SANTA MONICA, Calif.—A 39-year-old man suspected of shooting a co-worker at a Santa Monica College (SMC) satellite campus, prompting a manhunt and causing the college to close all its campuses, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following a standoff Tuesday in Hawthorne.
Police from various agencies, including the Santa Monica Police Department, descended around 4 p.m. on Aviation Boulevard, north of El Segundo Boulevard, and surrounded Davon Durell Dean inside a car that wound up facing the wrong way on the roadway as it was pinned in by squad cars and armored SWAT vehicles.
Dean was later found dead inside the car after being discovered with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD).
Investigators discovered that Dean was an employee at SMC and linked him to the shooting of a custodial operations manager at the SMC Center for Media & Design in the 1600 block of Stewart Street on Monday around 9:50 p.m.
Police said the suspect had a history of arrests, including attempted murder in 2011 and assault with a deadly weapon involving a firearm in 2019. Dean only had convictions for misdemeanor property crimes.
Authorities immediately responded to the college to aid the victim and secure the campus before taking the person to a hospital in critical condition.
Dean’s car was eventually located Tuesday around 3 p.m. near El Segundo and Aviation boulevards and a brief pursuit ensued.
Several tactics were used to subdue the car. Hawthorne Police Department Crisis Negotiations Team personnel ultimately discovered Dean dead inside his car from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The college shooting investigation remains ongoing as detectives work to determined the motive leading up to the assault.
All of the college’s campuses were closed Tuesday as investigators searched for Dean.
The SMPD called the shooting “an isolated incident” and said there was no information suggesting there is a threat to the community.
“I am so proud of our detectives who worked tirelessly throughout the night in collaboration with our partners at the Santa Monica College Police Department to identify and locate the suspect in this tragic incident,” Santa Monica Police Department Chief Ramon Batista said.
“Our officers’ commitment to the safety of the Santa Monica community is evident and remains paramount.”
Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to call the Santa Monica Police Department at 310-395-9931 or 310-458-8495.
Santa Monica College will be providing counseling and mental and emotional support to students and staff, Superintendent and President Kathryn E. Jeffery said.
“At this heartbreaking time, I urge us all to come together in kindness and compassion as we navigate this unspeakable tragedy,” Jeffery said in a statement.
Employees can call 800-882-1341 to contact the Employee Assistance Service for Education program, which provides free, short-term counseling to SMC employees who may be experiencing emotional distress. The SMC Center for Wellness and Wellbeing can be reached at [email protected], or 310-434-4503, and a 24-hour student hotline is also available at 800-691-6003.
