Homeless men attacked innocent dog walker in San Diego's Ocean Beach neighborhood

Shocking video shows the moment an innocent dog walker was left unable to work after being jumped by a group of homeless individuals in San Diego's Ocean Beach neighborhood. 

Resident and anesthetist nurse, Woody Boethel, 50, was violently punched and kicked by at least four men who asked him for money as he was walking his dog last month.

Police say one of the men has since been arrested, but residents in the area say they still fear the growing number of similar incidents among the area's homeless population. 

'I told them to leave me alone or there's going to be a huge problem, not just that night, but for the rest of the time because we're not going to tolerate this anymore in this town,' Boethel told NBC San Diego. 

The shocking video shows four men attacking Woody Boethel as he walked his dog through San Diego's Ocean Beach neighborhood

The unprompted attack took place on November 18 along Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach, a typically vibrant street with local shops and restaurants. 

Dajour Hardaway, 24, has sincce been arrested and booked into the San Diego County Jail while arrest warrants have been issued for the other suspects in the case. 

Video of the attack was shared with local media by the owner of Hodad's, the restaurant where Boethel was jumped in front of. 

Boethel had been walking his dog, seen in the video, along Newport Avenue when the four individuals asked him for money, which he said 'no' to. 

The group then turned violent, reigning down punches and kicks, even kicking the dog as they went to kick Boethel, a nurse anesthetist who said he was unable to work after sustaining a hand injury in the attack. 

The dog even attempts to stop the group of men, barking and biting at them repeatedly. At one point, Boethel is dragged back by the neck, ramming into a car.

Boethel (red jacket) was repeatedly punched and kicked by the group of men in the video

The dog with Boethel attempted to intervene in the fight several times, even getting kicked by one of the attackers at one point

The victim was dragged back by the neck and rammed into a car on the street 

'I thought I was going to die... my life was in danger,' Boethel told CBS 8. 'They encircled me, and I said, 'You better leave me the bleep alone... I just want to go home".' 

Residents and business owners say incidents like this are not isolated, either.  

'This is becoming commonplace in OB, which is really unfortunate,' Hodad's manager Chris Saltzman told local media.

'During business hours we're having fights break out and issues occur all the time.'

Woody Boethel sustained an injury to his hand during the attack and it left him unable to work

'The city needs to take control of the situation. Todd Gloria, Jen Campbell — This is lawlessness. It's out of control,' Boethel said of the city's mayor and councilwoman. 

In a release to local media, San Diego Police Department Lt. Adam Sharki said the matter is under investigation and they are  working to ensure the city and its residents are safe. 

'We understand why this incident is distressing to our community. The video is difficult to watch,

'The San Diego Police Department will continue to quickly respond to calls for service and work proactively to keep our neighborhoods safe. This is an active investigation. 

While the suspects in this attack currently remain at large, our detectives have identified persons of interest and are working to build a case against those involved,' said in a November statement. 

This is the spot outside Hodad's restaurant in Ocean Beach where a man was brutally attacked by a group of homeless men 

The attack comes as the city and the state in general experience a homeless crisis of mass proportions. 

In February, San Diego County's Regional Task Force on Homelessness reported an estimated 8,400 homeless individuals throughout the city, while some estimates indicate California has as many as 174,000 unhoused individuals throughout the state. 

By comparison, in 2015, the state had roughly 115,000 residents who did not have a stable place to live.  

'We have to solve this rotting core in the center of California, which is that we are a million units short of housing for extremely low-income workers,' said Margot Kushel, director of the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative. 

California has as many as 174,000 unhoused individuals throughout the state 

In 2015, the state had roughly 115,000 residents who did not have a stable place to live 

On Monday, less than 24 hours into office, newly elected Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a state of emergency, fulfilling a campaign promise to take action on the homeless epidemic on her first day in office. 

In a news release sent out by her office Monday, the Democrat mayor confirmed the declaration had been issued as she looks to ease the increasing number of unhoused individuals in Los Angeles.

Bass said Monday she is 'using the emergency order is our ability to fast-track things.'

She also added 'My mandate is to move Los Angeles in a new direction with an urgent and strategic approach to solving one of our city's toughest challenges and creating a brighter future for every Angeleno.'

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass  declared a state of emergency over the city's ongoing homeless crisis Monday, less than 24 hours into office

In October, Los Angeles city councilmember Joe Buscaino described in horrifying detail to Dr. Phil how kids in his city are forced to 'step over needles' and 'human waste' on their way to school.

The TV doctor discussed on his show a piece of recently passed legislation that is meant to address the dangerous and ever-growing tent cities in LA.

'At a recent Los Angeles city council meeting, members voted to prohibit homeless people from setting up tents within 500 feet of schools and daycare centers,' he said.

But all are not content with the measures being taken to address the city's unwieldy issues with the unhoused population.

'Protesters at one point shut down the meeting, angered by new restrictions that will expand the number of locations where sleeping and camping are prohibited,' he continued.

One mother walks her sons to school near the homeless encampment near Larchmont Charter School in Hollywood

Another mother was seen waling her middle-school aged daughter to school through a Los Angeles homeless encampment

In Sacramento, the state's capital, there were more than 5,000 unsheltered individuals, categorized as those living in vehicles and tents, as of June. 

Another Northern California city, San Francisco, reported just over 4,400 unhoused people.  

The latest numbers are a shock for Sacramento, which has a total population of  525,000 compared to San Francisco’s 874,000. 

Many of the eviction protections in place during the COVID-19 pandemic have also ended, exacerbating the state's ongoing homeless crisis 

Sacramento's homeless population has skyrocketed in recent years, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic 

 In Sacramento, the state's capital, there were more than 5,000 unsheltered individuals as of June 2022