A security guard in Santa Monica was assaulted after pepper spraying the suspect, a 23-year-old homeless man, later known to have 13 outstanding warrants.
On Friday, March 20, at 10 pm officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were called out to the 1500 block of Second St. to investigate a report of an assault with deadly weapon.
Upon arrival the officers spoke with the victim, a security guard at the location, who told them what had allegedly happened.
He stated that the suspect had been sleeping near the entrance of a nearby parking structure and that he (the security guard) had asked the suspect to leave the area.
The security guard added that as the suspect arose from his slumber he spotted a knife in the suspect’s hand.
The security guard stated that at that moment he had been in fear of his life and as a result he had pulled out his pepper spray and sprayed the suspect.
The security guard continued that as the suspect then began to run away from him and he ran after him.
He said that a few moments later the suspect had turned and thrown a metal chain with a lock attached to it at the security guard and at that moment he had ceased chasing the suspect.
The officers, after hearing this information, broadcast to all other officers in the area and within a few minutes, other officers detained a man who fit the description of the suspect.
The security guard was then transported to the location where the suspect had been detained and positively identified him as being the man who had allegedly attacked him.
The officers then searched the homeless man and discovered that he was in possession of three credit cards and an ID that all belonged to other individuals.
This man was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon and appropriation of lost property.
The officers also discovered that the individual had 13 outstanding warrants and bail was subsequently set at $111,500.
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.
