SANTA MONICA—On May 12, the Santa Monica College Campus Police released a community safety update revealing that a student was attacked off campus around 8:25 a.m. The unprovoked assault occurred as the student was crossing the intersection of 26th Street and Olympic Boulevard, near the Santa Monica College Center for Media and Design.
Officers from the Santa Monica Fire Department and the Santa Monica Police Department were dispatched to the scene, and the student was taken to a hospital for medical treatment. The SMPD is seeking the suspect, believed to be a homeless person.
The suspect approached the student and struck him in the shoulder which caused him to fall to the pavement, ABC 7 Los Angeles first reported. The investigation is ongoing, and no additional details about the suspect has been released. Anyone with information about the assault should contact the SMPD at (310) 456-8495.
The Santa Monica College Police Department advised students and staff to take steps to protect themselves by staying aware of their environment, reporting suspicious activity to the proper authorities and to not leave building doors open, and make sure windows and office doors are locked and closed. Avoid empty areas of the city, and if an emergency occurs, call 9-1-1. Police can also be contacted via the Corsair Alert Safety App or by calling the campus police at (310) 434-4300.
Canyon News reached out to the Santa Monica Police Department for comment put did not hear back before publication.
By Daniel Diquinzio