On the early morning of January 15, 2025, Santa Monica was shaken by a fatal shooting in the 200 Block of Broadway, and as of last week, the Santa Monica Police Department has the suspect, Fabian Mendez, in custody. According to a press release from the City of Santa Monica, the incident happened at approximately 1:30 AM; Mendez is alleged to have chased the victim into the street before shooting him in the back, leading to the victim's death despite the efforts of emergency responders.
The pursuit for Mendez ended last Tuesday when he was apprehended after a comprehensive investigation. Mendez who’s of Inglewood, is now charged with homicide under Penal Code 187, holding a bail at $3,000,000. The development comes off the back of a distressing period where Mendez was described by Hoodline as a 6 feet 3 inches tall Hispanic male with “Zamora” tattooed on his forearms and considered armed and dangerous by the police during the time he was at large.
Details surrounding the incident have trickled in, with reports of an altercation involving the victim, whose identity was withheld until kin notifications, and an unidentified woman just moments before the shooting. Following the incident, local enforcement had widely publicized the suspect details and urged public cooperation in locating Mendez, he was last seen fleeing northbound in Alley 2 before his eventual capture.
Officers on the case continued their appeal for any additional information about the crime, despite the suspect being behind bars, Det. Reyes and Detective Sergeant Lozano's contact information was shared along with the Watch Commander's direct line, the Santa Monica Government had stressed the significance of community engagement to bring further clarity to the case.
