SANTA MONICA—On Monday, November 18, Lt. Erika Aklufi of the Santa Monica Police Department informed Canyon News via email that they are investigating a shots fired and weapons violations incident.
The SMPD reported on Sunday, November 17, at 5:50 p.m. officers responded to a report of Shots Fired at a residence in the 3300 Block of Exposition. A neighbor told dispatchers she also heard a male voice coming from the garage threatening to kill someone.
Officers on scene located two elderly females unharmed inside the home. They also located the third member of the household, suspect Arthur Tabuchi, unharmed and inside. While checking the garage, officers located a shotgun shell mounted on top of a work bench. The shell had been rigged with a spring-loaded firing pin and wire attached to the end of the pin and the garage door. Officers determined the wire was set to pull the pin out of the housing and fire the shell toward the door when opened.
The officers located a second shotgun shell located next to a pedestrian gate on the north side of the house with a similar firing pin/trip wire set up. This shell, which had been altered to be a sound diversion device (no projectile) was recently discharged and is believed to be the source of the original Shots Fired call.
Officers evacuated the house and called the LA County Bomb Squad to clear the residence and garage of additional booby traps. No others were located and the shotgun shell in the garage was dismantled. Detectives obtained a search warrant for the location and found additional illegally obtained ammunition.
Tabuchi was transported to a hospital for a mental health evaluation. Felony charges of assembling, placing and maintaining a booby trap (California Penal Code 20110) will be filed by written complaint with the District Attorney’s office. Authorities arrested Arthur Hideki Tabuchi, 61.
Anyone with details about this incident is asked to contact Detective McCoy at james.mccoy@santamonica.gov, Sergeant Cooney at shaun.cooney@santamonica.gov, or the Watch Commander 24 hours a day at 310-458-8427.
By Trevor