Man dies after being beaten and run over in Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills police arrested a man who allegedly beat another man with a metal object and then ran him over Friday, dragging the victim a short distance.

Police officials said in a news release that officers arrested Christopher Cornelius, 54, after he was found hiding in a nearby building. It is still unclear what connection he has with the victim, whom police have not yet publicly identified.

Cornelius, a San Bernardino resident, was booked on suspicion of murder and is being held on $2 million bail.

Around 12:42 p.m., officers responded to 911 calls about an armed man allegedly assaulting another man in the area of ​​Wilshire and San Vicente boulevards. The men argued for unspecified reasons, then one began hitting the other with a metal object, police said.

Witnesses also reported that the suspect used his vehicle to run over the victim.

Police arrived two minutes after receiving the calls. After determining that the suspect had fled inside a nearby building, officers established a perimeter. Cornelius was arrested shortly thereafter without incident.

The victim was transported to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he died from his injuries.

Homicides are extremely rare in this wealthy enclave, long synonymous with exclusivity and privilege. According to crime reports posted on the Beverly Hills Police Department website, the last criminal homicide in the city occurred in 2022. Other violent crimes such as robberies and aggravated assaults are also far lower than in neighboring jurisdictions.

Beverly Hills also ranks among the most heavily monitored cities in the world alongside London and Beijing, with a vast network of cameras, as well as drones and dozens of devices that can read license plates and automatically compare them to law enforcement databases to find unregistered plates or stolen vehicles.