Updated Tuesday, June 11 – 11 am
Santa Monica police are investigating a shooting in the 1500 block of Michigan Avenue that occurred about 8:15 am this morning – just a short distance from Santa Monica College.
SMPD Sgt. Richard Lewis said two adult men were shot multiple times in the upper torso and taken away by ambulance to a local trauma center where they are now in surgery.
“The victims were in the alley just off of 15th street on the north side and it appears the suspect walked up, fired multiple rounds, and ran back to a vehicle,” Lewis said.
Lewis said police are looking for a royal blue Infiniti.
The suspect is described Hispanic, late 20s or early 30s.
Resident Cordia Bass told The Mirror he had just returned from the gym to his apartment in the 1800 block of 16th Street when he heard the gun shots.
“It felt like it was the Vietnam War,” Bass said. “I heard four shots – wham, wham, wham, wham. I didn’t hear the car, I just heard the shots. It literally sounded like it was in my apartment.”
Bass said he immediately hit the floor.
“It was so loud, you didn’t know where the shots were coming from,” he said. “I didn’t know if it was in my alley, or if was by my apartment building, I didn’t know where it was coming from. I felt like I was safe on the floor.”
Resident Matthew Millan told KTLA5 he heard the gun fire.
“I was at my computer, I live on the corner of 16th and Michigan, and there were about five shots,” Millan said. “I ran out to the door but I didn’t see any car going. Potentially the car went the other way towards Lincoln and the Freeway.”