Fryman Canyon hikers report man touching himself on trails

A man has been spotted repeatedly exposing himself and touching himself in Studio City and on hiking paths in nearby Fryman Canyon, residents said.

The man has not been arrested and remains unknown, though the Los Angeles Police Department is investigating. His lewd behavior has disturbed hikers who previously found Fryman Canyon a peaceful natural getaway and has raised fears of sexual violence.

“It’s a very popular hiking trail, also it’s kind of private,” said a woman named Sophia,

who runs the Instagram account @frymancanyon and declined to give her last name. “There’s a lot of women hiking by themselves because they always felt safe. We don’t need people who might eventually attack women.”

No one has reported that the man has threatened them, but Sophia said that since she first posted about him on her Instagram page, five or six people have reached out saying they saw the man masturbating.

After receiving numerous complaints — including one from a man whose 6-year-old nephew saw the man masturbating while they were hiking — Sophia saw the man when she was leaving Fryman Canyon after a hike Sunday.

“I could not believe it was the same guy. I called 911,” she said. “I saw the guy sitting on the curb on a stool in front of a home” and masturbating.

Police arrived too late to make an arrest, but Sophia said they had subsequently reached out to her.

The LAPD did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Another woman said she saw the same man wearing only shorts, no shoes or shirt, while she was hiking in Fryman Canyon.