SANTA MONICA (CNS) – The 31-year-old man suspected of shooting a Santa Monica Police Department officer and two juveniles in a Waymo vehicle in the city three days ago remains in custody Thursday in lieu of $1 million bail after being arrested following a roughly three-hour search.
An operator at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Inmate Information Center identified him as David John Hairston, who has been booked on suspicion of at least one count of attempted murder. His bail was set at $1 million and he was scheduled to appear in the LAX Courthouse on Friday, the operator said.
Hairston is believed to have been homeless, police said.
The officer was hospitalized in stable condition with a serious but not life-threatening injury, the department announced. His name has not been released but SMPD Chief Ramon Batista said he joined the department recently.
Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete told reporters the officer sustained a hand wound
The shooting near the Santa Monica Place mall occurred shortly after 1 p.m. Wednesday. Santa Monica police issued an alert around 1:30 p.m., urging the public to avoid Fourth Street and Colorado Avenue, where the mall is located.
The officer approached the suspect “because he recognized him from the bulletin” about Sunday’s Waymo shooting, Negrete said.
The officer identified himself to the suspect, who took off running, police said.
“During the brief pursuit, the suspect ambushed the officer and fired multiple rounds, striking him before fleeing the area.” said Batista.
Officers from Santa Monica, Los Angeles, El Segundo and other agencies descended on the area to conduct a coordinated search, including assistance from at least one search dog.
Around 4:30 p.m., officers were seen taking a suspect into custody in Palisades Park near the California Incline, about a mile from the mall, according to the department.
The arrest and recovery of a gun followed a tip from a local resident who saw photos of the suspect released by police, Batista told reporters.
“This marks the second time in eight months that a Santa Monica officer has been seriously injured in the line of duty — first by stabbing, now by gunfire. The officer injured in the earlier stabbing continues to recover,” according to a department statement.
The earlier Waymo robotaxi shooting occurred about 11:40 p.m. Sunday near the intersection of Second Street and Broadway, according to Gilmour.
It was believed to have been the result of an earlier argument between the victims, both 17, and the suspect, Gilmour said.
Those victims also suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
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