SANTA MONICA—On Monday, August 19, Lt. Erika Aklufi of the Santa Monica Police Department informed Canyon News via email that a suspect has been arrested after an assault on a Santa Monica Big Blue Bus.
The SMPD reported in the afternoon on July 29, officers responded to the 3200 block of Santa Monica Blvd for an assault that just occurred on a bus.
Officers located the victim who reported being attacked from behind while seated on the bus. The attack was unprovoked; the victim did not know the suspect and sustained significant injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The suspect fled the scene prior to the officers’ arrival.
Utilizing Big Blue Bus surveillance video, TAP card information, and additional neighborhood surveillance camera video, detectives identified Erik Morgan, 34, of Los Angeles as the suspect. On August 9, Morgan was located and taken into custody.
He was arraigned on August 13 and faces felony charges of 203 PC (Mayhem), 245(a)(4) PC (Assault likely to cause great bodily injury), 243(d) PC (aggravated battery), and 3455(a)pc (Violation of probation). He remains in custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Lt. Aklufi informed Canyon News that “He [Morgan] has prior arrests for assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, burglary, resisting arrest. And he is homeless.”
Anyone with details about the assault or suspect is asked to contact Detective Orta at (310) 458-2293, Sgt. Chad Goodwin at (310) 458-8931, or the Watch Commander desk 24 hours a day at (310) 458-8427.
