Homeless Man Accused of Vandalizing Councilman Bonin's Office

A 26-year-old homeless man was arrested at Los Angeles City Hall after he hopped over the receptionist's counter in City Councilman Mike Bonin's office and proceeded to vandalize a wall, authorities said today.

Robert Carp, described by police as a transient, appeared to use a permanent marker to scrawl the words “the cartel was after me” on a wall in the council office last Friday, according to Bonin aide David Graham-Caso.

Bonin, who represents Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Venice and Mar Vista, was not in the office at the time.

Barefoot and not wearing a shirt, Carp entered City Hall from Spring Street at 3:35 p.m. through a secured door that usually requires a key card to gain entrance, Graham-Caso said.

Carp made his way up to the fourth floor, where he entered Bonin's office and leapt over a receptionist's desk, prompting an employee of Bonin's to hit a panic button that summoned the police.

The seven or so employees who were present at the time cleared out of the office, leaving Carp inside, Graham-Caso said.

Police, who arrived soon after and arrested Carp, said he was under the influence of a controlled substance.

“Thankfully, no one was hurt,” Graham-Caso said, adding that Carp did not appear to be targeting anyone in particular.

--City News Service