Knife Wielding Man Shot by Police in Downtown Santa Monica
Knife Wielding Man Shot by Police in Downtown Santa Monica
An LA Metro Deputy Sheriff at the Downtown Santa Monica Expo station shot a man on Tuesday after he lunged at an officer with a knife.
In a press release statement provided by LA Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau Lieutenant Joe Mendoza, it has been confirmed that two deputies were on a routine patrol of the metro station and had been at a fixed post by the northwest platform.
The train arrived at the station around 1 p.m. and while passengers were getting off, a white adult male passenger armed with two concealed kitchen knives emerged from the train car and lunged towards one of the deputies, brandishing a knife in his right hand. A struggle ensued on the platform and the two officers attempted to subdue the attacker.
In a matter of moments, he drew his second knife and began wielding both trying to stab the deputies until one of the officers drew his gun and fired a single bullet, hitting the upper torso of the attacker and incapacitating him. A few minutes passed as the station was shut down and closed off by the LA County Sheriff’s Department.
The deputies were unharmed and the suspect was transported to an undisclosed hospital nearby to receive medical treatment. Upon reaching the hospital it was confirmed that even though in serious condition, he was expected to survive the gunshot wound.
Dozens of law enforcement vehicles sealed off nearby streets
including 4th Street, Colorado Avenue, and 5th Street, and closed the station for several more hours as the department examined the cause and conditions of the attack.
During the department statement, both Lieutenant Mendoza and Division Public Information Officer Ramon Montenegro stated that surveillance footage of nearby cameras would be examined and witnesses aboard the train car would be interviewed before the identity of the suspect is to be released to the public. After the press release, officials slowly began reopening the streets to pedestrians and through traffic.
The LASD will release more information as it becomes available.