California police investigating string of attacks on homeless people

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (KNBC) – Police in Santa Monica are asking themselves if there is serial attacker of the homeless. That’s the worry after a body was found early Friday morning behind a fence underneath the Santa Monica Pier.

Investigators say the man was beaten to death with a blunt object. Lieutenant Saul Rodriguez with the Santa Monica Police Department said, “Our victim was deceased with blunt force trauma to the head which led us to believe this was a murder.”

Sunday morning, police say three men were attacked with a baseball bat in downtown Los Angeles, sending them to the hospital in critical condition.

Los Angeles Police Department Captain Bill Hayes said, “The suspect then went through the victims personal belongs attempting to find items of value and then left the scene.”

The LAPD released video of the suspect walking in what appears to be the lobby of a building.

Investigators are looking into the possibility the attacks in Los Angeles and Santa Monica may be linked. Lt. Rodriguez said, “The only similarities we have are these individuals are homeless at the time of occurrence and the violence of the attacks”

Police say two more homeless men were attacked in two other incidents near the pier in Santa Monica., both beaten as they slept. In those two attacks, on September 8 and 10, the victims survived—one of them still in the hospital.

That’s four attacks that may be connected.

Police are urging anyone with information to come forward.

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