Argument Over Long Beach LGBTQ+ Event Escalates Online, Ends With Arrest

What started as a heated Instagram comment section over two events happening at Horny Corner eventually led to an arrest after Long Beach police determined one of the comments crossed the line into a criminal threat.

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Adrian Morales

Adrian Morales covers breaking news, public safety, and community stories across Long Beach for Long Beach Classic.

The second annual Big Gay Floatilla was scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 8 at Horny Corner in Belmont Shore. The gathering invited members of the LGBTQ+ community and supporters to bring their floats, hang out at the beach and spend the day together.

Long Beach Classic shared the event on Instagram late Sunday, Aug. 2, as we regularly do with events happening around the city.

But there was another major event happening at Horny Corner that same weekend.

The 19th annual Beach Water Polo Cup was taking place Aug. 8 and 9 at Alamitos Bay and Horny Corner. The competition brings water polo players, including youth athletes, along with families and spectators to the beach.

The Floatilla was scheduled to begin at noon, while the water polo competition would already be underway.

That overlap became a major part of the conversation underneath the Long Beach Classic post.

Some commenters questioned having the Floatilla in the same area while the water polo competition was happening. Some brought up the number of children and families expected to be there. Others argued that Horny Corner is a public beach and the Floatilla had every right to take place there.

As the comments went back and forth, the conversation got increasingly heated.

There were also comments that had nothing to do with scheduling and were simply negative or hateful toward gay people.

Then one person took things much further.

A comment referencing a .357 prompted concern

One Instagram user commented that they were going to “pull up,” referenced a .357 and described projectiles traveling toward people. The comment also said the weapon could “take a head clean off.”

The following morning, Floatilla organizer Sal Flores reached out to Long Beach Classic about what was being said underneath the post.

We had not seen everything happening in the comment section overnight. Long Beach Classic content currently receives millions of views each month and a large volume of comments, so we don’t see every comment as it’s posted.

Once Flores brought the situation to our attention and we reviewed the comments, we removed the post.

Flores also spoke publicly about the comments and his concerns surrounding the event.

Meanwhile, Long Beach police were getting involved.

Police arrest a 26-year-old Garden Grove man

According to the Long Beach Police Department, officers became aware of the social media event and comments on Aug. 3.

Police said some of the comments contained threatening language and investigators determined that one rose to the level of a criminal threat under California Penal Code 422.

Detectives identified the suspect as Richard Alexis Castillo, a 26-year-old Garden Grove resident.

Castillo was arrested Aug. 6 and taken to Long Beach City Jail, where he was booked on suspicion of making criminal threats. His bail was set at $50,000.

“Seeing threats of violence on social media diminish the feeling of safety in our community,” Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish said in announcing the arrest. “We take all threats seriously and are committed to holding suspects accountable.”

Police said the case would be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Castillo’s arrest does not mean he has been convicted, and it will ultimately be up to prosecutors to determine what criminal charges to file.

LBPD did not publicly identify the Big Gay Floatilla by name in its announcement, referring to it only as a community event scheduled for Aug. 8. NBC4 Los Angeles later covered the Floatilla and the threats surrounding it.

The Big Gay Floatilla still happened

Despite the comments and concerns leading up to Saturday, organizers decided to move forward with the Floatilla.

The gathering was moved farther down Horny Corner, away from the area where the water polo competition was taking place.

LBPD also announced ahead of Saturday that there would be an increased police presence at the event.

Ultimately, the Floatilla went forward, as did the Beach Water Polo Cup.

The context behind how everything started is important because much of the attention afterward understandably focused on the alleged threat and arrest.

The original comment section wasn’t entirely people attacking an LGBTQ+ event. A major part of the initial argument was over two events happening at Horny Corner at the same time.

That discussion then turned into arguments over the LGBTQ+ gathering itself. Some comments became hateful, people argued back and forth, and eventually one person allegedly took it far enough that police opened an investigation and made an arrest.

People can disagree about an event, its location or what they want their families around. People can also disagree with those opinions.

Threatening violence is something entirely different.

And in this case, Long Beach police say at least one of the comments went far enough to become a criminal matter.

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