VIDEO: Skaters clash with police for tagging skate park during vigil

COSTA MESA, Calif. (FOX 11) - Hundreds of skaters were involved in an angry standoff with police Sunday night after they said officers kicked them out of a Costa Mesa skate park during a vigil.

"A lot of cops started coming and they were trying to get everyone to leave and everybody was trying to stay be here for Daniel," Anjela Quiroz said.

Daniel Moya is the 20-year old skater who friends said died Sunday morning of unknown causes.

Police said officers were called to the park when some people in the crowd started tagging it and defacing city property. When officers responded, they said the crowd grew hostile.

"The first officer that arrived on scene was encircled by between one and two hundred skaters," Lt. Greg Scott, Costa Mesa Police Department, said. "The crowd became hostile, they were yelling profanities and acting out."

Videos posted to social media show a mob of angry skaters facing off with police, yelling and banging skateboards.

Dave Moya, Daniel's father said, emotions were already running high. "They were here celebrating his life so they wanted to be left alone to do that," Moya said.

According to witnesses, the vigil was peaceful before police arrived.

Officers arrested a 17-year-old and two men, Josue Rivera was also hit with a taser. "It was way too much," Rivera said. He was hospitalized before he was arrested.

"It was very appropriate and very measured the police response," Scott said. "The response was actually activated in order to ensure the welfare of not only the hostile people, but the surrounding people."

The graffiti forced the closure of the park Monday as crews cleaned it up.

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