Police have launched a hate crime investigation after a man in his underwear broke into a Jewish family’s Studio City home and allegedly began calling for the killing of Jews.
The man broke into the home on the 3000 block of Laurel Canyon Boulevard as Mendel Meyers’ children and pregnant wife slept inside. He proceeded to scream, “Kill Jewish people and free Palestine,” Meyers said.
Cameras later captured the handcuffed man, identified by the Los Angeles Police Department as Daniel Garcia, shouting, “Free Palestine” and “brown people matter” as officers put him in the back seat of a police SUV. It was unclear whether Garcia had retained a lawyer who could comment on his behalf.
The break-in happened around 5 a.m. Wednesday, according to the LAPD. Meyers said his wife woke up after Garcia kicked their back door open and entered their bedroom.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
“I jumped from the bed and pushed him outside, and I screamed at my wife, ‘Bring me my gun,’” Meyers recalled. Meyers doesn’t actually own a gun, but that was the only thing that came to mind to protect his wife and four kids.
“I screamed, ‘I’m going to shoot you,’ and he got scared and picked up his arms and said, ‘Don’t shoot, don’t shoot,’ but he kept screaming, ‘Free Palestine, free Palestine’ and ‘Jewish people, you need to kill Jewish people,’” Meyers said.
The family then called 911. When the LAPD arrived, they found the man in the backyard and quickly detained him. He was only wearing underwear. Officers later found his clothes on the street.
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
While no one was hurt, Garcia’s comments triggered a hate crime investigation.
“I feel not so good and not so safe because I never thought it would happen in my house,” Meyers said.
The family’s neighbors expressed surprise at the events and their support for the family.
“We are all friends. Jewish families, we are behind them and for them,” Tommy Cairns said. “We do not want these things to happen.”
Garcia may be suffering from mental illness and may have had prior contact with the victims, the LAPD said. He was booked into jail and his bail was set at $225,000, according to the police department.
