Two suspects arrested in connection to March 30 incident
By Sam Catanzaro
Santa Monica officials have filed charges against two Wisconsin men connected to the armed robbery of a couple riding scooters on Ocean Avenue recently.
According to the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD), on March 28 at around 10:53 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of the 1700 block of Ocean Avenue to investigate a report of an armed robbery.
According to police, officers met with a couple who explained that they were riding scooters on Ocean Avenue, when they were accosted by three males.
“During their encounter, one of the males lifted his shirt and displayed what appeared to be a handgun in his waistband. Two of the suspects began to physically assault the male victim and at one point one of the suspects snatched the cellphone from the female victim and threw it to the ground, preventing her from calling for help,” said SMPD Lieutenant Rudy Flores
The suspects then fled the area, according to Flores, but officers shortly after located two of them. They were both identified by the victims as the suspects who assaulted them.
According to the SMPD, officers recovered a handgun with a high capacity magazine containing 15 rounds one one of the suspects, Lavonn Shawn Johnson. Officers later discovered he had a no-bail warrant from Wisconsin. Both subjects were taken into custody without incident.
On March 30, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed felony assault charges against the two suspects. Johnson, a 21-year-old man from Wisconsin was charged with one count of assault to commit great bodily injury, preventing someone from reporting a crime and possession of a loaded firearm. The other suspect, Treyton Thomas Halfman, a 21-year-old man from Wisconsin was charged with one count assault to commit great bodily injury.
Anyone with additional information pertaining to this incident is strongly encouraged to contact Detective Larios with the Criminal Investigations Division 310-458-8937 or Santa Monica Department’s Watch Commander (24 hours) at 310-458-8427.
