Homeless man accused of strangling man fishing at Santa Monica Beach

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - A homeless man is facing an attempted murder charge in connection with the strangulation attack of another man in Santa Monica, according to police. 

The victim, a 28-year-old man, told police he was fishing at the waterline on the afternoon of Sept. 19 when he was approached from behind and strangled. The man sustained non-life threatening injuries to his neck and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. 

The suspect, later identified as 31-year-old John Broeksmit of Illinois, ran away from the scene before police arrived but was eventually arrested. 

John Broeksmit, 31, is charged with one count of attempted murder for the Sept. 19 attack in Santa Monica. According to police, Broeksmit was arrested in Los Angeles for burglary just four days before the alleged assault. / Santa Monica Police Depart

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Authorities said the victim and Broeksmit did not know each other and that the attack was unprovoked. 

Just four days before the attack in Santa Monica, Broeksmit was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department for burglary and public intoxication. According to police, Broeksmit has prior arrests in California this year for other charges including possession of a weapon on school grounds and tampering with a fire alarm.

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Broeksmit's bail is set at $2 million.