COMMERCE, Calif. (CNS) -- A 22-year-old man was locked up today after scratching graffiti on a glass door of a Commerce building where about 100 law enforcement officers were attending a class.

J***** V****** of East Los Angeles was booked on suspicion of felony vandalism and jailed in lieu of $20,000 bail, according to sheriff's Lt. Mark Richards of the East Los Angeles Station.

The crime at the Commerce Aquatic Center in the 2500 block of Commerce Way occurred about 4:30 p.m. Friday, Deputy Ed Hernandez said.

When the 6-foot-4-inch, 280-pound man started marring the door, the officers inside at first thought he was waving at them, while sheriff's Capt. Mike Parker lectured on "the importance of having backup when engaged in foot pursuits."

When the man opened the door, apparently to mark on the inside, he was confronted by more than 40 sheriff's deputies and police officers, who chased him down the block until he fell, Hernandez said.

Once handcuffed and put in the back of deputy's car, the suspect kicked out the rear window, Hernandez said.

V****** was using broken car antenna to scratch the glass at the aquatics center, Richards said, adding that the man may be mentally ill.

"Looking at the door later on, it turns out we could see him, but he couldn't see us," Parker said. "It would appear he picked the wrong room to vandalize."