Investigators believe the man who broke into Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’s house was specifically targeting her, District Attorney George Gascón announced April 23.
At a news conference Tuesday, Mr. Gascon did not provide details about why detectives thought the suspect, Ephraim Matthew Hunter, 29, was targeting Ms. Bass, but made a reference to his actions inside the home, according to City News Service.
Police arrested Mr. Hunter early Sunday morning after responding to a 6:40 a.m. report of a break-in at the Getty House, the official mayor’s residence located in Windsor Square, about five miles west of Los Angeles City Hall.
The burglar broke a glass door and entered the home while the mayor was inside with her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson, according to the district attorney.
The mayor reportedly hid in a safe room.
The suspect was reportedly injured during the break-in and left blood stains throughout the home, Mr. Gascón said.
The burglary triggered an alarm that alerted police. Mr. Hunter was arrested without incident.
The mayor and her family were not injured.
The Los Angeles Police Department security detail was scheduled to start duty at 7 a.m. at the house. Officers were headed there when the alarm went off, LAPD Interim Chief Dominic Choi told reporters Tuesday.
Mr. Choi said there did not appear to be anything in Mr. Hunter’s background to suggest he was targeting the mayor, according to City News Service.
Mr. Hunter’s mother reportedly told the Los Angeles Times on Monday that she spoke to her son from jail and he said he thought someone was trying to shoot him at the time, and he had no idea the house was the mayor’s residence.
“He didn’t know that at all,” Josephine Duah told the paper. “He just was running … he thought somebody was chasing him and he hopped some fences and he went in the house.”
She also told the paper her son struggled with drug addiction and possibly suffered hallucinations.
Mr. Hunter remained in custody Tuesday in Los Angeles County, according to inmate records.
He faces one felony count each of first-degree residential burglary with a person present and vandalism causing damage of $400 or more.
Mr. Hunter has a prior conviction in Massachusetts after he was found guilty of beating a man during a drug deal in 2015. He spent seven years in prison for the assault, according to court records.
Mr. Hunter was expected to appear in court Tuesday for an arraignment in downtown Los Angeles. He is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
