This is one of those stories you know you shouldn’t laugh at, but you just can’t help yourself. A Los Angeles man was arrested on Saturday after he allegedly opened fire at naked cyclists during an annual downtown bike ride.
His weapon? A BB gun.
He allegedly gave two people minor wounds near the start of the 19th annual World Naked Bike Ride, which has sparked debates on social media about public decency laws.
The shooting started around 11 a.m. on June 27 near Temple and Alameda streets in downtown Los Angeles. A man dressed all in black rode a scooter up to the gathering and opened fire, striking two adult males who suffered lacerations. They did not require a hospital visit.
NBC Los Angeles identified the suspect as Edward Sherpa and that he was under the influence when he carried out the shooting. He had face tattoos because of course he did. Police arrested the suspect near a federal building after he fled the scene.
Police confirmed the arrest and said they are investigating possible charges. LAPD spokesman Officer Charles Miller said, “Two adult males were shot and treated for lacerations at the scene” but that it is “not confirmed whether the victims were participating in the naked bike ride.”
A Los Angeles man has been arrested after allegedly firing a BB gun at naked cyclists riding through downtown Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/fZi6g9WjiR
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 29, 2026
Reactions have been intense, with many users questioning whether it is appropriate to have a bunch of naked, sweaty, people parading through downtown Los Angeles on bicycles. Commenters asked why participants were not cited for indecent exposure, especially with families and children nearby.
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Bikers in the buff take to LA streets for World Naked Bike Ride https://t.co/fMI0NVj0ZQ pic.twitter.com/ONzx1mLhb7
— New York Post (@nypost) June 28, 2026
The event was the Los Angeles edition of the World Naked Bike Ride, an international grassroots event held each year in dozens of cities to promote positive body image, cycling as safe transportation, opposition to fossil fules, and other such nonsense. It’s a way for people to go out in public in their birthday suits while riding bicycles.
The motive behind the shooting is unclear. Perhaps the guy was just in a bad mood. Maybe he doesn’t like seeing naked people flying through the streets. But the event does raise questions about how a local government should handle public nudity — even when it’s organized.
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