Crime & Safety
Man, 70, Nabbed for Allegedly Trashing Santa Cruz Social Security Office With Lethal Mix of Beach & Ammonia
A homeless Santa Cruz man, 70, was arrested today -- Tuesday -- as the suspect who allegedly broke windows and poured a caustic chemical mix of chlorine bleach and ammonia last week at the Social Security Administration Office in Santa Cruz, according to police.
Emergency medical crews assisted the government employees exposed to the potentially lethal gas and evacuated the building after the May 13 incident at the offices at 169 Walnut Ave., said the Santa Cruz Police Department.
Based on images from video surveillance, Joseph Anton Loris was arrested today at 11 a.m. near the intersection of Riverside Avenue and Third Street in Santa Cruz, and reportedly went on an anti-government rant, but fell short of confessing to the crime, when interviewed by detectives, police said.
Loris recently had his car towed by the SCPD traffic team, and an officer identified him from the video image, police said.
Because the attack involved a federal facility, SCPD detectives worked with the FBI and the Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Office during the investigation, and Loris was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail on suspicion of burglary, assault with a deadly weapon and felony vandalism, police said.
Based on images from video surveillance, Joseph Anton Loris was arrested today at 11 a.m. near the intersection of Riverside Avenue and Third Street in Santa Cruz, and reportedly went on an anti-government rant, but fell short of confessing to the crime, when interviewed by detectives, police said.
Loris recently had his car towed by the SCPD traffic team, and an officer identified him from the video image, police said.
Because the attack involved a federal facility, SCPD detectives worked with the FBI and the Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Office during the investigation, and Loris was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail on suspicion of burglary, assault with a deadly weapon and felony vandalism, police said.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here
