A full-size mattress sprawled across a sidewalk on 11th Street near Pico Boulevard drew the attention of Santa Monica police officers Wednesday afternoon, and what they found nearby alarmed them: roughly a dozen knives, including several butcher knives, within arm's reach of the man lying on it. Officers also recovered methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia from his belongings before booking him into jail on multiple charges.
Santa Monica Police Department Homeless Liaison Program officers discovered the man lying on the mattress blocking the sidewalk around 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, according to KTLA. The outlet reported that officers observed approximately 12 knives, including multiple butcher knives, within the man's reach and moved to secure them. Police did not identify the suspect.
Officers also recovered about 3 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia from his belongings, the report states. Police said the mattress left insufficient room for pedestrians to pass without stepping into the street or onto adjacent property — a detail that became central to the obstruction allegation against him.
What He Was Booked On
The man was booked into the Santa Monica jail on suspicion of sidewalk obstruction, public camping, possession of knives in violation of the municipal code, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia, per the same account. California's Penal Code Section 647(c), according to California Legislative Information, makes it a misdemeanor to willfully and maliciously obstruct free movement on a street, sidewalk or other public place. Santa Monica has also maintained a prohibition on camping in public spaces for decades, according to the City of Santa Monica, though the city's own explainer does not spell out every exception or current enforcement standard tied to that rule.
A Broader Pattern in the Data
The arrest lands amid a documented shift in what Santa Monica police are responding to citywide. The department recorded 4,840 Part I crimes in 2024, down from 4,917 the year before, even as Part II offenses — which include weapons violations, narcotics offenses and disorderly conduct — climbed to 4,080 incidents, an increase of 574 cases, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press. That outlet reported 74 incidents involving knives citywide in 2024.
The department also fielded nearly 24,000 homeless-related calls for service in 2024, representing 19% of its total call volume, per the Daily Press report. Overall calls for service jumped 25% to 128,820 that year, and Police Chief Ramon Batista said homeless suspects accounted for 70% of all arrests, the paper noted.
No court filing, prosecutor statement or case outcome tied to Wednesday's arrest had been made public as of this report. Police have not released the man's name, age or any other identifying information.
