A man in his late 40s was shot and killed by Santa Monica police on Saturday afternoon after randomly charging officers with a large, kitchen-style knife during a witness interview in Palisades Park, according to city officials and police departments.
The chaotic scene unfolded around 12:49 p.m. in the 1400 block of Ocean Avenue, steps from the bustling Santa Monica Pier. Officers had initially responded to the area to investigate a reported domestic violence incident. While police spoke with witnesses, an unrelated individual approached the group aggressively.
Santa Monica Police Lt. Lewis Gilmour confirmed that the suspect had no connection to the domestic violence call, stating that the man was 100% unrelated to their initial investigation.
Chief Details Sequence of Events at Palisades Park
Santa Monica Police Chief Darrick Jacob briefed reporters regarding the confrontation, explaining that the suspect ignored multiple verbal commands to drop the weapon. Instead of complying, the man continued advancing toward the officers with what the chief described as a rather large knife.
Faced with the charging suspect, an officer discharged a single round, striking the man. Palisades Park is a popular, heavily frequented green space stretching over a mile and a half north from the pier along the Santa Monica Bay. Chief Jacob noted that the location attracts many transients, adding that investigators were examining whether the suspect may have been unhoused.
While officers were interviewing witnesses, an unrelated individual armed with a knife charged at the officers,
the SMPD said. An officer discharged their firearm, striking the individual.
Police said the shooting took place after officers arrived at the 1400 block of Ocean Avenue to respond to a reported domestic violence incident. Santa Monica police officers were called to Palisades Park, near the 1400 block of Ocean Avenue, shortly before 1 p.m. for a reported domestic violence incident.
While officers spoke to a witness at the scene, a man who was not involved in the original call charged toward the officers with a knife, according to the police department. Santa Monica Police Chief Darrick Jacob said the suspect ignored repeated commands to drop the knife and continued to advance toward the officers.
That’s when an officer discharged their firearm, shooting the man, Jacob said. The suspect, only identified as a man in his 40s, was hit and taken to the hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
Police say the suspect was not involved in the original domestic violence investigation and that a knife was recovered at the scene as evidence. The scene remains an active investigation, and the public is asked to avoid the area.
Palisades Park is a popular, iconic park along Ocean Avenue that overlooks the Santa Monica Bay. A Santa Monica police officer responding to an unrelated incident Saturday shot and killed a man who charged at officers with a knife, authorities said.
The shooting occurred at 12:49 p.m. in Palisades Park, on the 1400 block of Ocean Avenue, according to the Santa Monica Police Department. Officers had initially responded to a report of domestic violence, police said.
Santa Monica Fire Department paramedics treated the wounded man at the scene before taking him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. The involved officer was not hurt.
The SMPD did not release the man’s name, but he was believed to be in his late 40s. A rather large knife
was recovered at the scene, Santa Monica Police Chief Darrick Jacob told reporters during a briefing.
The officer fired a single shot. There were indications that the man may have been homeless, Jacob said. The Ocean Avenue-adjacent park, which stretches over a mile and half north from the pier, is home to many individuals.
Police said Santa Monica Fire Department workers gave medical care to the person who was shot, who then was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. The officer was not injured.
Police said the scene was still active Saturday afternoon as investigators collected evidence and conducted a preliminary investigation. Law enforcement asked the public to avoid the area.
Police have not released the name of the person who died or more information about them, or what they believe led the person to charge at the officers. His name will be released after formal identification has been completed and his next of kin have been notified.
This incident is also a reminder of how quickly circumstances can change for the men and women of the Santa Monica Police Department who serve our community. Officers respond every day to situations that are unpredictable.
— Chief Darrick Jacob, Santa Monica Police Department
Emergency Response and Ongoing Investigation
Immediately following the shooting, the responding officers began providing life-saving measures. Santa Monica Fire Department paramedics arrived shortly afterward to take over medical care, transporting the wounded man to a local hospital.
Despite emergency efforts, the man was pronounced dead at the hospital at approximately 1:49 p.m. Officials have not yet released his identity, pending formal identification and family notification, though he was described as being in his late 40s or mid-40s by sources. Police confirmed that no members of the public or responding officers sustained injuries during the incident.
Detectives quickly cordoned off the area with yellow police tape, keeping the public away from the active crime scene while investigators collected evidence. Law enforcement agencies are combing through the area to piece together the entire timeline.
Evidence Preservation and Public Transparency
Investigators are preserving physical evidence, interviewing additional witnesses, and reviewing available details from the immediate area.
Police officials stated that the investigation remains ongoing. In the meantime, portions of Palisades Park near Ocean Avenue remain an active scene while forensic teams process the ground where the confrontation took place.
