Shooting at upscale Santa Monica mall injures officer. Suspected gunman arrested
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Police arrested a man suspected of opening fire at an upscale Santa Monica mall on Wednesday afternoon and injuring one officer, authorities said.
The shooting took place around 1:10 p.m. at Santa Monica Place, according to the Santa Monica Police Department. The mall is at the base of the Third Street Promenade.
The suspect was arrested and a gun recovered at 4:20 p.m. following a tip from a local resident who saw photos of the suspect released by police, said Police Chief Ramon Batista.
The suspect is the same person wanted in connection with a Sunday evening incident in downtown Santa Monica where a shooter opened fire at a Waymo self-driving taxi with two juveniles inside, police said.
The officer wounded at Santa Monica Place was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and was expected to make a full recovery, police said. Santa Monica City Councilmember Lana Negrete told KTLA News that the officer was struck in the hand.
Videos from the area showed an escalated police presence as the search for the gunman was underway, causing local businesses to temporarily go on lockdown. SWAT team members were dispatched to help in the search, which appeared to cover a large swath of the downtown and beachside districts, including Palisades Park.
The public was advised to avoid the area around 4th Street and Colorado Avenue.
L.A. Metro announced that the downtown Santa Monica train station was closed and that buses were being made available. Regular service resumed at 4:45 p.m.
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