Tag: Target

SANTA MONICA—The Santa Monica Police Department has released video of an officer-involved shooting that transpired between an individual and a police officer who was stabbed by the subject.

The incident in question transpired on October 5, after officers responded to the scene of the Target establishment located at 420 Broadway. Video has circulated on social media showing, Deyaa Abdelhadi Halaibeh violently attacking a Target employee.

Halaibeh was suspected of committing a robbery at the Target store before the attack at the police station. At approximately 5:16 p.m., a SMPD Downtown Services Unit officer was flagged down by store security about a robbery that just occurred.

An employee of the store was pushed to the ground and a box of kitchen knives taken by a male subject who fled the area. The box was later found abandoned with one knife missing. This knife, an 8-inch chef’s knife, was used by the subject when he accosted the officer.

The officer confronted the suspect at the police station. The officer indicated he was nervous about Halaibeh, who had his hand in his jacket. The suspect later responded by striking the officer several times with a knife. The police officer asked the suspect several times to drop the knife before the officer fired a shot and killed him.

“The use of force by law enforcement personnel is a matter of critical concern, both to the public and to the law enforcement community. Every day, officers are involved in rapidly evolving interactions with members of the public and, when warranted, use reasonable force in carrying out their duties. This is especially true with respect to officers safeguarding the community and themselves from attacks and overcoming resistance while engaged in the performance of law enforcement duties.  Officers and their supervisors are responsible for understanding their authority and its limitations and appreciating the serious consequences of every use of force,” the SMPD said in a statement.

Current California law requires police departments to release video and audio recordings of a critical incident within 45 days of the occurrence.

“The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) understands that building and maintaining trust between the police department and the community requires openness and transparency in all matters, especially the use of deadly force by a police officer.  On October 5, 2024, a Santa Monica police officer was involved in a fatal Officer Involved Shooting (OIS) with an armed subject in front of the police station.  To abide by state law and, most importantly, to ensure our community is engaged, the SMPD has created a Critical Incident Community Debriefing Video (CIV) to provide insight into and context for the OIS,” said the SMPD in a statement.

VIEWER ADVISORY: the following video contains graphic content, including violent assault footage and intense audio that may be distressing to some viewers. Discretion is strongly advised.

Link to Critical Incident Video 

By Trevor

SANTA MONICA—On Tuesday, October 8, Lt. Erika Aklufi of the Santa Monica Police Department provided an additional update to Canyon News on the subject who attacked a police officer on October 5.

On Saturday, October 5, at approximately 5:21 p.m., the SMPD reported that one of their officers was the victim of an unprovoked attack in front of the police station. A male in his 30s stabbed the officer several times before being shot by the officer. The subject died at the scene.

While the investigation into this incident is still ongoing, the identity of the subject has been confirmed as Deyaa Abdelhadi Halaibeh, a resident of New York. His current housing status is unknown. He has no criminal history in California and no prior contacts with the Santa Monica Police Department.

Halaibeh is suspected of committing a robbery at the Target store at 420 Broadway in the city minutes before the attack at the police station. At approximately 5:16 p.m., a SMPD Downtown Services Unit officer was flagged down by store security about a robbery that just occurred.

An employee of the store was pushed to the ground and a box of kitchen knives taken by a male subject who fled the area. The box was later found abandoned with one knife missing. This knife, an 8 inch chef’s knife, was used by the subject when he accosted the officer.

Anyone with details about this individual or incident is asked to contact Detective Zamfirov at peter.zamfirov@santamonica.gov, Detective Sergeant Lozano at alfonso.lozano@santamonica.gov, or the Watch Commander 24 hours a day at 310-458-8427.

By Trevor

BEVERLY HILLS—On Thursday, February 1, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced in a news release that over 200 cases have been filed to fight against organized retail theft and the task forces are comprised of regional law enforcement agencies and the District Attorney’s Office partnering together to prosecute these crimes.

“Organized retail theft stole the feeling of safety and security from Angelino’s and business owners alike last year,” said LAPD Chief Michel Moore. “This regional organized retail theft task force has restored much of this, although, there is work still to be done. I am proud of the hard work and dedication to public safety of those not only from the Los Angeles Police Department, but our partnering agencies as well. As public servants, we cannot work in silos; we cannot work alone. Public safety belongs to all of us.”

“The Sheriff’s Organized Retail Crimes Task Force in collaboration with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and our partner law enforcement agencies are continuing to work tirelessly to tackle these brazen smash-and-grabs that are having a significant impact on our business communities,” said LASD Major Crimes Bureau Acting Captain Rob Peacock. “Since inception of our task force, we have arrested 438 suspects related to retail theft and 309 cases have been successfully filed. We are not only focused on the individuals responsible for the thefts, but those that are in the criminal chain—the getaway drivers, those that harbor them, and those that sell the stolen merchandise. These individuals need to understand that there will be consequences—we will use all our resources to identify, pursue, and arrest these suspects.”

From January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023, the District Attorney’s Office filed at least 200 cases involving adult and juvenile cases, the majority involving multiple defendants, under PC 490.4. This penal code section makes it a felony for an organized group of two or more persons to steal goods from a merchant with the intent for resale. This applies to online merchants and physical stores. Individuals who have partaken in such thefts are being prosecuted, as the thefts have caused large revenue losses for the businesses.

There are some cases pending, sentences can range from probation to state prison, and can include charges such as: organized retail theft, grand theft, robbery, second-degree robbery, conspiracy, and receiving stolen property.

Some of the cases filed included stores that have been targeted like: 99 Cent Store, American Eagle, Bed Bath and Beyond, CVS, Kevin Jewelers, Kohls, Macy’s, Marshall’s, Nike, Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, Old Navy, Rite Aid, Ross, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sam’s Club, Sephora, Target, Ulta, Victoria’s Secret, WSS, and numerous small businesses.

“WSS acknowledges and supports the vital efforts of the Organized Retail Theft Task Force and the District Attorney’s Office in combating organized retail theft, which detrimentally affects neighborhood security and local businesses. We remain committed to collaborating with law enforcement to deter and prosecute these crimes,” Blanca Gonzalez, senior vice president and general manager, Warehouse Shoe Sale.

In addition to prosecuting these cases, law enforcement worked with task force partners to recover millions of dollars in stolen goods which have been returned to retailers by law enforcement. Over $188,000 in merchandise has been returned to Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills, $250,000 in recovered goods has been returned to Kevin Jewelers, and hundreds of thousands of dollars has been returned to Target and CVS.

Anyone with details on these types of crimes that have occurred in Los Angeles County can call the LAPD Organized Retail Theft Task Force contact, Lt. Michael McComas at 818-374-9420 or email orc@lapd.online, or the LASO Organized Retail Crime Task Force contact, Lt. Derek White at 562-946-7270 or email orctf@lasd.org.

By Trevor