Shooting, October 14, 2024

Dear SMC Community: The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) has released information this evening confirming that the suspect behind the horrific Oct. 14 workplace shooting at the Santa Monica College Center for Media and Design was apprehended today at approximately 3:00 p.m. near El Segundo Blvd. and Aviation Blvd. (Read the press release). Law enforcement used a pursuit intervention technique to stop the suspect's vehicle; he was found deceased inside his vehicle from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The victim, an SMC colleague, remains in critical condition at a local hospital, as of the time of this update. Our hearts are with the victim’s family, friends, and loved ones. After a swift investigation, SMPD Detectives identified SMC employee Davon Durell Dean as the suspected shooter. The Santa Monica Police Department has disclosed that Dean had prior arrests for crimes of violence which did not result in conviction. The college requires that all prospective employees disclose previous criminal convictions and all employees are fingerprinted. By law, the college is only able to consider convictions in our hiring decisions and are unaware of an applicant’s arrest history. The suspect disclosed his convictions and they were property crimes and not crimes of violence; the disclosed convictions matched Department of Justice records. The arrests revealed by the Santa Monica Police Department did not result in convictions and were unknown to the SMC Human Resources Department. The investigation remains ongoing, and detectives are working to determine the range of events that led to this tragedy. There are no known additional suspects involved, and there is no ongoing threat to the public. The college will be conducting an in-depth analysis of this incident and has made grief/crisis counseling services available to students and employees. Classes, support services, and business operations have pivoted to an online environment and will remain remote through Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. Please continue to monitor your SMC email for the latest updates as well as the college’s official X account @SMC_edu and the online newsroom: smc.edu/announcements. In the days ahead, we will need to come together to reckon with this tragedy and find a path to healing, together. Kathryn E. Jeffery, Ph.D. Superintendent/President