Santa Monica: Man tied to Waymo shooting accused of opening fire on officer

Santa Monica officer shot, suspect arrested

Santa Monica police have arrested a suspect they say shot an officer near the Third Street Promenade on Wednesday. The suspect is also believed to be the person who shot at a Waymo in Santa Monica over the weekend.

LOS ANGELES - A suspect was taken into custody after shooting a Santa Monica Police officer near Third Street Promenade. That suspect is also tied to another crime that occurred just days before. 

Santa Monica officer shot

What we know:

According to Police Chief Ramon Batista, around 1 p.m. near Santa Monica Place (4th St & Colorado), an officer spotted a man wanted in connection with a prior incident. After identifying himself as an officer, a short foot pursuit occurred and the officer was ambushed as the suspect fired multiple rounds at him. 

The officer was rushed to the hospital in stable condition, and his injuries are not life-threatening. 

Santa Monica cop shooter tied to Waymo shooting

The suspect who shot at a Santa Monica cop near the mall is also wanted for opening fire on two minors inside a Waymo vehicle over the weekend.

Timeline:

Around 2:30 p.m., police deemed the area around the mall safe, as they searched nearby neighborhoods for the suspect. 

By 4:20 p.m., officers arrested the suspect at Palisades Park. Batista said they received a tip from a resident who reported seeing a man matching the suspect's description. 

The suspect has yet to be identified. A handgun was recovered at the scene. 

Santa Monica shooting: potential suspect arrested

Officers in Santa Monica appeared to arrest a man after another officer was injured in a shooting downtown. SkyFOX was live over the arrest.

Suspect tied to Waymo shooting 

Batista said the suspect is connected to a shooting that occurred Sunday, June 22 at 2nd Street and Broadway.

Around 11:40 p.m. two juveniles inside a Waymo vehicle were shot at. 

RELATED: 2 juveniles shot in Waymo vehicle in Santa Monica

One victim was shot in the arm and the other was shot in the torso. They were taken to the hospital in stable condition.

At that time, SMPD officials said the shooting was a targeted and isolated incident. Investigators learned that earlier in the evening, the victims got into an argument with the alleged gunman.

Dig deeper:

This is the second time in eight months a Santa Monica officer was seriously injured in the line of duty, Batista stated. The officer that was stabbed in the Oct. 2024 incident continues to recover. The officer injured in Wednesday's shooting has not been identified, but Batista said he was new to the force.