Prominent City Hall critic and downtown business owner John Alle was hospitalized this week after a violent altercation with a homeless man in Palisades Park.
According to the Santa Monica Police Department, Alle was recording video in the park when he turned his camera on the homeless suspect, identified as Tyler Jordan Keating.
“The suspect was angry he was being filmed and stood up to confront the victim, demanding he stop recording,” said SMPD. “The suspect then struck the victim at least one time in the face, knocking him to the ground. The suspect took the victim’s phone, which had fallen to the ground, and fled the scene.”
Alle said his jaw was broken in two places and that he was knocked unconscious during the assault.
Keating was arrested for felony battery, robbery, and elder abuse and booked into the Santa Monica Jail where he is being held.
Alle is a vocal gadfly who has often criticized the city for its handling of homelessness and crime. He hangs a banner from his Promenade storefront declaring Santa Monica is unsafe and often publishes photos and video of homelessness through his organization, The Santa Monica Coalition.
Recently, Councilman Phil Brock was involved in a fight with a separate homeless man who had removed a small poster from Alle’s storefront.
Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Davis at stephanie.davis@santamonica.gov, Detective Sergeant Goodwin at chad.goodwin@santamonica.gov, or the Watch Commander (24 hours) at 310-458-8427.
