Los Angeles, California – The man suspected of breaking into the home of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has a history of violent crime, court records revealed. Ephraim Hunter, 29, was arrested after allegedly smashing through a window of Getty House in Windsor Square early Sunday morning. Bass and her relatives were home at the time, but fortunately, no one was harmed, and nothing was taken, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Hunter, a Los Angeles resident, was booked on suspicion of burglary and is currently under investigation by the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division. His mother, Josephine Duah, disclosed that Hunter had been battling drug addiction and hallucinations, which may have led to the break-in.
Duah shared that Hunter called her from jail, claiming he was fleeing from someone who was threatening him with a gun, unaware of whose house he had entered. She mentioned that Hunter’s erratic behavior had intensified recently, leading up to the incident at the mayor’s residence.
Investigators have not determined a motive for the break-in, but sources revealed that Hunter made it to the second floor of the home, prompting Bass to seek refuge in a secure area. Hunter, originally from Massachusetts, had previously been convicted of assault with a deadly weapon and spent seven years in state prison for the crime.
Despite his troubled past, Duah described her son as a kind and loving person who had lost his way due to drug use and time spent behind bars. She asserted that Hunter had no intention to harm the mayor and was simply seeking refuge out of fear.
Mayor Bass, appearing at a news conference on her proposed city budget, expressed gratitude for the LAPD’s swift response and reassured the public of her safety. The investigation remains ongoing, with heightened security measures now in place at Getty House to prevent future incidents. Bass declined to comment on whether she believed she was a specific target for the break-in suspect, emphasizing her focus on public safety measures for all Angelenos.