Crime
Santa Monica College suspect Davon Dean found dead with self-inflicted gunshot in Hawthorne
Dean had a history of arrests for violent incidents, including attempted murder in 2011 and assault with a deadly weapon in 2019.
A tragic workplace shooting incident occurred at Santa Monica College on Monday evening, resulting in the death of the suspect and critical injuries to a coworker.
The shooting took place just before 10 p.m. at the college’s Center for Media and Design on Stewart Street.
The victim, a custodial operations manager whose name has not been released, was hospitalized in critical condition.
The suspect, identified as Davon Durell Dean, 39, a Santa Monica College employee, was apprehended by authorities in Hawthorne on Tuesday.
Dean had a history of arrests for violent incidents, including attempted murder in 2011 and assault with a deadly weapon in 2019, although he only had convictions for misdemeanor property crimes.
The shooting incident prompted the closure of all seven Santa Monica College campuses as a precautionary measure.
The college administration offered counseling and mental health support services to the school community in response to the tragedy.
Local residents expressed their shock and sadness over the incident but indicated that it did not significantly alter their sense of safety in the neighborhood.
Crime
Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis
On January 14, 2025, federal law enforcement personnel were engaged in a targeted enforcement operation involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who has been present in the United States since 2022.
The operation escalated into a high-speed pursuit, a physical confrontation, and an ambush by multiple subjects, necessitating the use of a defensive firearm discharge by a federal agent.
At approximately 6:50 PM, federal officers initiated a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Sosa-Celis.
The subject refused to comply with law enforcement commands and attempted to flee the scene.
During the pursuit, the subjectโs vehicle collided with a stationary, parked car.
Following the collision, the subject abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
A federal agent pursued the suspect on foot and successfully intercepted him. As the agent attempted to effect an arrest, the subject became combative, resulting in a violent struggle on the ground.
During this confrontation, two additional male subjects emerged from a nearby residence to intervene.
These individuals reportedly ambushed the agent, utilizing a snow shovel and a broom handle to strike the officer.
The situation escalated when the primary suspect, Sosa-Celis, regained his footing and joined the two additional subjects in the assault.
Reports indicate the suspect struck the agent with a blunt object (identified as either the shovel or broom handle).
Citing an immediate threat to his life while being outnumbered and actively assaulted by three individuals, the agent discharged his service weapon in self-defense.
The discharge struck Sosa-Celis in the lower extremity (leg). Following the shot, all three suspects retreated into a nearby apartment complex and initiated a barricade situation.
Following a brief standoff, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successfully secured the perimeter and apprehended all three individuals without further injury.
Both the federal agent and Sosa-Celis were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.
Images from the scene showed Sosa-Celis conscious and alert during transport.
All three subjects involved in the assault are currently in the custody of ICE.
Further charges related to the assault on a federal officer and resisting arrest are pending review by the U.S. Attorneyโs Office.