SMC Releases Name of Employee Who Shot a Woman In Its Employ on Monday

In a press release that leaves us with more head-scratching than clarity, Santa Monica College confirmed that the employee who shot a female colleague yesterday, leaving her in critical condition, was, in fact, a suicidal ex-con. The burning question here is simple: what exactly made SMC think this guy was a great hire? Oddly, that critical inquiry doesn't seem to be on SMPD's radar.

Following what they describe as a "swift and thorough investigation," SMPD detectives zeroed in on Davon Durell Dean, 39, an SMC employee, as the prime suspect. Dean came with some pretty serious baggage-arrested for attempted murder in 2011 and assault with a deadly weapon (a firearm, no less) in

2019. Though, interestingly, his convictions only involved misdemeanor property crimes. How that squares with his employment at SMC remains a mystery.

Fast forward to today, October 15th, around 3:00 pm. Hawthorne Police spotted Dean's car near El Segundo Blvd. and Aviation Blvd., and after a brief chase, they used a pursuit intervention technique to stop him.

Despite their Crisis Negotiations Team trying to talk him down, Dean was found dead in his vehicle from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The LA

Dean and his victim were both custodians. He committed attempted murder in 2011, and assault with a deadly weapon in 2019. She remains in the hospital in critical condition.

It's a tragic end, no doubt, but we're still left wondering about that glaring question: who signed off on hiring him in the first place?