Five students accused of being part of a mob of over 30 people who attacked two Marines during a beach high school party have been handed hefty charges, with the family of one saying their brother is facing two felony counts.
The 16-year-old student is one of those arrested Tuesday for allegedly attacking two Marines in San Clemente, Calif. over the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Orange County Sheriff’s Office arrested five people — four boys and one girl — for assault with a deadly weapon after a now-viral video captured a mob of teens stomping and kicking Marine Hunter Antonino and two other unnamed servicemen on May 26 at the San Clemente Pier.
A family member of one of those facing charges spoke to The Post and confirmed their sibling is facing two felony counts over the assault.
The brother, who did not want to be named to protect his family, refuted claims his sibling had anything to do with the fight and claimed they had actually been injured during the melee.
“I just feel it’s so unfair to go after someone who would never hurt anyone and was just at the wrong place at the wrong time,” said the family member. “My [sibling] is a really good person, a great student, and has never been in trouble before.”
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer declined to comment on the case because juveniles are involved.
“Violence of any kind will not be tolerated by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and acts of violence committed by anyone regardless of age will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Spitzer said in a statement released Thursday night.
Kimberly Edds, a spokeswoman for the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, told The Post Friday afternoon none of the five teens have been charged as adults, as had been rumored to be the case.
Edds would not comment further if cases against the juveniles already have been filed, or what specific charges they are facing.
Sources, however, told The Post the teens appeared in court on Friday and were held in custody for hours.
Students and parents who spoke to The Post allege Antonino and the two other Marines were drunk and had been roughhousing with the teens.
In the viral video, one of the servicemen is seen walking up some steps when someone in the crowd yelled, “Get the f—k out of here” before a boy punches the serviceman in the back of the head.
The Marine then turns around and lunges into a group of about 30 people, with Antonino following.
The group reacts and punches and kicks the servicemen, who drop to the ground and crouch in a fetal position as blows and kicks from the crowd rain down on them.
“This is considered an assault with a deadly weapon because of the amount of suspects we are investigating,” Sgt. Frank Gonzalez of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department told KCAL News.
“The weapons that were used were their feet while these victims were on the ground.”
Antonino also told the local TV station that the mob of teens attacked him and his friends after they asked the group to stop setting off fireworks.
However, students told The Post the Marines were visibly drunk and did not approach them about the fireworks.
“We tried to get away, but [the Marines] were the ones who followed us,” said one student who was at the May 26 party that started at T-Street Beach.
Additional videos shared on social media captured Antonino playing cards with the teens before the now-viral beatdown.
In one video, Antonino passes a half-empty Fireball whiskey bottle to another young partygoer, who takes a swig before handing it back.
Antonino refuted the video footage and told The Post, “None of my friends were passing out anything.”
Another video showed a shirtless Antonino grappling with another Marine, then dropping a drink before pushing a teen in the crowd of about 30 to 40 people.
The five teens arrested in connection to the Marines’ attack all attend San Clemente High School, sources told The Post.
