Orinda police are looking for a person suspected of inflicting a life-threatening head injury to a 21-year-old Florida man found outside of a Camino Encinas residence reportedly rented for cash through Airbnb.
Investigators said the incident appears to have occurred in the area where a large party convened Friday evening. The victim was found beaten and unconscious in the parking area of a nearby home at 1:54 a.m. Saturday. The home, reportedly listed on Airbnb for roughly $875-a-night, was paid for in cash by the “hosts,” according to neighbors who declined to give their names.
Other neighbors on the street that night report that Moraga-Orinda Fire District personnel attempted to resuscitate the victim at the scene, initiating CPR soon after he was discovered outside the home, and transported him to John Muir Hospital. Investigators classified the victim’s injuries as “life threatening.”
Reports of “irresponsible driving” and loud music in the area the night of the incident were also provided by neighbors, who said the party – with people largely from Alameda County in attendance – appeared to have been going on for some time before the 21-year-old was found unconscious. Reports that the party went on for some time after the beating could not be confirmed.
Police said they received no calls of any disturbance in the area and were unaware of the partying until they received the call of a person in distress.
The name of the victim was not immediately available though friends writing this site have described him as a football player attending school in Florida.
Camino Encinas was shut down for several hours into Saturday morning while investigators searched for evidence.
A photograph of the suspect (taken from a cellphone) is shown. It was not immediately known if it was taken the night of the incident or at some other time.
The Office of the Sheriff Investigation Division would like to hear from anyone with any information on this incident.
Detectives can be reached at (925) 646-2441. For any tips, please email:tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
As in…. murder?
So not dead?
Was the victim from Orinda or somewhere else?
So sad. What a waste.
Who threw the party?
Did anyone call in the party? Neighbor complaints?
Think this was a car party on the street with a fight that ended up in the parking space of a home there. Thinking some kids were looking for an isolated place to party and load up and something happened. Cell photo looks more San Leandro or San Pablo than one of our locals. What’s the word on his condition?
It’s funny how Matt just made up a random false story from one blurry picture. How about you not assume and wait for the facts ?
Working from the facts presented so far, James. Sorry you don’t like it. Friends in the area say the party did not appear to be at a home in the area so my, yeh OPINION or QUESTION is that maybe it was a mobile party with kids looking for a place to drink etc. Waiting for the ultimate word from detectives along with everyone else but the neighborhood would sure like to know what happened and details have been few. And it may be a red herring but local kids who heard about this said the “party” or whatever it was consisted of people from El Sobrante and elsewhere. You can put a filter on what a teen knows and I do but that seems to be the prevailing information. I wait for it to be disproven.
Where is the injured boy from?
Matt, please tell me what facts pointed to a “car party.” Just because cars were being driven recklessly in the area is factual that it was a car party? It didn’t happen at a parking space at a home.
You cant believe a news article 100% either.
@James – From the fact released so far. there aren’t many homes in that area and the address given is to a doctors complex. Neighbors – who are very concerned and not only because their street was locked down for several hours that morning – say the gathering was not at a house and appeared to be mobile and did involve cars running up and down that street which has several turns and can be hard to navigate. And pjolice at the scene told neighbors the partiers were from all over. so to be careful because you don’t like my words it sounds like it was a gathering of people from outside of the area who got there by car and apparently used them while there. Agreed we’re dealing with the barest of details here but as everything that has been reported has come straight from the sheriff if you’re saying that information should be taken with a dose of salts I would agree. The police release what they need to release.
There’s nothing wrong with asking questions. I have several myself. If I lived on that street which I do not I would be very concerned and asking questions too.
This is very sad. I hope the young man makes it. Orinda Care Center is located at 12 Camino Encinas. I’m more concerned about the young man pulling through and the other young man being held responsible for actions than where anyone is from. We all bleed red.
@Matt: I agree that your scenario is plausible— frankly more plausible than an indoor house party of locals. And, to be honest, if it were locals and something bizarre happened, I think we’d already know more details.
The demographics of Orinda just don’t include many violent 20-somethings (although I’m sure there are some). Orinda is too small for the FBI states, but Lafayette is prob a reasonable proxy (10x safer than neighboring high-crime towns):
http://www.sfchronicle.com/crime/article/U-S-crime-drops-again-but-gains-uneven-in-Bay-6536129.php
I live on the street. 2 doors up. No one knows any details until the police release them. No point assuming.
Orinda is a low crime, non-violent town. But men (of any race or class) especially under the influence of alcohol or drugs can become violent at any time, whether provoked or not. If you really think “this would never happen to our kids,” who would’ve thought a cheerleader would’ve been murdered at Miramonte in the 80s? The suspect (and victim) were white teenage girls from Orinda.
Wow. If someone had been beaten half to death on my street I’d be asking a whole lot of questions about what happened. I’d want to know what happened and why. But that’s just me.
@Danielle: I think we’re just speaking of probabilities and plausibility. Anything is possible, but not all things are equally likely. I’d be willing to bet a decent chunk of money that neither the victim nor the assailant live in Orinda. Any takers?
The police might find a much clearer picture of the suspect from the BevMo security cameras. I’m guessing they stopped there to stock up for their party.
So now we know the victim? here is from Florida. We are interested in any facts as they are released but we also believe it is important to ask questions. I don’t see how you could not given the circumstances. Any word on the persons condition???
So are we, Dina… believe us.
Not our street but we would sure like to know what happened in our town. With the lack of community response I would have to agree that these folks were all from outside of the area and came here for some reason to party or whatever. Updates please………
Does anyone know if people gathering in that area is a normal thing?
Good question. It’s just off the freeway and off the normal neighborhood radar… Police say they received no calls about the gathering until the injury was reported and neighbors contacting us say they were only aware of carloads of “kids” driving up and down the street. Anyone?
Chris, I agree with you. I doubt they’re from Orinda too. What I dislike is SNOBS. Asking questions as a resident of Orinda (or Lamorinda) is normal. Making condescending statements that he looks like he’s from elsewhere is just that. Condescending. Nobody is any better. Some people are just better off. I would like to know what happened too. But I don’t think looking down at others or being in denial about what can happen is Orinda is the answer. Say hi to Susan Polk.
I don’t find the observation that the person or persons depicted in that cellphone photo look like they are from out of town condescending at all. It’s an observation and I had to say when I looked at it I thought it looked like it was taken at an Oakland sideshow. Who’s looking down at anyone? I thought we were trying to figure out what happened.
The victim is a college student from Florida. He is a really good kid who has never been in trouble. I pray that someone comes forward with information. We are all heartbroken and in disbelief that this has happened to him. He is currently in critical condition with severe head injuries. What is the world coming to when a large group of people can witness such brutality inflicted upon a human being and no one responds to help????
@Karen L —- if you are family or a friend our condolences. Many here are wondering what happened that night and ask the same question you ask. The exact nature of circumstances as they unfolded that night remain unknown. Sorry to hear about the extent of this person’s injuries and we are sure his family and friends are stunned and want to know what happened. So do we. Good luck………
According to ABC News 7, they were partying at a 5 bedroom house in Orinda. I think judging someone on their appearance as to “where they might live” (social class) is very condescending. What does an Orinda resident look like anyway? Down to earth people (open minded) are more likeable. Prayers…
This 5 bedroom home in Orinda was a rental. Rented out on Airbnb.com, which offers free rental space (as reputable as craigslist?). Homeowner liability?
The victim is from Florida, and was attending college there for football. He is still fighting for his life to this day and we are praying for a miracle. Thanks for your prayers.
Does anyone know how this group ended up in Orinda?
Danielle is wrong. Sorry. Someone made an observation. Unfortunately we live in a time when such an observation is seen as a slur instead of what it is. I have to say I agreed with the observation — though we don’t know when the photo was taken. People read too much into comments.
Party house rented through Airbnb. Partiers paid cash and most if not all of them were from the other side of the tunnel so Matt pretty much nailed it. Not sure why they chose Orinda but the house was being marketed pretty heavily and it must have sounded appealing. Unsure of the liability in a case like this… Airbnd? Homeowner?
I agree with James, Danielle and S. Making up facts, stereotyping people from grainy pictures and assuming you know everything just makes you look like an idiot. You can’t tell where someone is from by looking at one picture. How stupid and narrow minded some people are. Race has nothing to do with this. Unless you’re a racist.
Who said anything at all about race? No one until you just did. Surprised it was mentioned at all. A previous poster commented on the style of dress shown in a cell phone capture and said nothing at all about race. I think he has been right all along.
Sounds to me like Matt pretty much nailed it.
@Chris – No bet. this story sure went quiet fast…
Any updates on his condition???