By Lookout Staff

September 25, 2024 -- A homeless man from Illinois has been charged with attempted murder for strangling a man fishing at the beach in Santa Monica, police officials said Wednesday.

John Broeksmit, 31, who has amassed a criminal record in the LA area this year, was charged by the District Attorney's Office Monday with one count of attempted murder, officials said.

Broeksmit is being held on $2 million bail. He remains in custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The unprovoked attack took place last Thursday afternoon on the 2000 block of the beach at the northern edge of the beach in Ocean Park, according to police.

Officers responding to a 911 call of an assault found the victim, a 28-year-old male resident of West Hollywood, "who reported being attacked from behind while fishing at the waterline," police said.

"The strangulation attack was unprovoked, and the victim did not know the suspect," said Lt. Erika Aklufi, the Police Department spokesperson.

The victim sustained "non-life-threatening injuries to his neck" and was taken to a local hospital for treatment, Aklufi said. The suspect fled the scene before officers arrived.

Using the description provided by the victim and witnesses, officers canvassing the beach located and arrested the suspect, who is currently homeless, she said.

This year, Broeksmit has been arrested in California for public intoxication, possession of a weapon on school grounds and tampering with a fire alarm, according to police.

He was most recently arrested on September 15 by LAPD for burglary and public intoxication. He has no prior felony convictions.

Anyone with information about the incident or suspect should email Detective Zamfirov at peter.zamfirov@santamonica.gov or call the Watch Commander desk 24 hours a day at (310) 458-8427.