Santa Monica officer 'ambushed' and shot after approaching wanted gunman, chief says

Tim Caputo Image
Thursday, June 26, 2025
Santa Monica officer 'ambushed' and shot by wanted suspect, chief says
A Santa Monica police officer was "ambushed" and shot after approaching a suspect wanted in a separate shooting, authorities say.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (KABC) -- A man has been arrested after shooting an officer near the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica on Wednesday, according to the police department.

AIR7 was live over the scene when the suspect was taken into custody at the intersection of Idaho and Ocean around 4:20 p.m.

AIR7 was live over the scene when the suspect was taken into custody at the intersection of Idaho and Ocean around 4:20 p.m.

The Santa Monica Police Department released an image of the suspect on social media earlier in the afternoon when he was still at large.

Santa Monica Police Department

According to Police Chief Ramon Batista, shortly after 1 p.m., the officer recognized a man believed to be wanted in a prior incident near Santa Monica Place mall (4th St & Colorado). Batista said the officer approached the man and identified himself as an officer, and that's when a short foot chase began.

The suspect then ambushed the officer, firing multiple rounds, according to Batista. He then got away on foot.

The officer was seriously injured and taken to UCLA Medical Center, where he is now in stable condition. Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete said the officer was shot in the hand.

The police chief said the officer who was shot is a younger, newer addition to the force. His name was not immediately released.

After an extensive search involving multiple law enforcement agencies, the suspect was taken into custody after another brief foot chase at 4:20 p.m. Batista said they received a tip from a resident who spotted someone matching the suspect's description.

The handgun used in the shooting was recovered during the arrest.

In a post on social media, Santa Monica police confirmed that man they arrested is also the suspect in another shooting earlier this week, where two juvenile victims who were riding in a Waymo vehicle were hurt.

Police believe the suspect may be homeless. His name was not immediately released.

Batista noted that this is the second time in eight months that a Santa Monica PD officer has been seriously injured in the line of duty. An officer previously stabbed continues to recover from his injuries.

"We heard, I thought close to 10 gunshots. At the time, I thought it was just fireworks. It happened really fast. It was probably less than that. But it was just, 'pop, pop, pop, pop, pop,'" said James Heaney, who works nearby. "And within 30 seconds, there was a half-dozen cops that were coming down the road with their doors open while they were going really fast. So my guess is, they already knew there was a situation in there."

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