SANTA MONICA—On Tuesday, May 18, at approximately 1:40 a.m., a Santa Monica Police Department officer observed a vehicle driving erratically northbound on Lincoln Boulevard. The officer conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Bay Street to investigate.
In what is considered a routine DUI checkup, the officer was administering a field sobriety test to the driver of the vehicle when a passenger was observed exiting the vehicle with a gun and then shot at the officers.
Sgt. Jay Trisler with the SMPD tells Canyon News, “Officers then returned shots at the suspect. One officer, a 16-year veteran, was struck in the abdomen by a bullet from the suspect. I cannot release the name of our injured officer at this moment for security reasons. He’s still in the hospital, but once he’s released, we’ll be giving the media his name and further details.”
The officer’s injuries are considered non-life threatening. The suspect fled the scene and a perimeter of the area was set up. The driver of the vehicle, a 46-year-old white male, was taken into custody without further incident. He was later released as an uninvolved party. The Santa Monica Police Department’s S.W.A.T. Team and K-9 officers responded to the scene to search for the suspect. Mutual aid was requested from surrounding police agencies. Officers from Beverly Hills, Culver City, Inglewood, El Segundo, Gardena, Torrance, California Highway Patrol and the Los Angeles Police Department responded to assist.
Almost five hours after the car was initially pulled over for a traffic check at approximately 5:10 a.m., SMPD officers located the suspect in an alley adjacent to where the initial traffic stop occurred. The suspect confronted the K-9 and officers. Officers fired on the suspect, who was then taken to a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries from the K-9 contact and wounds received from the gunshots.
The suspect was identified as 32-year-old Dante Glenn Leverette, a black male from Los Angeles. He was arrested and booked for attempted homicide.
The criminal investigation is being handled by the Santa Monica Police Department’s Robbery/Homicide Unit. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Officer Involved Shooting Team is assisting in the investigation. “The suspect has not been officially booked at this point; he’s still in the hospital. We appreciate the public’s help in this matter and would like to thank the public for the kind words of support we’ve received as a result of this incident,” said Sgt. Trisler.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Michael Bambrick at 310-458-8932 or Sergeant Ira Rutan at 310-458-8959 or the police department (24 hours) 310-458-8426.
