Southern California Officer Fatally Shoots Man Who Allegedly Attacked Him With a Knife

Santa Monica, Calif., on Nov. 27, 2023. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

A Santa Monica officer fatally shot a man Oct. 5 outside the police station after the man drew a knife and stabbed him in an unprovoked attack, the police department said.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office on Oct. 7 identified the man as Deyaa Abdelhadi Halaibeh, 28.

Santa Monica police did not return a request Monday asking whether Halaibeh was homeless or a city resident.

Residents and visitors have reported a number of attacks reportedly committed by the homeless population in the coastal Southern California city recently.

According to Santa Monica police, Saturday’s incident started at about 5:20 p.m. outside the police station.

The officer was standing and collecting information from a resident about an unrelated call when he was confronted by Halaibeh at the front doors.

“Our officer explained to the individual that he needed to wait while he spoke with the other party,” the police department wrote in a press release Sunday. “Without warning, the individual attacked the officer while pulling a knife from his clothing.”

The man allegedly slashed and stabbed the officer, who then moved away and drew his duty weapon.

The man followed the officer around the corner of the building and continued attacking with his knife, police said. As the wounded officer reportedly retreated, he shot the man.

Santa Monica officers treated Halaibeh until the city’s Fire Department took over with life-support efforts. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.

The wounded officer was released from the hospital Sunday and is now home recovering, the department wrote in an update posted on social media.

A police car in Santa Monica, Calif., in a file photo. The officer who was slashed Saturday was released from the hospital and is recovering at home. Mario Tama/Getty Images

“We are all grateful for his dedication to protecting our community and will do everything we can to help him and his family through the hard work of recovering from this attack,” the department wrote in the update. “This has been a challenging time, but the unwavering support from our residents has reminded us of the strength in unity. Our community thrives when we come together, and your encouragement has been a crucial part of the healing process.”

Santa Monica police are investigating to ensure that policy and procedures were followed during the incident, the department wrote in the press release.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office will also investigate the shooting.