Suspect arrested in San Diego in connection with Venice Canals assaults

A 29-year-old man is behind bars Friday in connection with a pair of assaults of women near the Venice Canals.

Anthony Jones was arrested Thursday night in San Diego in connection with the attacks that occurred the night of April 6, police said. Police also said there was a sexual element to the attacks, although no details were immediately released.

It was unclear what led police to identify Jones as the suspect. Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said Jones was brought back to Los Angeles, and charges are pending.

According to jail records, Jones was being held in lieu of $3.25 million bail.

LAPD officials said earlier the first attack occurred around 10:30 p.m. Saturday on the 2700 block of Strongs Drive, where a woman was approached from behind and struck with a blunt object, leaving the woman unconscious. The suspect similarly attacked another woman about an hour later as she was walking near the Sherman Canal.

Police said both victims sustained significant injuries, although their current conditions were unknown.

A GoFundMe page established on behalf of one of the victims — 54-year-old Mary Klein — says she suffered eight fractures to her jaw, a large laceration on the back of her head, multiple contusions on her face and neck and lost several teeth.

“She will require many surgeries and is currently getting her jaw wired shut for at least a month,” the page states.

The page also states that Klein had recently lost her health insurance and was in the process of obtaining a new policy through Covered California but had not completed the process.

City Councilwoman Traci Park, speaking at a news conference announcing the arrest, lashed out at the problem of public safety in the city, blaming “catch-and-release” and “criminals-are-the-victims” policies for making the city unsafe.

“People in the city of Los Angeles are sick and tired of feeling unsafe,” she said. “No woman, no visitor, no family should be unsafe walking in any neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, much less our city’s number one tourist destination,” she said. “Our businesses are being pushed to the brink and consumers are paying for it.”

She said there are “unstable and potentially dangerous” people roaming the streets, and said Los Angeles “is getting a bad reputation.”

“This time it was two innocent women minding their own business just walking through the canals,” Park said. “It could have been any one of us — your neighbor, your colleague, your friend, your sister, your wife. It is time that we get serious about public safety in Los Angeles.”

Anyone with additional information regarding the attacks or additional victims who want to come forward were urged to contact LAPD Special Assault detectives at 213-473-0447. Calls during non-business hours and should be directed to 877-527-3247. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.