LOS ANGELES, CA — Authorities report that a man unlawfully entered Los Angeles City Hall on New Year’s Day, inflicting significant damage to both the interior and exterior, leading to charges of felony vandalism, as stated by the Los Angeles Police Department in a Twitter update.
Officers from the Security Services Division responded to vandalism reports at City Hall around 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, discovering that the suspect accessed the building through the 1st Street entrance after breaking a locked glass door. He then proceeded to the 3rd floor, where various areas including hallways and the rotunda were vandalized, according to the department’s news release.
The suspect, named Jose Gonzalez Chavez, exited the building and was apprehended without incident; he has been booked on felony vandalism charges, police stated.
Detectives from the Central Division will forward the case to the LA County District Attorney’s office for review and potential filing, as reported in the release.
It remains unclear whether Chavez has legal counsel.
In a statement issued Saturday, Mayor Karen Bass noted that the damage included windows, a glass display case, computer equipment, and the Katowicz menorah, which was displayed in the 3rd-floor rotunda of the building, as reported by KTLA.
While there is no evidence to suggest that the damage to the menorah constituted a hate crime, Bass described the event as “deeply disturbing” due to the menorah’s historical significance and personally reached out to the Cunin family, who provides the menorah to the city each year, according to the outlet.
The suspect is currently undergoing evaluation for mental health issues, and a comprehensive review of security protocols at City Hall is already in progress, as noted by the outlet.
Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact LAPD Central Division detectives at 213-833-3750. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, online, or via the “P3 Tips” app.
