Three shot at Santa Monica College; second shooter possible

Santa Monica College and other campuses in the city were on lockdown after a shooting that wounded at least three people.

The California Highway Patrol said it received reports of shots fired at 11:55 a.m. at the corner of 17th and Pearl streets on the south side of the Santa Monica College campus.

CHP officer Vince Ramirez told The Times one suspect was in custody and that officers were trying to determine if there was a second shooter. No details on the victims or suspect’s condition were given.

At around 1 p.m., six officers ran into a parking lot at 17th and Pico Boulevard with guns draw. A car with bullet holes was visible in one college lot.

President Obama was in the area for a fundraiser at the time, but sources said the shooting appears to be unrelated to his visit.

Secret Service spokesman Edwin M. Donovan said: “We are aware of the incident and it is not impacting the visit. It’s a local police matter at this point.”

Details about the incident were not immediately available. But the sources said the suspect was detained inside the college’s library. It was unclear whether the suspect was wounded.

Police sources told The Times the three victims were shot inside a car either on the campus or near the campus. Their conditions were unknown.

A staff member at the college superintendent’s office said the whole campus was on lockdown, including her office -- which she said was off site.

“We’ve been told that there was a shooting,” said the employee, Lety Kilian said.

Santa Monica College sent out the following statement:

There have been reports of a shooter on the main SMC campus. The college is on lock-down. This means that if you are on campus, stay out of open spaces, stay in doors, lock all doors and do not open the doors until you receive an all clear from college officials. If you are off campus, do NOT come to campus.

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