PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY — Police say a four-year-old child is staying with relatives after her father, James Ramirez, allegedly shot the girl’s mother on a Santa Monica street corner Friday night, critically injuring her, and then was killed a few blocks away by police after he allegedly brandished his gun at officers.
The girl’s mother, a Santa Monica resident, on Monday was in the intensive care unit at a local hospital, Santa Monica police said. No further update on her condition was provided.
Ramirez, 33, of Los Angeles, allegedly opened fire on his estranged wife while she was sitting in a car in a parking lot at 1345 Seventh St. about 6:10 p.m. Friday. The victim reportedly staggered out of the vehicle before collapsing amid more fire. Police said she was shot in the head and upper torso but was able to identify her husband as the shooter before she was taken to the hospital.
Sgt. Jay Trisler, a Santa Monica police spokesman, said witnesses reported that Ramirez appeared to point his weapon at himself after firing at his wife but then placed the gun in his waistband and fled on foot.
Police located Ramirez at Ninth Street and Broadway, where he allegedly refused to obey officers’ commands and pointed his gun at police, who shot and fatally wounded him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Trisler said it was not clear whether Ramirez had fired his gun at police. He also did not know how many shots police had fired or how many bullets hit Ramirez.
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Justice System Integrity Division is assisting the SMPD in the investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Hee Seok Ahn at (310) 458-8452 or Sgt. Robert Almada at (310) 458-8486 or the Santa Monica Police Department (24 hours) at (310) 458-8495.
nickt@www.smdp.com
