A teenager has admitted to repeatedly kicking a California sea lion at La Jolla Cove last month in a disturbing attack that went viral on social media.
The U.S. Attorney’s office said Thursday 18-year-old Tyler Muehl of La Jolla pleaded guilty to violating the Marine Mammal Protection act, a misdemeanor that comes with a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
Muehl told prosecutors that late at night on July 22, 2026 he approached the sea lion who was sitting on a sea wall near Point La Jolla and kicked the animal four different times, including twice in the face, the attorney’s office said. When the sea lion tried to escape, Muehl chased the mammal and proceeded to attack.
The ongoing struggle at La Jolla Cove to keep sea lions safe from people has taken a dangerous turn. Video taken earlier this week appears to show a person attacking a California sea lion late Wednesday night. The video has gone viral on social media, with outrage online, and in La Jolla. NBC 7’s M.G. Perez has what could happen next.
“As the sea lion tried to get away, it stumbled on the sea wall as it fled,” the U.S. Attorney’s office said in a news release. “Muehl kicked at the sea lion a fourth time and continued to chase the animal, ending his pursuit only when the sea lion escaped over the sea wall and made it to the beach.”
The teen referred to himself as UFC fighter Max Holloway during the attack, prosecutors said.
The incident was recorded and was first posted on Snapchat and then Instagram. It garnered widespread attention online, including by some social media vigilantes who were determined to find the culprit. It also caught the attention of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which launched a federal investigation.
It was not clear how NOAA came to identify Muehl as the suspect. He is expected to be sentenced on Oct. 20.
M.G. PerezM.G. Perez
A colony of California sea lions rests on the rocks at Point La Jolla on July 30, 2026.
Attacking any marine animal is a violation of federal law. If you witness a potential violation, the best way you can help is to report the incident immediately to the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement at (800) 853-1964. Investigators are also interested in hearing from anyone who has information about the assault on video that happened late at night on July 22, 2026 at La Jolla Cove.