SMPD Pursues Suspect Who Shoots Himself at the West End of Bay Street

A homeless man with a gun took his own life after a brief police pursuit early Monday morning. Below is the press release, edited, from the Santa Monica Police Dept.

On October 20, 2019 at 11:50 pm, SMPD officers who happened to be in the area of Ocean and Bicknell, heard two gun shots coming from the Ocean end of Bay Street.

Officers respond to the area to investigate and were directed to a male subject who had just shot into an occupied vehicle. Officers made contact with the suspect who fails to comply with commands. The suspect flees on foot, running southwest onto the sand. Officers engaged in a foot pursuit when the suspect produced a handgun and an officer involved shooting occurred.

Preliminary investigation indicates the suspect suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The suspect was pronounced at the scene.

Victims inside the occupied vehicle were not struck by gunfire or injured in the incident. The investigation is ongoing. Further information will be presented at a later time.