Breaking: Santa Monica Mall Shooting, Cop Wounded, Suspect Arrested!

UPDATE, 5:23 PM: Authorities in Santa Monica have announced the arrest of the suspect involved in a shooting that left a police officer wounded near the Santa Monica Place mall. The firearm used in the incident has also been seized.

EARLIER, 3:16 PM: A police officer was shot around noon today in Santa Monica, leading to an extensive manhunt at the nearby Santa Monica Place Mall.

The Santa Monica Police Department alerted the public at approximately 1:30 p.m. to steer clear of the area around Fourth Street and Colorado Avenue, close to where the mall is situated.

A thorough search for the assailant was underway, as stated by police spokesperson Lt. Lewis Gilmour. The suspect, a male in his 30s wearing a dark jacket and black trousers, was last observed in that attire. His image has been circulated on the police department’s social media channels.

The condition of the officer, who was rushed to the hospital, remains unclear, particularly whether the injuries were due to gunfire.

This incident occurred just two days after two children were shot near the mall, at the intersection of 2nd Street and Broadway at around 11:38 p.m.

“Initial reports suggest the shooting was a deliberate, isolated event that followed a verbal dispute earlier in the evening between the victims and the suspect,” the Santa Monica police reported. “At the time of the attack, the victims were riding in an autonomous rideshare vehicle when the assailant approached on foot and fired several shots into the car before fleeing the area.”

City News Service contributed to this report.