.
The footage, filmed by a bystander at the park on San Vicente near Santa Monica Boulevard, captured the February 15 incident in full. The ambassador throws the first punch to the back of the man’s head. The victim spins around, staggers, tries to cover up. More punches land. He nearly hits the ground before a second ambassador rushes in and physically drags his colleague away.
Nobody else stepped in. Bystanders watched.
Photo credit: Ian Henderson via Nextdoor
Allied Universal, the private security company contracted to run the program for the city, confirmed the ambassador has been pulled from patrol while they investigate. “The Security Ambassadors program is designed to enhance safety in West Hollywood,” a city spokesperson said in a statement. “Ambassadors are expected to conduct themselves professionally and in accordance with the city’s standards, including treating every individual, including those experiencing homelessness, with dignity and respect.”
What started the confrontation isn’t known. Neither Allied Universal nor the city has said whether the Sheriff’s Department is involved.
Not the Program’s First Rodeo
The program started in 2013. Unarmed workers, uniforms, foot patrols — a cheaper way to put bodies on the street without paying for sworn deputies. For a while it was fine. Then in 2022 the city council voted to add 30 more positions, bringing the total to around 85, and cut Sheriff’s Department funding to do it. Residents weren’t happy about that trade.
WEHOonline had a source inside Block by Block that year who laid out what the hiring process actually looked like. A guard card. A drug test. That was pretty much it. Bikes broke and stayed broken. Walkie-talkies didn’t work or weren’t available. We reported it all at the time.
Then in 2023 two ambassadors got filmed making out with women on the corner of Santa Monica and La Jolla during a shift. Block by Block opened an investigation.
The city pulled Block by Block’s contract in 2025. No explanation was given publicly. Allied Universal came in as the replacement after a staff-run bidding process that played out with almost no transparency. The old workers got termination letters in July with no job protections and no wage guarantees if they reapplied to Allied. Three of them talked to WEHOonline before the switch. They described supervisors building group chats to monitor employees’ personal social media, most ambassadors sitting at kiosks all day rather than patrolling, and shift coverage that seemed to prioritize city staff comfort over neighborhood safety. Read their accounts here. Allied took over October 1st in their black and yellow uniforms meant to be more visible than the previous blue.
That was four months ago.
Same Park, Three Weeks Apart
January 29th, a man known as Saint left a bar near The Abbey and got surrounded and stomped by a group inside West Hollywood Park. Ambassadors were there. Contractually they can’t get physical, so they stood by and called LASD. Saint was kicked in the face and head repeatedly while it played out.
February 15th is a different situation. Nobody’s asking why an ambassador didn’t jump in to help. The question is why one of them threw a sucker punch at a homeless man who had no idea it was coming and couldn’t have defended himself if he tried.
WEHOonline has reached out to Allied Universal for comment.
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This “ambassador” need to spend some time in prison. Maybe then he’ll realize he’s not god.
Block By Block leaders who stayed with Allied got promoted, they are like gang.
This is why we need law enforcement. In general allied security must refrain from this type of aggression or show empathy for someone that is homeless even if this person may be a nuisance or loitering or uncooperative. Be empathetic and get police or the mental health response team. More so, this person was unaware of a strike that actually could have been lethal. Sucker punching someone if they pose no threat or harm should not happen to anyone—homeless or not! Ironically though, allied security patrol members can’t intervene when someone is stomped on or being assaulted 20-50 feet from… Read more »
What led up to this? 2 sides to every story.
Said it before, West Hollywood is run by kids.
Another waste of taxpayers’ money. Dump them. Hire more sheriffs.
The so-called security ambassador approached this man from the rear and beat him to a pulp. If ICE were in WeHo doing that you can bet your sweet patootie that Erickson, Byers and Hang would be holding a press conference to denounce and scream ICE out of WeHo. When it comes to their precious security ambassador FAILURE of a program, they are silent. #alliedoutofweho
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An attorney needs to represent this man/victim and sue the City of West Hollywood for battery and negligence. This kind of bs is exactly why the ambassador program must be retired immediately and the process of hiring sheriff deputies begun.
Just check who is in charge at Allied… all former Block by Block supervisors…
Allied Universal (formerly Allied-Barton) and its subsidiary G4S Secure Solutions provide armed security, transportation, and monitoring services for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They are the parent company of our security ambassadors
That’s truly shocking to learn, most interested to see whether the parent co. was ever vetted by anyone in charge at the city – You know, simple due diligence, like the food you eat, car you drive, dog you adopt, neighborhood or city you choose to live in, etc.
How much disgusting behavior can fit into one article? You have a security ambassador committing crimes rather than help deter them? You have a corrupt contractor hiring criminals and morons when they are interested with the safety of West Hollywood citizens? You have a corrupt city council getting kickback from whoever the contractor is who’s keeping the money From West Hollywood taxpayers and hiring idiots for a staff? You have a program that is completely ineffectual in deterring crime or doing anything about it once it occurs? I don’t blame the criminal staff, or the other criminals, or the sheriff… Read more »
Where’s a social worker when you need one?!!!
Addtionally from the video doesnt look like this guy did anything to provoke this behavior! WTF is happening to this city?!?
OMG. This guy keeps to himself usually around La Cienega / Holloway or by Westbourne.
These ambassadors SUCK! 99% of the time they Do NOTHING other than just talk like they in a lunch room cafeteria and walk the streets and turn their head to things happening around them.
Have you actually verified who is currently responsible for managing the Allied account? The operation is currently overseen with the same Block by Block personnel still in place, from Operational Manager to team leads…essentially the same team leads as before. they are like a gang. Employees are operating without radios, which raises serious safety concerns, and the overall operation shows clear signs of disorganization