LA mayor break-in suspect was 'targeting' Bass, Gascon says: 'He was looking for her'
The suspect who broke into Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' home this week did so during a shift change in security and was specifically targeting Bass, District Attorney George Gascón said.
The gap in security allowed 29-year-old Ephraim Matthew Hunter to break into the official mayoral residence, known as Getty House, through a glass door. The forced entry triggered an alarm, however, and police quickly responded and arrested Hunter.
Los Angeles police delivered a press conference on the details of the case on Tuesday, saying the timing of Hunter's breaking had been perfect. Police said he hopped over the perimeter wall after the overnight security team had left but before the morning shift arrived.
"[Hunter] jumped over the fence quickly, and was able to break in through the back of the house. And to my understanding, this happened so quickly that even if somebody had been there, he probably still would have been able to access the inside of the residence," interim LAPD Chief Dominic Choi said.
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Gascón clarified on Tuesday that prosecutors believe Hunter was specifically targeting Bass, who was home at the time with her daughter, son-in-law and grandchild.
"We believe that he was targeting the mayor, but this is an ongoing investigation," Gascón said, adding that "there were actions while he was inside the property that are consistent with the fact that he knew this was the Mayor's home, and that he was looking for her."
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Hunter is being held on a $100,000 bail and faces two felony charges of residential burglary with people present and vandalism. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 13 years in prison.
Bass has informed the public that she and her family are "fine," but she has declined to offer further details.