Police and wildlife experts were dispatched to investigate and trap the animal while the neighborhood waited.
Wildlife officials successfully tranquilized and relocated a mountain lion this evening after the big cat wandered into a residential neighborhood near 14th Street and Montana Avenue, triggering a citywide safety warning that kept residents indoors for nearly 10 hours.
Biologists with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife safely sedated the animal in the evening, bringing a peaceful and happy end to a tense day-long standoff. State game wardens, working in coordination with the National Park Service’s Santa Monica Mountains study team, transported the mountain lion to an undisclosed wilderness area where it will be evaluated by veterinarians before being released back into the wild.
The incident began around 7:00 a.m. when the Santa Monica Police Department received reports of a large predator roaming through backyards just blocks away from the area’s busy commercial corridor. Students on the way to school had seen and reported the presence of the big cat. Responding officers immediately flooded the neighborhood, issuing an urgent public safety shelter-in-place advisory.
Authorities urged community members to remain inside, secure all domestic pets, and strictly avoid approaching or photographing the animal. No injuries to residents or domestic animals were reported during the encounter.
Local police officials expressed gratitude to the neighborhood for its patience, cooperation, and care throughout the multi-agency tracking operation.
