SANTA MONICA—On September 5, Lt. Erika Aklufi of the Santa Monica Police Department informed Canyon News via email that charges were filed against a suspect for an aggravated assault. The SMPD reported on August 28, at about 11:45 p.m. a good Samaritan riding southbound in the 2700 block of Barnard Way was flagged down by a distressed woman who needed help calling 911. The woman was bleeding from cuts to her face and head.
Officers were on scene within minutes. The woman reported that a male suspect in a distinctive orange shirt punched her several times in the head and face, hit her with a bottle, and tried to shove sand in her mouth. The suspect was last seen walking northbound near the 2600 block of Ocean Front Walk.
Officers found the suspect as Mario Alejandri, 31, and he was classified as a homeless individual. He was positively identified and arrested for Assault with a Deadly Weapon. During the investigation, the handling detective recognized Alejandri as the perpetrator in a recent Assault with a Deadly Weapon that occurred the day prior at the Trader Joe’s on Broadway in Santa Monica.
At about 7:45 p.m. on August 27, Alejandri entered the store and was immediately recognized by store staff from prior shoplifting incidents. When asked to leave, the suspect became irate and hit the employee in the face.
He proceeded to throw two potted plants at the victim and on the way out, picked up a sign and was poised to throw it when the doors closed blocking him. The employee was not seriously hurt and the incident was captured on store surveillance video, allowing the beach assault detective to definitively connect Alejandri to both incidents.
Alejandri is on summary probation for Battery (242 PC). He has prior arrests for Battery, Trespass to Injure Property (602(k)PC), Assault with a Deadly Weapon (245(a)(1) PC), Petty Theft (484 PC), Resisting Arrest (148 PC), Vandalism (594 PC), Brandishing (417 PC), Possession of Methamphetamine (11377 H&S), and Contempt of Court (166 PC).
On September 3, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed three felony Assault with a Deadly Weapons charges, two counts for the incident on the beach and one for the attack at Trader Joe’s.
Anyone with details about the suspect or incident is asked to contact Detective Jenkins at Benjamin. Jenkins@santamonica.gov or the Watch Commander (24 hours) at (310) 458-8427.
