WEST HOLLYWOOD—The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that a sexual assault predator accused of attacking two women near West Hollywood, has been arrested as of Friday, February 25. The suspect has been identified as Gabriel Hodges, 27, a New York native experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles.
According to a statement released by the LAPD, Hodges attacked two women near the border of West Hollywood between the hours of 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m., on February 15.
The first attack occurred in the 800 block of N. Vista Street near the Fairfax District. A woman reportedly was walking in the area when Hodges pushed her into a garage – she was able to quickly get away.
Around 15 minutes later, another woman was attacked by Hodges on the 7600 block of Hampton Avenue. Hodges pushed the woman into her apartment, but he was scared off when she started to scream.
Detectives were able to obtain video and still images of the first attack due to the home security systems of local residents. Detectives were able to connect the two attacks to one man.
A local neighborhood watch group circulated the footage, making Hodges identifiable to the public. On February 17, a librarian at the Los Angeles Public Library noticed the suspect within the building and alerted security, who then notified LAPD and SAS detectives, the statement from the LAPD reported. Hodges was identified as the man in the video and was placed under arrest for aggravated kidnapping.
He remains in custody with bail of $2.1 million. Detectives are seeking any additional victims or witnesses to solidify the identification of Hodges.
Anyone with information that could lead to the identification of additional victims or witnesses are asked to contact LAPD’s Operations-West Bureau, Special Assault Section, at 213-473-0447 or LASD Sheriff’s Information Bureau at 213-229-1850. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org.
