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Karen Bass discusses burglary at her home
Los Angeles mayoral candidate and Congresswoman Karen Bass says that two people who broke and stole guns from her home have been arrested. She discusses the ordeal with Elex Michaelson.
LOS ANGELES - In an exclusive interview with FOX 11's Elex Michaelson, Los Angeles mayoral candidate and Congresswoman Karen Bass discussed her two guns being stolen from her home.
Bass, who called the incident "very traumatic," told Michaelson her guns were registered, locked in a safe box, and stashed away in a closet before they were stolen by the suspects over the weekend.
Bass revealed two suspects have since been arrested. The Los Angeles Police Department later confirmed the two men were 42-year-old Patricio Munoz and 24-year-old Juan Espinoza.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Karen Bass says two guns stolen from her house during break in
Following the burglary, FOX 11 filed a public record request in hopes of gaining more information on the incident. In the request, FOX 11 asked the City of Los Angeles' public records office for a copy of the police report and the 911 call associated with the burglary but was denied.
The City responded to FOX 11's request saying "investigatory files compiled by, any local police agency for law enforcement purposes are exempt from disclosure."
"You have any idea why somebody would do this?" Michaelson asked Bass. "Who these people are?"
"I have no idea," Bass responded.
During a mayoral debate held earlier in the year, Michaelson asked Bass to rate her personal safety on a sale of 1 to 10, 10 being "feeling the most safe." At the time of the question – Bass responded she felt her personal safety was at a 10.
But how does Bass feel about her now, just days removed from the home break-in?
"My safety was shattered," Bass admitted Wednesday.
When asked if the recent incident makes her feel any different about the issue of public safety, Bass said she doesn't know if it would make her think any differently.
"I thought from the beginning that the number-one job of the mayor is to make sure that Angelinos are safe," Bass said.
Over the years, Bass had supported bills to get illegal guns off the streets. With the recent break-in, some Angelenos were surprised she owned guns.
"I had guns for personal safety, as do many people," Bass said. "I think that gun control is extremely important. But I have never believed that people – if they wanted to have guns – should not have them."
Munoz was charged with residential burglary and is being held on a $500,000 bond. Espinoza was also charged with residential burglary and is being held on no bail.