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# Man eludes police, jumps to his death
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/man-eludes-police-jumps-to-his-death/
- Published: 2005-08-04T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T07:32:44.000Z
- Author: Ryan Hyatt
- Tags: Crime, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*Ocean Avenue closed to traffic following man’s suicidal jump*

A Santa Monica man fell to his death Wednesday after police were unable to prevent him from leaping from the 15th floor of an oceanside apartment.

Bruce Benjamin Shaffer, 39, jumped from a window to his death at 7:59 p.m., as officers were speaking to him at the Pacific Plaza, 1431 Ocean Ave.

Shaffer, a Santa Monica resident, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Santa Monica Police Department Lt. Frank Fabrega said officers responded at 6:05 p.m. to the 1000 block of 20th Street on Wednesday regarding a domestic violence call. When officers arrived, they spoke to the victim, who said her ex-husband, Shaffer, stabbed her several times in the upper body and fled.

The victim, who is not being identified, was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. She told officers her ex-husband had psychological problems and was suicidal.

Fabrega said officers went to see Shaffer at the Plaza apartment at about 6:30 p.m. For nearly an hour and a half, officers spoke with Shaffer before he finally ran to nearby open window and jumped. Officers tried to grab him before he leaped, Fabrega said.

“They were talking to him about bringing it to a peaceful resolution,” Fabrega said, noting the officers were aware of Shaffer’s mental state.

Gerado Stawsky, who had been driving southbound on Ocean Avenue when he saw dozens of police cars parked in the area, stopped and watched the events unfold.

“I saw the guy going out the window and two officers grabbing him, but he was so determined... he was struggling (to break free from officers). It was impossible to control him,” Stawsky said. “I saw him falling and I turned away.

“I heard people screaming and I covered my ears.”

The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office responded and removed the body, which landed on the roof of a street-level garage. The investigation is being handled by SMPD’s robbery homicide unit.

“You never imagine that this will happen — you are used to those situations being solved,” Stawsky reflected. “Then you ask yourself why did this happen? Why am I here watching this?”

Harvey Craig, a spokesperson with the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office, said Shaffer’s body will likely be examined today to verify the cause of death.

Craig said it would be up to the coroner to decide whether a toxicology examination would be necessary to determine if there were drugs in Shaffer’s body. However, Craig added circumstances indicate Shaffer may have been under the influence at the time of his death, and a drug test would be likely. It will take weeks to complete.

Residents at the Plaza said the apartment Shaffer jumped from is occupied by his grandfather, who was present during the suicide.

At least a dozen police vehicles were seen in front of the Plaza prior to the tragedy. By 7 p.m., vehicular and pedestrian traffic was blocked off between Santa Monica Boulevard and Broadway on Ocean Avenue.

Traffic was cleared by 9 p.m., an hour after Shaffer’s death.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 4, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/080405.pdf?ref=smdp.com)