The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has arrested a suspect in connection with two violent assaults in the Venice Canal community. LAPD confirmed the arrest of 29-year-old Anthony Jones in relation to the recent assaults during a press conference last week. Jones was apprehended on April 11 in San Diego and is facing charges pertaining to the violent incidents that occurred on April 6.
According to LAPD, officers responded to the 2700 block of Strongs Drive to a report regarding a woman being approached from behind and struck with a blunt force object, leaving the woman unconscious. The suspect similarly attacked another woman about an hour later as she was walking near the Sherman Canal before fleeing the scene.
Police said both victims sustained significant injuries and LAPD had issued a warning earlier in the week about the attacks asking residents of the area to be vigilant and to notify the police of suspicious activity or persons loitering in this area.
"So following the identification of the suspect yesterday, we deployed resources from our detective bureau and those resources were able to establish that suspect was in the city of San Diego. We responded to that area and shortly thereafter the suspect was taken into custody and returned here to the Los Angeles area. That suspect will be processed and we will plan on filing charges moving forward on a number of different areas in conjunction with the district attorney's office," said LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton.
Following the arrest, Los Angeles Councilwoman Traci Park, representing the 11th District, expressed her gratitude towards the community and law enforcement. She also spent some time criticizing the broader policies around crime in Los Angeles.
"On a personal level, I have been absolutely horrified and heartbroken by what happened to these women. I can only imagine the pain and the grief and the anger that these victims and their families must feel," she said. "This incident is an exceptionally painful reminder that we are in the middle of a public safety crisis. So I am just going to come out today and say what needs to be said. People in the city of Los Angeles are sick and tired of feeling unsafe. No woman, no visitor, no family should be unsafe walking in any neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, much less our city's number one tourist destination."
She said businesses are being pushed to the brink by the lack of safety.
"Unstable, potentially dangerous people are roaming the streets and it's kids walking to school who are paying the price for it," she said. "Our city is getting a bad reputation and hardworking everyday Angelenos are the ones suffering because of it. This time, it was two innocent, two innocent women minding their own business, just walking through the canals."
She said the attitude toward crime must change.
"I am sick and tired of living in the middle of a failed social experiment. We have all had enough. Enough with the ridiculous soft on crime, defund the police, catch and release, harm reduction, criminals are the victims policies that got us into this mess. I stand with the victims of these horrific crimes. My friends, my neighbors and my constituents in Council District 11 and calling on our city's leaders to continue investing in public safety and ensuring that our police department has all the personnel and every tool and every resource that it needs to keep Los Angeles safe."
Anyone with information regarding the attacks or additional victims who want to come forward was urged to contact LAPD Special Assault detectives at 213-473-0447. Calls during non-business hours and weekends should be directed to 877-527-3247. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org
The Westside Current contributed to this report.
