A tense Monday morning near Santa Monica’s Ocean Park ended without a single bullet fired after officers used a 40mm less‑lethal launcher to stop a man they say was waving a hatchet. Police located and detained the suspect, and Santa Monica Fire Department personnel evaluated him on scene before he was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.
According to the Santa Monica Daily Press, officers were dispatched around 6:58 a.m. to the area of Ocean Way and Bay Street after a caller reported a man with blood on his face carrying a hatchet. Police later spotted him near Barnard Way and Fraser Street and, when he refused repeated commands to drop the weapon, officers deployed a 40mm less‑lethal launcher to gain compliance and avoid a deadly‑force encounter.
Department policy on 40mm launchers
Santa Monica Police Department equipment and use‑of‑force materials describe 40mm launchers as a de‑escalation tool, authorized only for trained officers and intended to reduce the need for deadly force. The city’s AB 481 annual report notes that the launchers are primarily issued to SWAT and the Mobile Field Force, but can be used by qualified officers under a supervisor’s direction. That policy framework helps explain why officers turned to a less‑lethal option in a busy public area.
Investigation and public tips
The incident remains under review in line with department policy, and the man was detained without further incident, the Santa Monica Daily Press reports. Anyone with information tied to the case is asked to contact the Santa Monica Police Department at 310-458-8491.
How the tool fits a larger debate
Use of 40mm projectiles has been under the microscope elsewhere in the region. Earlier this year, a federal judge restricted parts of the LAPD’s use of similar launchers for crowd control, highlighting ongoing disputes over when projectile less‑lethal munitions are appropriate, according to the Los Angeles Times.
