Screaming homeless man terrorizes Venice residents

VENICE, Calif. - Some people living in Venice say they are living in a real life horror movie.

They say an unhoused man is screaming at them and threatening them, and they can't get anyone to help. 

The screams echo through this apartment complex on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice.

Many are profanity-laced threats of violence.

"He's constantly screaming every single night about killing people," said Tonya Scoffield, a concerned Venice resident.

For a long time, residents like Scoffield have had enough. 

She says the unhoused man set up camp outside the building about three weeks ago, and since then a small encampment has sprung up.

"You can't just sit there in the middle of the street and scream 'you're just a dead body to me. I have no problem killing you.' I don't understand why the homeless have all these leniences and a double standard when it comes to loss."

Residents say encampments and troublesome RVs have been a problem in this neighborhood for years. Neighbors say they repeatedly call 911 but are either left on hold or transferred to other departments who say they can't help. 

Scoffield says police have responded to this latest issue.

"They tell him to be quiet. He's cordial with the police and then they just leave. And it's just it's wild," Scoffield said.

"The focus should be not on developing an idea or procedure, but getting this guy off the sidewalk behind this apartment complex," said Clark Brown with the neighborhood council.

Brown has lived in Venice since the 1960s and now serves on the neighborhood council. He says he's watched the problem get worse and worse.

"It's more created in a very threatening milieu that impacts the quality of life. That's not good for them. It's not good for us."

They both worry the man might act on his threats, referencing the brutal rape and murder in the Venice canals in April.

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"I am at my wit's end. I don't know what to do. I have no idea what to do. I have been fighting this for years. This is almost a full time job. Like, it's just I don't have time for this. I definitely have run out of patience. It's just. It's exhausting," Scoffield said.

FOX 11 contacted the LAPD and Councilmember Tracy Parker, who represents that community. We've not heard back from either of them.