A suspect with a history of violence was apprehended after allegedly breaking into the residence of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, according to police reports. Ephraim Hunter, 29, is accused of shattering a window and forcibly entering Getty House, where Mayor Bass and relatives were present early Sunday morning. The Los Angeles Police Department stated that Hunter was taken into custody without incident and that no family members were harmed during the intrusion.
Previously convicted of a violent assault in Massachusetts, Hunter served time for a 2015 incident involving the beating of a man with a hammer and a snow brush. Reported by The Los Angeles Times, he was found guilty of assault with a deadly weapon and was sentenced to seven years in state prison. While breaking into the LA mayoral home early Sunday morning, Hunter allegedly climbed to the second floor, causing Bass to retreat to a secure location.
Hunter has been booked on suspicion of burglary, as confirmed by the LAPD. A motive for Hunter's break-in has not been established, but law enforcement sources suggest evidence might point to a targeted act against Mayor Bass. Since the incident, a 24-hour security operation has been instated at Getty House, ensuring ongoing police visibility in the area, said one LAPD source to The Los Angeles Times.
During a follow-up news conference, Mayor Bass expressed gratitude towards the LAPD, saying, “I want to thank the Los Angeles Police Department,” as per CBS News Boston. She refrained from further comments about the ongoing investigation and declined to speculate on whether the intrusion was a targeted attack. "I'm not going to answer that" Bass stated as a response to a question from a Times reporter on whether she believed she was the intended target.
The Getty House, a residence known for its history and architectural significance, has been the official home of the Los Angeles Mayor since 1977, with Mayor Bass and her family living there since her inauguration in 2023. This recent break-in was not the first incident at her residence; last year, two armed intruders burglarized the home, with suspects apprehended days later, a history of intrusion detailed by CBS News Boston.
