LOS ANGELES, CA – The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) has released body camera footage of a violent confrontation outside its headquarters on Oct. 5 that ended with a suspect shot dead and an officer injured.
The incident began at a Target store near 5th Street and Broadway, where surveillance footage captured a man requesting assistance from an employee. The employee retrieved a knife set from the back of the store, at which point the man tackled the employee, seized the knives, and left the premises, according to police.
The man then walked a few blocks to the SMPD headquarters on Olympic Drive. Security cameras recorded him rushing to the building, ringing the buzzer, and interacting with an officer exiting the facility.
In the body camera footage, the officer can be heard expressing unease about the man’s posture, noting that the suspect appeared to be hiding something under his jacket. The man responded, “You’re nervous?” before pulling out a knife and lunging at the officer.
A struggle ensued, during which the officer discharged his firearm multiple times, striking the suspect. Additional officers quickly arrived to assist the injured officer, who reported being stabbed during the altercation.
The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. The officer was transported to a hospital and later released.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is conducting an independent review of the officer’s use of deadly force, while SMPD investigates the suspect’s actions and possible motive.
No further details about the suspect or the officer involved have been released at this time.
