Santa Monica police arrested a man Monday night on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and criminal threats following a confrontation at the Santa Monica Pier.
Officers responded at approximately 9:30 p.m. to a report of an assault near the Bubba Gump stairway, where witnesses said a man had been behaving erratically, yelling at bystanders and confronting people without provocation.
Witnesses told officers the suspect produced a pocketknife and advanced toward victims while making threatening statements. Additional witnesses described the man engaging in aggressive behavior toward multiple people prior to the incident, including verbal harassment and attempts to initiate physical confrontations. A physical altercation occurred near the stairs before officers arrived and separated the parties involved.
Elle Islas, 25, of no fixed address, was taken into custody without incident.
One witness requested medical evaluation for a condition aggravated by the incident. Santa Monica Fire Department personnel treated the person at the scene. No serious injuries were reported.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective James McCoy at james.mccoy@santamonica.gov or the watch commander at 310-458-8427.