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
4 Killed in Eden Crash at Carroll and Church Streets, Driver and Victims Identified
Michael Vernon, driver of dump truck involved charged.
A tragic crash in Eden, North Carolina, has left four people dead and several others injured following a multi-vehicle incident involving a dump truck and a utility work crew.
The Eden Police Department confirmed the incident occurred Thursday afternoon at approximately 1:30 p.m. at the intersection of Church Street, Carroll Street, and Park Road.
According to a news release from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP), 66-year-old Michael Ray Vernon of Eden was operating a 2016 Hino dump truck owned by the City of Eden.
While traveling northbound on Carroll Street, Vernon failed to stop at a posted stop sign at the intersection with Church Street.
The dump truck proceeded through the intersection, striking six pedestrians—utility workers contracted through Carolina Power and Signalization—who were performing powerline work in the area.
The dump truck continued traveling north after striking the pedestrians, colliding with an occupied bucket truck before veering off the road and crashing into a ditch.
Emergency responders from multiple agencies arrived at the scene within minutes. Four of the six pedestrians were pronounced dead at the scene.
The deceased have been identified as:
- Douglas Garland Sides, 72, of Summerfield
- Madison Carter, 42, of Sandy Ridge
- William Evans, 35, of Randleman
- Matthew Lockwood, 30, of Winston-Salem
The two surviving pedestrians sustained life-threatening injuries and were airlifted to medical facilities.
They have been identified as:
- Hunter Carter, 24, of Reidsville – transported to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in critical condition
- Kevin Alexander, 34, of Eden – airlifted in stable condition
Cody Rich, 31, of Reidsville, who was inside the bucket truck at the time of the crash, was transported by ground to UNC Health Rockingham with non-life-threatening injuries.
Michael Vernon sustained minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
He has been charged with a stop sign violation and misdemeanor death by motor vehicle.
Investigators confirmed that impairment is not believed to have played a role in the crash.
Further charges may be considered as the investigation progresses.
The intersection remained closed for several hours as law enforcement officers and emergency crews conducted their investigation.
The area was reopened to traffic at approximately 10:30 p.m.
In a statement, Duke Energy, which works in coordination with Carolina Power and Signalization, expressed condolences:
“We are saddened about the tragic event that happened today, and our hearts go out to the families and teammates of those involved. The safety of our employees, contractors, and customers is the highest priority at Duke Energy. We are working closely with law enforcement officials.”
The NCSHP continues to lead the investigation, and anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact local authorities.