A homeless man was arrested in downtown Los Angeles for allegedly cutting down dozens of city-owned trees with a chainsaw over the Easter holiday weekend. The suspect was taken into custody after police recognized him from a community alert and found him at one of his regular hangouts with the chainsaw still in his possession.
The incident, which left trees in pieces at various locations including 1st Street and Wilshire Boulevard, Olympic Boulevard and Hope Street, and Broadway and Cesar Chavez Avenue, sparked outrage among residents. Many Angelenos shared photos of the damage on social media platforms like Reddit and Instagram. L.A. Mayor Karen Bass expressed her disbelief, stating, “That someone would do this is truly beyond comprehension,” according to a report by KTLA.
Cindy Aguilar, a building manager in the area, discovered images of the suspect on her building’s surveillance cameras. She confirmed the man’s identity with a nearby business owner who had also witnessed the chainsaw activity. By Tuesday evening, police had released a community alert with the suspect’s picture, leading to his arrest.
City Public Works crews have begun cleaning up the debris and plan to replace the damaged trees. The trees, some of which were identified as drought-resistant Indian laurel figs, were a significant part of the downtown landscape. The Los Angeles Police Department has opened an investigation into the incident, and those responsible are expected to face legal consequences.
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