SANTA MONICA, CA - Authorities with the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) confirmed that an officer was stabbed multiple times in an unprovoked attack on Saturday, October 5th, outside of the SMPD police station on Olympic Drive.
According to ABC7, the incident happened at 5:21 p.m. while the officer was in front of the station gathering information from a resident about an ongoing case. SMPD Chief Ramon Batista said that while the officer was gathering the information, a suspect, described at the time only as a man in his 30s, suddenly interrupted the conversation. Batista said, "It was in that moment that the man unexpectedly and without warning attacked the officer. [He] pulled a large knife from his clothing and attacked and stabbed the officer."
The officer then drew his weapon and went around the corner of the building. The suspect reportedly followed the officer and "continued the attack." Batista said, "It was in that area, the side of the building, that an officer-involved shooting occurred." The officer was stabbed multiple times throughout the attack and was rushed to a nearby hospital. Batista said that the officer's injuries are very serious, but that he is in stable condition and is expected to survive.
The police chief said, "I can't tell you enough how disappointed I am to see this attack, unprovoked, occurred on our streets." The armed suspect died and was pronounced dead at the scene. Batista said in a statement, "In Santa Monica, we pride ourselves in trying to keep our city safe. Unfortunately, we've had a very serious series of events that have occurred in our city since this summer. Nonetheless, our officers are going to continue the work of going out there, providing public safety to our residents, every single day."
According to KTLA5, as of this writing, the police officer who was stabbed multiple times has been released from the hospital and is at home recovering. On Sunday, October 6th, SMPD posted to X saying, "We are grateful for his dedication to protecting our community and will do everything we can to help him and his family through the hard work of recovering from this attack."
FOX 11 reported that many in the area are relieved to know that the officer has survived and been released from the hospital. Janet McLaughlin who founded a Facebook Page called Santa Monicans Against Crime said, "Thank God." Her Facebook page and organization is all about pushing back on crime, violence, and this weekend, the stabbing of a SMPD officer. McLaughlin said, "I couldn't even sleep last night. It's so upsetting to all of us, not just me ... We feel like if a police officer who is trained to deal with these potentially violent situations he's armed with a gun is standing outside the front doors of the police department can get stabbed multiple times, what chances do the rest of us have?"
Resident John Alle knows the feeling. He said, "I was attacked at Palisades Park." The incident happened in September of 2023 when the man came from behind and attacked him. Alle said, "Broke my jaw in two places. A month later I had one brain surgery and after that I had another brain surgery." As a result of that, he started an anti-crime organization called the Santa Monica Coalition.
SMPD is conducting an internal investigation to ensure that policy and procedures were followed during the officer-involved shooting, which is normal protocol in police departments after such incidents. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office will also be investigating the incident. Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock said that the police stabbing was terrible.
He said, "Look at it ... if our police can't be safe in front of the police station, then none of my residents are safe." Brock went on to say that the town needs more police officers. He said that they are budgeted for 232 and currently they only have 214. He thinks they could actually use around 280. The mayor said, "But, the amount of mental health, the amount of drug abuse; the amount of insecurity from our residents; the amount of fear, we've got to stop that." He said that for three years he has tried to get the council to agree on having more officers, but added that its a "divided council."
According to ABC7, the incident happened at 5:21 p.m. while the officer was in front of the station gathering information from a resident about an ongoing case. SMPD Chief Ramon Batista said that while the officer was gathering the information, a suspect, described at the time only as a man in his 30s, suddenly interrupted the conversation. Batista said, "It was in that moment that the man unexpectedly and without warning attacked the officer. [He] pulled a large knife from his clothing and attacked and stabbed the officer."
The officer then drew his weapon and went around the corner of the building. The suspect reportedly followed the officer and "continued the attack." Batista said, "It was in that area, the side of the building, that an officer-involved shooting occurred." The officer was stabbed multiple times throughout the attack and was rushed to a nearby hospital. Batista said that the officer's injuries are very serious, but that he is in stable condition and is expected to survive.
The police chief said, "I can't tell you enough how disappointed I am to see this attack, unprovoked, occurred on our streets." The armed suspect died and was pronounced dead at the scene. Batista said in a statement, "In Santa Monica, we pride ourselves in trying to keep our city safe. Unfortunately, we've had a very serious series of events that have occurred in our city since this summer. Nonetheless, our officers are going to continue the work of going out there, providing public safety to our residents, every single day."
According to KTLA5, as of this writing, the police officer who was stabbed multiple times has been released from the hospital and is at home recovering. On Sunday, October 6th, SMPD posted to X saying, "We are grateful for his dedication to protecting our community and will do everything we can to help him and his family through the hard work of recovering from this attack."
FOX 11 reported that many in the area are relieved to know that the officer has survived and been released from the hospital. Janet McLaughlin who founded a Facebook Page called Santa Monicans Against Crime said, "Thank God." Her Facebook page and organization is all about pushing back on crime, violence, and this weekend, the stabbing of a SMPD officer. McLaughlin said, "I couldn't even sleep last night. It's so upsetting to all of us, not just me ... We feel like if a police officer who is trained to deal with these potentially violent situations he's armed with a gun is standing outside the front doors of the police department can get stabbed multiple times, what chances do the rest of us have?"
Resident John Alle knows the feeling. He said, "I was attacked at Palisades Park." The incident happened in September of 2023 when the man came from behind and attacked him. Alle said, "Broke my jaw in two places. A month later I had one brain surgery and after that I had another brain surgery." As a result of that, he started an anti-crime organization called the Santa Monica Coalition.
SMPD is conducting an internal investigation to ensure that policy and procedures were followed during the officer-involved shooting, which is normal protocol in police departments after such incidents. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office will also be investigating the incident. Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock said that the police stabbing was terrible.
He said, "Look at it ... if our police can't be safe in front of the police station, then none of my residents are safe." Brock went on to say that the town needs more police officers. He said that they are budgeted for 232 and currently they only have 214. He thinks they could actually use around 280. The mayor said, "But, the amount of mental health, the amount of drug abuse; the amount of insecurity from our residents; the amount of fear, we've got to stop that." He said that for three years he has tried to get the council to agree on having more officers, but added that its a "divided council."
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