Incident at Ocean Park Branch Leads to Multiple Charges, Including Attempted Murder
By Dolores Quintana
At approximately 8:09 a.m. on August 9, 2023, Santa Monica patrol officers responded to a Check the Status call for service at the Ocean Park Branch of the Santa Monica Public Library. The call originated from a concerned library employee who had attempted to rouse a homeless male at the front entrance, only to discover that the individual was severely injured.
The victim, a 41-year-old male, was found with evident blunt-force trauma to his facial region and a notably swollen forehead. Unconscious and in critical condition, the victim was promptly transported to a nearby medical facility via ambulance. Encouragingly, medical assessments indicate that the victim is expected to survive.
In a subsequent development around 12:35 p.m., detectives engaged in the investigation identified a person of interest who was observed loitering in the library’s front vicinity. Upon initial contact, the individual exhibited uncooperative behavior and escalated to making threats. In response to the subject’s attempt to assault uniformed officers, additional responding officers employed a Taser to safely subdue the suspect.
The suspect, identified as Nathanael Roger Lavoie, 40 years old, a homeless individual, was taken into custody and subsequently booked on multiple charges, including attempted murder, felony battery on a police officer, providing false identification to a law enforcement officer, and resisting arrest.
Authorities urge individuals with relevant information regarding this incident or the suspect to come forward and assist in the ongoing investigation. The Santa Monica Police Department’s Investigations Division can be contacted at (310) 458-8451 during business hours. Alternatively, the Watch Commander can be reached 24/7 at (310) 458-8427.
