Homeless man attacks three contractors with pipe at Berkeley church
A homeless individual named Donald Malone was arrested after allegedly striking three workers with a five-foot metal pipe inside Trinity United Methodist Church in Berkeley.
Authorities report that Donald Malone, 28, was found inside the shuttered Trinity United Methodist Church near Bancroft Way and Dana Street in Berkeley when three contractors arrived for maintenance work. After the workers discovered him, Malone allegedly seized a five-foot metal pipe, yelled at them, and proceeded to swing the weapon, causing damage estimated at $20,000, including broken speakers and a drum set. The confrontation was captured on a cellphone video, which also shows one contractor calling police.
A UC Berkeley police officer nearby responded to the victims’ request for help, resulting in Malone’s arrest. Alameda County District Attorney’s Office filed a petition to revoke his probation, and prosecutors have charged him with three felony assault-with-a-deadly-weapon counts and one felony vandalism count. Officer Byron White of the Berkeley Police Department confirmed the extent of the property damage.
Why it matters
The incident highlights safety concerns for workers entering vacant buildings and the challenges of homelessness in urban areas.
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