A 29-year-old man, Ephraim Matthew Hunter, was charged with burglary and vandalism after breaking into the home of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. The incident occurred early Sunday morning, with Hunter shattering a rear glass door to gain entry to the Getty House, the mayor’s official residence near downtown. Authorities believe Hunter was targeting the mayor, although the reason behind his actions remains unclear. Hunter left blood stains throughout the home and sustained cuts from the broken glass. However, no injuries were reported as the mayor, her family, including her daughter, son-in-law, and grandchild, were in the home at the time of the break-in.
Hunter, who is being held on $100,000 bail, is represented by the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office. The office stated that they will ensure Hunter receives a fair defense and a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accusations against him. Interim Police Chief Dominic Choi revealed that the break-in occurred when there were no security officers present on the property. Hunter was able to reach the second floor during a brief gap in the shift change, which has since been addressed by creating an overlap of shifts. According to public records, Hunter was previously convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in a 2015 incident in Massachusetts, spending seven years in state prison.
Josephine Duah, who claimed to be Hunter’s mother, stated that her son allegedly entered the property because he believed he was being pursued by someone who wanted to harm him and was unaware of who owned the residence. Hunter had reportedly intended to enter a drug treatment clinic on Monday but did not follow through. Mayor Karen Bass, a former Democratic member of Congress, expressed relief that no one was injured during the break-in and assured the public that she and her family were safe. Bass made history as the first woman and second Black person to be elected as the city’s 43rd mayor in 2022, following in the footsteps of former Mayor Tom Bradley, who served from 1973 to 1993.
This incident drew comparisons to a previous break-in at the home of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in October 2022. In that case, Pelosi’s husband was attacked with a hammer. David DePape was found guilty of attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault on the immediate family member of a federal official. The attack raised concerns about the security provided for elected officials and their families. The Capitol Police had a camera at the residence, but it was not monitored at the time as Pelosi was not home. The arrest of Hunter at Mayor Bass’s residence has prompted questions about security protocols and measures in place to protect public officials and their homes. Efforts are being made to enhance security measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
