Citizen’s Arrest of ‘Timmy’ Stirs Controversy

By ALEXANDRIA BORDAS | Reporter

Local homeless man “Timmy” was arrested and placed on a 72-hour medical evaluation after a Palisadian filed a citizen’s arrest against him for brandishing a weapon at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 12.

Timmy screamed obscenities at Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers Jimmy Lavenson and Jon Iniguez as they calmly tried to explain why the LAPD Transient Unit was transferring him to a local hospital.

The 37-year-old Palisadian who made the citizen’s arrest said he felt scared for his life when Timmy allegedly pulled out a pair of scissors and screamed threats at him, according to LAPD on the scene.

Authorities are not releasing the name of the individual who made the citizen’s arrest.

Timmy, who uses a wheelchair and is often seen in the Village, was cited with a misdemeanor, which means he will have to appear in court.

As the homeless problem in Los Angeles and in the Palisades has grown in recent years, Timmy has become a focal point of irritation for some Palisadians.

Lavenson cautioned, however, that making a citizen’s arrest should not be viewed as a convenient way for local residents to clean up their streets.

In fact, when a citizen’s arrest is filed there are times when the court summons the person who filed the complaint and they are required to testify.

“You can and will go to jail for lying in situations like these and it will be on your record as contempt of court,” Lavenson said. “If someone is out there telling people they can just file a citizen’s arrest for anything that is a serious issue.”

At the time of his arrest Timmy was yelling obscenities at the officers who carefully placed his backpack with all of his belongings in the trunk of a police vehicle.

“It’s a frustrating issue for everyone, and we want the public to know we are doing our absolute best to respond to everyone’s needs,” Lavenson said, adding that it is possible that Timmy will be back in the Palisades.

“He will be off the streets for about a week, maybe two, but he will probably be right back up here again,” Lavenson said. “We hear a lot of things from residents like ‘homeless people don’t belong in the Palisades’ but the truth is being homeless isn’t a crime.”