Buscaino questions Bass home burglary investigation by LAPD
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino has a few questions about the investigation into the home burglary of Rep. Karen Bass, and he's demanding that Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore and City Attorney Mike Feuer provide answers.
In his letter obtained by FOX 11, Buscaino talks about Bass' "misfortune of being counted amongst the many Angelenos victimized by criminals breaking into their homes."
Bass who called the incident "very traumatic," told FOX 11's Elex Michaelson during an exclusive interview that her guns were registered, locked in a safe box, and stashed away in a closet before they were stolen by the suspects.
Two suspects have since been arrested. They were identified by the LAPD as 42-year-old Patricio Munoz and 24-year-old Juan Espinoza.
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Munoz was charged with residential burglary and is being held on a $500,000 bond. Espinoza was also charged with residential burglary and is being held on no bail.
Buscaino questions why only the guns were stolen, despite them being "safely and securely stored." He also asks why Bass' guns were targeted and to whom the guns were registered and when.
Bass said she bought the guns years ago for personal protection.
He called the circumstances of the burglary "very troubling" and expressed concern about the "lack of information being provided to the public."
Buscaino goes on to call the burglary a "teachable moment" regarding Los Angeles' safe storage gun law.
This City of Los Angeles statute makes it a crime to have a handgun within a residence unless the handgun is stored in a locked container or disabled with a trigger lock approved by the California Department of Justice.
Following the burglary, FOX 11 filed a public record request in hopes of gaining more information on the incident. In the request, FOX 11 asked the City of Los Angeles' public records office for a copy of the police report and the 911 call associated with the burglary but was denied.
The City responded to FOX 11's request saying "investigatory files compiled by, any local police agency for law enforcement purposes are exempt from disclosure."
Feuer has declined to comment.
FOX 11 has reached out to LAPD Chief Moore and Rep. Bass for comment but has not yet heard back.