Two children were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries after being shot while riding as passengers in a Waymo autonomous vehicle late Sunday night, marking the latest violent incident in a city grappling with a sharp rise in serious crimes.
The Santa Monica Police Department said the shooting occurred near the intersection of 2nd Street and Broadway around 11:30 p.m. One child sustained a gunshot wound to the arm and another to the torso. Both victims are in stable condition at a local hospital.
Police said preliminary information indicates the shooting was targeted and followed a verbal altercation earlier in the evening between the victims and the suspect. The gunman approached the autonomous rideshare vehicle on foot and fired multiple rounds before fleeing the scene.
The incident adds to mounting concerns about public safety in Santa Monica, which has experienced a notable increase in violent crime despite an overall 2% decline in serious crimes. According to the Santa Monica Police Department's 2024 crime report, homicides spiked from just one in 2023 to six in 2024.
Downtown Santa Monica has emerged as a particular hotspot for violence. The Third Street Promenade, the city's pedestrian mall, saw Part I serious crimes rise 2% in 2024, with police responding to 8,874 calls for service in the area and making 256 arrests — 70% involving homeless individuals.
The recent Waymo shooting occurred just one block from the Promenade, where other incidents of violence have made headlines this year. In May, a store owner on the Promenade fatally shot a robbery suspect during an attempted holdup at his shoe store.
Violent crime has taken various forms across the city both near and beyond the Downtown zone. In January 2025, a homeless man was shot and killed in a downtown alley following an argument.
The beaches have also become a concern for officials. In February, a Georgia woman was found beaten to death on Santa Monica State Beach, wrapped in a sleeping bag with severe facial trauma. In April, two siblings were stabbed multiple times by attackers on scooters near the pier during a late-night visit. Both survived the apparently random assault.
Many of the most serious incidents have occurred during overnight hours when streets are quieter. A pattern of late-night and early morning violence has emerged, from fatal bar altercations to street stabbings, prompting city officials to consider measures such as overnight beach curfews.
The city has responded with increased enforcement and new technology. Police nearly doubled officer-initiated patrols in 2024 and deployed a Drone as First Responder program that conducted 1,551 missions. Authorities also established a Real-Time Crime Center and increased community engagement efforts.
Despite the overall increase in murder, total Part I serious crimes fell to 4,840 incidents in 2024 from 4,917 in 2023. Aggravated assaults showed a slight decrease in 2024 to 394 incidents, while robberies dropped significantly by 25% to 182 cases.
The investigation into Sunday's shooting remains active, with detectives reviewing video footage and pursuing all leads. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Santa Monica Police Department Watch Commander at 310-458-8427.