On January 15, 2025, at approximately 1:30am, a shooting occurred in the 200 block of Broadway in Santa Monica. Just prior to the incident, an unidentified female was seen arguing with the victim, a male believed to be homeless. The suspect, Fabian Mendez of Inglewood, approached the victim and chased him into the middle of the street, shooting the victim in the back. The suspect was last seen running northbound in alley 2 and out of sight.
Despite lifesaving efforts by responding officers, the victim succumbed to his injuries.
The Santa Monica Police Department identified Fabian Mendez (Male Hispanic, 6’3” and 280 lbs, tattoos on forearms including “Zamora” in large letters) as the suspect in a the murder.
On Tuesday, February 11, 2025, after an extensive and thorough investigation, Mendez was taken into custody by the Santa Monica Police Department. He is charged with homicide under Penal Code 187, with bail set at $3,000,000.
Anyone with information about this incident, please contact Detective Reyes at (310) 458-4852, Detective Sergeant Lozano at 310-458-8774, or the Watch Commander (available 24 hours a day) at 310-458-8427.
scott.snowden@smdp.com
