A string of violent assaults in Santa Monica resulted in charges being filed against Mario Alejandri, a 31-year-old homeless man. According to the KTLA report, Alejandri was arrested and charged with three felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon by the Santa Monica Police Department.
The first attack occurred on Aug. 28 when a woman, found bleeding with cuts to her face and head, described being assaulted by a man matching Alejandri's description. Authorities confirmed Alejandri was also linked to a separate incident at a Trader Joe’s the previous day, where he became violent after being recognized from prior shoplifting incidents. The Santa Monica Police Department noted that "He threw two potted plants at the worker and while exiting, picked up a sign and attempted to throw it when workers closed the entrance doors and blocked him," showcasing Alejandri's aggressive behavior.
Following the beach attack, officers located Alejandri and took him into custody near the scene. As detailed by Santa Monica's press release, the arresting detective connected the suspect to the assault at Trader Joe's using surveillance footage from the store. At the time of his arrest, Alejandri was already on summary probation for battery charges and had a rap sheet that included battery, trespass, assault with a deadly weapon, petty theft, resisting arrest, vandalism, brandishing, possession of methamphetamine, and contempt of court.
Alejandri's string of prior arrests paints a troubling pattern of confrontations with the law. On Sept. 3, the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office filed multiple charges—two counts for the beach assault and one for the Trader Joe’s attack. Anyone with further information about these incidents or the suspect has been urged to contact either Detective Jenkins or the Watch Commander.
