SANTA MONICA—On Wednesday, September 25, Lt. Erika Aklufi informed Canyon News via email that a suspect has been arrested in connected to an attack a week ago. The SMPD reported on September 19, officers responded to a 911 call of an assault in the 2000 Block of the Beach.
Officers located the victim, a 28-year-old male, from West Hollywood, who reported being attacked from behind while fishing at the waterline. The strangulation attack was unprovoked, and the victim did not know the suspect. The victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries to his neck and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The suspect fled the scene prior to the officers’ arrival.
Utilizing the description provided by the victim and witnesses, officers canvassing the beach located the suspect, later identified as John Broeksmit, 31, and placed him under arrest. Broeksmit, from Illinois, is currently homeless. He has prior arrests in California (all in 2024) for public intoxication, possession of a weapon on school grounds, and tampering with a fire alarm. He was most recently arrested on September 15, by the Los Angeles Police Department for burglary and public intoxication.
He has no prior felony convictions. On September 23rd, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged Broeksmit with one count of Attempted Murder and his bail was set at $2 million. He remains in custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Anyone with details about this incident or the suspect is asked to contact Detective Zamfirov at peter.zamfirov@santamonica.gov or the Watch Commander desk 24 hours a day at (310) 458-8427.
