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By Lookout Staff
December 6, 2023 -- A homeless man was arrested for attempted homicide after strangling another homeless man Friday morning in Palisades Park, according to police.
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Officers responding to a call at 8:55 a.m. reporting an assault in progress on the 200 block of the park found the suspect "actively strangling another male," police said.
"The victim could be heard pleading for help as officers ran towards him," said Lt. Erika Aklufi, the Police Department spokesperson.
The suspect, later identified as Tamarquis Isiah Burke, 31, "quickly responded to officers’ commands to release the victim," Aklufi said. |
Burke was handcuffed without further incident, she said.
"Several witnesses told officers that the attack appeared to be unprovoked," Aklufi said.
Burke was booked into the Santa Monica Jail for attempted homicide, according too police. He is being held on $2,025,000 bail.
Friday's assault comes after several high profile attacks have taken place in Palisades Park this year.
In March, a City worker was stabbed by a homeless man he tried to rouse from his sleep near the Camera Obscura building ("Homeless Man Stabs City Worker in Palisades Park," March 16, 2023).
The worker was the ninth victim stabbed in five separate incidents reported by police over the previous five months. Eight of the assaults took place Downtown or near the beach.
In September, Downtown business activist John Alle was hospitalized after being attacked by a homeless man in Palisades Park ("Downtown Activist Attacked in Palisades Park," September 21, 2023).
The incident took place some two months after Councilmember Phil Brock was attacked by a homeless man on the Promenade ("Councilmember Brock Attacked on the Promenade," July 17, 2023.
Anyone with information related to this individual or incident should email Detective McCoy at James.McCoy@santamonica.gov or Detective Sergeant Goodwin at Chad.Goodwin@santamonica.gov, or call the Watch Commander (24 hours) at 310-458-8427. |
