Street vendors call for legal program after 3 were beaten, robbed in South LA

SOUTH LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Friends and family of a street vendor asked for the public's help Wednesday to find six people who beat and robbed the man and two other vendors.

Fellow street vendors gathered at the South Los Angeles site of the attack that happened on March 18. They rallied to show support for 54-year-old Pedro Reyes.

Surveillance video captured the attack, where Reyes and two other vendors set up for the day. Reyes suffered serious injuries.

He ended up hospitalized in critical condition with severe injuries to his face.

The attack happened early in the morning. Authorities said four to five men and one woman got out of two vehicles and suddenly attacked. The vendors were beaten and robbed.

The L.A. Street Vendor Campaign is calling on the City Council to create a legal sidewalk vendors program for Los Angeles. They said the council's failure to do so and bring those vendors into the formal economy is putting them at risk for potential harassment and assault.

"We want them to hear our voices and we want them to take action. How many crimes need to happen? Right now it happened to Pedro Reyes, tomorrow who is going to be the next victim? How many victims are we going to go for them to take action?" Sandy Flores said.

Campaign members said there have been numerous street vendors who've been robbed and it's time the city steps up to provide them protection and be part of the city's economy.

As for Reyes, his family said he is back home and recovering, which will take months before he can be 100 percent.