A 29-year-old homeless man was arrested Saturday, June 1 after throwing an 80-year-old man to the ground after exiting a Whole Foods Market on Wilshire Boulevard, sitting on his chest, then cutting the elderly man’s hand with a knife while yelling at him for no apparent reason.
At 12:55 pm officers of the Santa Monica Police Department went to the 600 block of Wilshire Boulevard after they had been informed that an assault had taken place.
When they arrived the first officers were directed by witnesses to a suspect who was walking on Wilshire towards Seventh Street.
The officer ordered this man to halt but he refused.
The officer issued several more commands but the man still refused and became belligerent.
More officers arrived at the scene and the suspect eventually gave himself up in the 1200 block of Seventh Street and was detained.
The officers then spoke with the victim, a man aged 80 years, and he told them that he had exited the Whole Foods Market when the assailant slapped him in the face and threw him to the ground.
The assailant then sat on the 80-year-old’s chest, cut his hand with a knife or similar cutting device, and yelled at him.
The suspect then took the 80-year-old’s wallet and a pizza that he had just purchased and left. Some witnesses then followed the suspect whilst others called 911.
The victim’s wallet was recovered, but his California Drivers’ License and about $150 in cash was not discovered on the suspect.
This 29-year-old homeless person was arrested and charged with elder abuse, receiving stolen property, robbery, resisting officers, and a probation violation.
Bail was not granted.
Editor’s Note: These reports are part of a regular police coverage series entitled “Alert Police Blotter” (APB), which injects some minor editorial into certain police activities in Santa Monica. Not all of the Mirror’s coverage of incidents involving police are portrayed in this manner. More serious crimes and police-related activities are regularly reported without editorial in the pages of the Santa Monica Mirror and its website, smmirror.com.
