Santa Monica Chief of Police Ramon Batista has credited a tipster for the capture of the suspect in a brutal assault that occurred in downtown Santa Monica in the wee hours of September 22.
That night, police officers officers responded to an assault report in an alley near 5th St and Broadway. Officers located the victim, a 25-year-old homeless woman who was new to the area. She had sustained severe injuries, including facial trauma and signs consistent with strangulation.
According to a witness, the unprovoked attack involved the suspect repeatedly kicking and punching the woman as she lay on the ground. Video surveillance footage showed the suspect fleeing the scene.
Despite extensive investigative efforts, initial attempts to identify the suspect were unsuccessful. In response, detectives released the surveillance footage to the public, seeking assistance identifying the individual involved.
That request paid off on November 3, when detectives received a tip that led to the identification of the suspect, Oscar Benn, a 27-year-old Altadena resident.
On November 14, detectives apprehended Benn near the VA facility in West Los Angeles. He was subsequently booked and charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney for attempted murder and is currently in the custody of the LA County Sheriff's Department.
According to the Santa Monica Police Department, Benn has a criminal history, including prior arrests for aggravated assault and burglary.
todd@smdp.com
