Santa Monica Detectives are asking for the public’s assistance to help identify and locate the suspects involved in a shooting that occurred in the area of Ocean and Pacific on September 22nd.




On September 22, 2021 approximately 3:00 a.m. Officers with the Santa Monica Police Department were dispatched to Ocean Ave. and Pacific St. to investigate a shooting.

Officers met with the victim who told them that he was asleep in his vehicle when two male suspects armed with a handgun and taser, opened his door and demanded his car keys. A verbal altercation ensued. Suspect #2 tased the victim, then Suspect #1 shot the victim in the face. Both suspects fled southbound Neilson Way through Ocean Park Blvd in the vehicle described.

Suspect Vehicle – Older SUV, possibly a Sequoia, 4Runner or Tahoe



Suspect #1 - Male Hispanic "Latino Accent" approximately 18 to 25 years in age; 5'4" to 5' 7" in height; 155 to 170 pounds; light to medium skin tone, buzzed haircut, "fuzz" on upper lip; wearing a button up short sleeve loose fitted orange/yellow reddish checkered pattern shirt, loose dark pants/ jeans

Firearm Description - 9mm semi-automatic handgun, "medium toned", approximately 6 in barrel

Suspect #2 - Male Hispanic "Latino Accent" approximately 18 to 25 years in age; 5'4" to 5' 6" in height; 145 to 165 pounds, "flabby"; light to medium skin tone, buzzed haircut, no facial hair, had a "baby face", wearing a jersey type top "crossover", dark or red in color with dark letters, dark to medium jean shorts, white tennis shoes.

Taser Description - Black 5-inch taser or stun gun

SMPD is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying and locating both suspects and the vehicle believed to be involved. Anyone with this information is strongly encouraged to contact Detective Nicole Murphy at (310) 458-8941 or Nicole.murphy@santamonica.gov , Sergeant Art Williams at (310) 458-8475 or the Watch Commander (24 hours) at (310) 458-8426.

Nick Gabaldón Day will take place on Saturday, October 9, 2021.

Nick Gabaldón (1927-1951) was a pioneering surfer of African American and Mexican American descent. He was the first documented surfer of color in the Santa Monica Bay. Gabaldón’s passion, athleticism, discipline, love, and respect for the ocean live on as the quintessential qualities of the California surfer.

In 2013, with the help of African American historian Alison Rose Jefferson, Heal the Bay joined forces with the Black Surfers Collective to amplify and expand their prior Nick Gabaldón efforts. Nick Gabaldón Day, in its current form, is now in its 9th year and will be held on October 9, 2021. This innovative celebration provides an amazing opportunity for broadening outreach, action, and education to connect Angelenos with their cultural, historical, and natural heritage.

The shoreline and waters at Bay Street in Santa Monica were an active hub of African American beach life during the Jim Crow era. This beach was popular from the 1900s to early 1960s among African American people, who sought to avoid hostile and racial discrimination they might experience at other southland beaches. Racial discrimination and restrictive covenants prevented African Americans from buying property throughout the Los Angeles region, but their community’s presence and agency sustained their oceanfront usage in Santa Monica.

In 2008, the City of Santa Monica officially recognized the “Inkwell” and Nick Gabaldón with a landmark monument at Bay Street and the Oceanfront Walk. In 2019, this same beach was listed as the Bay Street Beach Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance in the African American experience and American history.

Nick Gabaldón Day introduces young and old from inland communities to the magic of the coast through free surf and ocean safety lessons, beach ecology exploration, and a history lesson about a man who followed his passion and a community who challenged anti-Black discrimination to enjoy the beach.

The Black Surfers Collective, Heal the Bay, Surf Bus Foundation, and the Santa Monica Conservancy collaborate for Nick Gabaldón Day to reach families in resource-challenged communities and connect them to meaningful educational programming. Together, we are helping build personal experiences with cultural, historical, natural heritage, and civic engagement that make up the foundation of stewardship, and the development of the next generation of heritage conservation and environmental leaders.

For more info, Click Here.

The 2020/21' Longboard Tour concludes at the Jeep Malibu Classic pres. by Havaianas beginning on October 11 and 12.

The World Surf League (WSL) 2021 Longboard Tour will conclude at the Jeep® Malibu Classic presented by Havaianas on the shores of Malibu, California's iconic First Point. The competition will run over two days, on October 11 - 12, 2021, and will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com. Event organizers determined the run days within the October 3 - 13 window after working closely with swell forecasters to decide the best possible days.

Two-time WSL Longboard Champion and current No. 3 Joel Tudor (USA) searches for a historic third World Title to join the likes of Rusty Keaulana (HAW), Colin McPhillips (USA), and Taylor Jensen (USA), who is in search of making history of his own for a fourth World Title. Tudor's 2020 Noosa Longboard Classic victory notched his first win in over a decade, after his hiatus from competing, to set him up for a big finish after earning an equal fifth at the Cuervo Surf Ranch Classic. Now, the 45-year-old has the opportunity to add his name to that illustrious list.

"I've been coming to Malibu since I was a kid," reflected Tudor. "First with my parents for club contests, then with Donald Takayama where we'd meet up with his friends Skip Frye, Nat Young and so many more. There is so much history at that spot. The local surfers and characters that define the place - it has always been the place for us longboarders that defines performance. It's the best longboard wave in the world, and to win another World Title there after more than a decade break would mean a lot to me and my family."

"I was at a Final here decades ago, the last time the WSL decided a World Title at Malibu, and I lost in the final to Russ K (Keaulana)," added Tudor. "Winning here all these years later would be a heck of a way to top off a pretty good run. You need to have goals, it gets you up in the morning. Winning another Title off this incredible field of talent won't be easy, but I have a lot of experience at that wave and I intend to give it everything I've got to pull out the event win and the Title. "

Fellow two-time WSL Longboard Champion Blomfield, 22, is in the running for her third World Title on familiar shores after an immaculate win at the Cuervo Surf Ranch Classic. The Oahu, Hawaii competitor's longboard career blossomed at Malibu's First Point from a young age and has taken her across the world as an inspiration to the next generation behind her, such as fellow Hawaii surfer and current No. 2, Kelis Kaleopa'a.

Blomfield's young career has also been challenged by World Title contenders such as Brazil's Chloe Calmon, two-time World Title runner-up; current No. 6 Alice Lemoigne (FRA); and Longboard Tour veteran, Lindsay Steinriede (USA).

"It's pretty exciting to be up for a third Title and I'm really stoked to have won a contest, which I feel puts me in a good place to give it a real chance," expressed Blomfield. "It's going to be hard work and anything can happen at Malibu. I've surfed a lot of events and I know how it can go. But, it would be pretty special to win the World Title here. It's where I did my first event, got my first board sponsor, and really felt like where my career started over a decade ago."

"It's amazing to see everyone at the point where we're all nearly at the same level now," added Blomfield. "There's been a few standouts over the last few years but this year everyone looks incredible. We've all been working hard, especially over the last year, and it was really exciting to showcase the work I've been putting in on my switch-stance and trying to progress my surfing at the last event."

Watch LIVE
The Jeep Malibu Classic presented by Havaianas will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and the free WSL app beginning October 11 at 7:00 a.m. PDT. Also, check local listings for coverage from the WSL's broadcast partners.

*The WSL Longboard Tour is proudly supported by our partners, Jeep, Havaianas, Hydro Flask, Expedia, Athletic Brewing, US Army, Aviator Nation, Firewire, and Flying Embers.

Ocean Water Use Warning for Los Angeles County Beaches: The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) continues cautioning residents who are planning to visit the below Los Angeles County beaches to be careful of swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters ofthe Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica and Mother’s Beach in Marina Del Rey.

The warning has been issued due to bacterial levels exceeding health standards when last tested.

Use the map below to obtain the current water quality status of your favorite beach location. Use your mouse wheel to zoom into a particular location. Click on the marker to identify the sampling location.

The fine folks at Washington Square are hosting a free community movie night, out in the ocean at the end of the Venice Pier every Thursday, till October 28th. So grab your family, grab your peers, grab a blanket or chair, and head to the beach for an evening of ocean breezes and movies under the stars! All the restaurants on Washington Square are putting this on, so stop in for food and drinks to take to the show! See you there!


Dates: Every Thursday, Sept. 23-Oct. 28, 2021.
Start time: 7:00 p.m.
Admission: Free
Location: At the end of the Venice Pier.
Bring your own chairs/blankets!


Movie Line Up:
COCO – 10/7
The Big Lebowski – 10/14
Grease – 10/21
The Nightmare Before Christmas – 10/28

Showers/storms are speckling the metro area Monday afternoon, and in the loop you can see lightning from Marina Del Ray to Huntington Beach, which have Lifeguards clearing out the beaches.

From LACoLifeguards:

"All Los Angeles County Beaches San Pedro - Malibu including Avalon & Catalina Island are CLOSED. Lifeguards will clear the water of all persons and advise patrons on the beach to seek shelter immediately!"



Showers are moving NNW, and expecting more to develop as the afternoon goes on. Showers/storms are making their way into Ventura County . We haven't been seeing much accumulation, but stronger storms have produced frequent lightning.

A low pressure system to the southwest of the state will lift into the region Monday, bringing moisture and instability into Southwest California. There is a chance for showers and isolated thunderstorms over Ventura and L.A. county starting late this afternoon through tonight, with the best chances over the interior mountains and valleys. Storms that form will be capable of creating lightning with very little rainfall and gusty downdraft winds. Any lightning that occurs will have a chance of fire ignition due to the unseasonably dry fuels across the region. Anyone planning outdoor activities in the region needs to keep an eye to the sky and monitor the latest National Weather Service forecasts and warnings. If you hear thunder or see lightning, immediately seek shelter indoors or in a hard top vehicle.

Mornings in Venice Beach 10/1/21. Video by Cop Watch Venice

"LAPD was out at night again moving a select few homeless people, the Park Rangers return for the regularly scheduled boardwalk sweep aka clean up and the wildest arrest we filmed yet with a man supposedly swinging a metal pole. Great job by the LAPD handling a tough situation."

Cop Watch Venice follows LAPD pacific division on world famous Venice beach, showing a point-of-view style cop watch and update on Venice's current conditions. We make edited shorts, full scenes and are working on a documentary about homelessness and city failures. Donate to Cop Watch Venice via Cop Watch Venice Paypal

Nick Gabaldón Day will take place on Saturday, October 9, 2021.

Nick Gabaldón (1927-1951) was a pioneering surfer of African American and Mexican American descent. He was the first documented surfer of color in the Santa Monica Bay. Gabaldón’s passion, athleticism, discipline, love, and respect for the ocean live on as the quintessential qualities of the California surfer.

In 2013, with the help of African American historian Alison Rose Jefferson, Heal the Bay joined forces with the Black Surfers Collective to amplify and expand their prior Nick Gabaldón efforts. Nick Gabaldón Day, in its current form, is now in its 9th year and will be held on October 9, 2021. This innovative celebration provides an amazing opportunity for broadening outreach, action, and education to connect Angelenos with their cultural, historical, and natural heritage.

The shoreline and waters at Bay Street in Santa Monica were an active hub of African American beach life during the Jim Crow era. This beach was popular from the 1900s to early 1960s among African American people, who sought to avoid hostile and racial discrimination they might experience at other southland beaches. Racial discrimination and restrictive covenants prevented African Americans from buying property throughout the Los Angeles region, but their community’s presence and agency sustained their oceanfront usage in Santa Monica.

In 2008, the City of Santa Monica officially recognized the “Inkwell” and Nick Gabaldón with a landmark monument at Bay Street and the Oceanfront Walk. In 2019, this same beach was listed as the Bay Street Beach Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance in the African American experience and American history.

Nick Gabaldón Day introduces young and old from inland communities to the magic of the coast through free surf and ocean safety lessons, beach ecology exploration, and a history lesson about a man who followed his passion and a community who challenged anti-Black discrimination to enjoy the beach.

The Black Surfers Collective, Heal the Bay, Surf Bus Foundation, and the Santa Monica Conservancy collaborate for Nick Gabaldón Day to reach families in resource-challenged communities and connect them to meaningful educational programming. Together, we are helping build personal experiences with cultural, historical, natural heritage, and civic engagement that make up the foundation of stewardship, and the development of the next generation of heritage conservation and environmental leaders.

For more info, Click Here.

Boarding For Breast Cancer is thrilled to announce the 14th Annual Skate The Coast October 23 + 24, 2021 in Los Angeles, CA.

Skate the Coast is a 19 mile skate-bike-roll from the Santa Monica Pier to Redondo Beach along the iconic Southern California Strand with the Pacific Ocean as the backdrop for this mellow cruise.

B4BC welcomes anyone on wheels of all ages and abilities to join this push for prevention as we raise funds for B4BC's education, prevention and survivorship programs. Please help us reach our $50K goal by registering today! Registration includes an event tee shirt, goodie bag and prizes for top fundraisers!

Skate-bike-roll 19 miles from the Santa Monica Pier to Dive N Surf in Redondo Beach with B4BC and friends! This is a collective push for prevention with three hydration stops along the way. The morning will start at Veteran's Park in Redondo Beach where we'll load the shuttles to the Santa Monica Pier. From there we'll cruise down the coast to Arbor Venice, Marina Del Rey, Dockweiler State Beach, Hermosa Beach and finishing off at Dive N Surf for awards and celebrations.

For more info and to register, Click Here

From Santa Monica Close Up:

"Construction workers replace wooden boards and support beams on the Santa Monica Pier deck, Monday, September 27, 2021."

Support Santa Monica Closeup/Fabian Lewkowicz with Venmo or PayPal to help earn money to make these videos:

https://venmo.com/u/santamonicacloseup

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/fabianlewkowicz

Friday afternoon in Marina Del Rey.

Photo by @vegteri

Santa Monica Police Department detectives continue to actively investigate an early Wednesday morning shooting that left one person hospitalized and suspects outstanding.

At approximately 3:00 am the Santa Monica Public Safety Dispatch Center received multiple phone calls regarding shots fired in the area of Ocean and Pacific. A subsequent call was received from a male stating he had been shot in the face during a possible carjacking. The victim stated he was asleep in his car when two possible suspects approached his vehicle. The suspects demanded the victim provide the keys to the vehicle, abruptly shot him, and possibly fled in an unknown vehicle and unknown direction at a high rate of speed.

The victim was located by SMPD and transported to a local area hospital where he is recovering and in stable condition.

Santa Monica Police Department personnel continue to gather evidence related to the incident. Anyone with possible video footage or any additional information is encouraged to contact Detective Nicole Murphy with the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) at (310) 458-8941, Nicole.Murphy@santamonica.gov; or the Watch Commander’s office at (310) 458-2249

"I noticed this homeless guy trashing the Venice Beach Boardwalk with garbage so I confronted him. It wasn't a very smart move on my part but I hate people that disrespect Venice Beach. You can see the the utter mess in the background. He threw a small metal object at the windows of Ben and Jerry's and luckily missed. He definitely came too close to me." - Video by Venice Gallerie.

"My friend Dan (seen kneeling left of subject) first saw the guy keel over. He started CPR when he couldn't find a pulse. Others called 911 previous to my arrival, which was moments after the police got there. The LAPD were heroes along with Dan. I always film LAPD. I started taking pictures of police in 1979 in Venice." - Video by Venice Gallerie.

At 11:39PM, LA Lifeguards were dispatched to a vessel that had run aground near the Venice Pier. Large south swell contributed to the vessel going ashore. Both people on board were able to self rescue without injury. Baywatch Rescue Boats and land based lifeguards were able to rig up and tow the vessel offshore this morning. Dewatering and overhaul operations were conducted by Baywatch crews due to prop damage. The vessel was successfully salvaged and towed to the marina for an emergency haul out.

Photos by LACoFD Lifeguards

Saturday afternoon, all Lanes CLOSED in both directions of PCH (Route 1) from Sycamore Canyon Rd to Deer Creek Rd near #Malibu due to two-vehicle traffic collision resulting in fatality.

Mike, aka German in Venice, vlogs about daily life in Venice Beach, and the nearby communities.

"Today, they had a massive homeless encampment clean up behind Golds Gym in Venice Beach, California. A lot of homeless got surprised by the cleanup crew. Some did not have enough time to get all their belongings."

If you would like to support German in Venice with some gas money or you want to buy him a coffee, you are welcome to donate to his paypal account: https://paypal.me/germaninvenice

The Santa Monica Pier is the place to be for classic car fans on Saturday, September 11th. The Santa Monica Pier Classic “End of Summer” Car Show takes place from 10A-5P directly on the Santa Monica Pier deck parking lot.

The event is free for guests to attend and will have food and drink available for purchase. There will be live performances by local bands and artists The Midnight Cruzzers and DJ Chel, as well as the Miss Chevy Pinup Contest.

For those wishing to participate in the car show, there is a $30 roll in fee and a requirement for pre-1972 cars only. Roll in times are from 7A-9A; limited spaces available. Participants will be entered in a raffle and award show.

For more information and to pre-register your car, contact Turi at (310) 291-7628 or Rigo at (636) 219-6582.

Water main break affecting Venice Beach today (Sunday, Aug 5th). Storm drains in the area were flowing but have now stopped. LACoFD Lifeguards have posted signs and are advising swimmers to avoid the water near breached storm drains.