SANTA MONICA—Job Uriah Taylor was arrested on Friday, March 3, by the SMPD and is facing attempted murder charges for attacking multiple people in the Santa Monica area.
Taylor was involved in two separate attacks. The first one began around 7:30 a.m. on the 1100 block of the beach. The suspect approached a man who was walking his dog. Taylor threatened him with a metal pipe and began yelling racial slurs at him. Officers were located nearby and working on a separate project but overheard the attack and intervened. The suspect rode away on his bicycle in an unknown direction. The victim in this attack was not injured.
At around 7:50 a.m., another incident transpired on the north side of the train platform at 4th Street and Colorado Avenue. Taylor was seen attacking a male and female with the same pipe he used to threaten the first victim. While he was beating the victims in the head with the pipe he could be heard yelling racial slurs at them both.
Taylor was apprehended at the scene and transported to the Santa Monica Jail for booking.
Two victims were transported to the hospital; one released the same day and the other still being treated for a head injury.
Alongside the two counts of attempted murder charges, Taylor faces one count of assault with a deadly weapon, and one count of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury. In addition, hate crime allegations were added to the two counts of attempted murder and the assault with force.
Santa Monica Police Department Criminal Investigations Division (CID) Detectives are seeking witnesses who may have been in the area at the time of the incidents. Anyone with any additional information pertaining to this incident or suspect is strongly encouraged to contact SMPD Detective Jacob Holloway at 310-458-8934, Jacob.holloway@santamonica.gov or the Watch Commander (24 hours) at 310-458-8426.
