DA says intruder was ‘targeting’ Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass
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Prosecutors on Tuesday filed two felony charges against a convicted felon accused of breaking into the official home of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass while she and her family were inside.
Ephraim Matthew Hunter, 29, faces charges of first-degree residential burglary and vandalism in the Sunday morning break-in, L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón announced at a news conference.
He pleaded not guilty at Tuesday’s arraignment and was being held on a $1,000,000 bond.
Authorities say Hunter entered the historic Getty House in L.A.’s Windsor Square neighborhood by shattering a rear glass door at about 6:40 a.m. He was cut by glass and “left bloodstains throughout the house,” Gascón said.
Damage to the door was estimated at $5,000 to $8,000.
Los Angeles, CA – April 22: Getty House is the official residence of the Mayor Karen Bass where a man was taken into custody for allegedly smashing a glass door and breaking into her home on Monday, April 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, CA. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Los Angeles, CA – April 22: Police patrol Getty House, the official residence of the Mayor Karen Bass, where a man was taken into custody for allegedly smashing a glass door and breaking into her home on Monday, April 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, CA. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) LA Mayor Karen Bass unveils 2024-25 fiscal budget at City Hall. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Hunter was arrested at the scene without incident, police said, and no one else was hurt.
It remains unclear if Bass or anyone else in the home confronted Hunter, although Gascon said authorities believe he was “targeting” the mayor.
In a phone interview with the Los Angeles Times on Monday, a woman who identified herself as Hunter’s mother said he had been struggling with drug addiction and may have been suffering from hallucinations at the time of the break-in.
Sources told the L.A. Times that Hunter, who served prison time in Massachusetts for a brutal armed robbery and beating, made it to the second floor of the home, forcing the mayor to hide in a safe area akin to a “panic room.”
Suspect arrested after breaking into Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ residence
“We want to send a very clear message that the safety of the community is of paramount importance, and we’ll do everything that we can to hold people accountable,” said Gascón.
The Getty House, originally built in 1921, is the official residence of the Mayor of Los Angeles. Tom Bradley moved into the home at the beginning of his second term in 1977 and stayed there until he left office in 1993.
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