On May 18, 2010, at approximately 1:40 a.m., a Santa Monica Police Department officer observed a vehicle driving erratically northbound on Lincoln Boulevard. The officer conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Bay Street to investigate the driver for driving while under the influence.
While officers were administering field sobriety tests to the driver of the vehicle, the passenger exited the vehicle with a gun and shot at the officers. Officers returned shots at the suspect. One officer, a 16-year veteran, was struck in the abdomen by a bullet from the suspect. His injury is listed as non-life threatening.
The suspect fled the scene and a perimeter of the area was set up. The driver of the vehicle, a male, white, 46-years-old from Ohio, was taken into custody without further incident. He was later released as an uninvolved party.
The Santa Monica Police Department’s S.W.A.T. Team and K-9 officers responded to the scene to search for the suspect. Mutual aid was requested from surrounding police agencies. Officers from Beverly Hills, Culver City, Inglewood, El Segundo, Gardena, California Highway Patrol and the Los Angeles Police Department responded to assist.
At approximately 5:10 a.m., Santa Monica Police Department officers located the suspect in an alley adjacent to where the initial traffic stop occurred. The suspect confronted the K-9 and officers. Officers fired upon the suspect, who was taken to a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries from the K-9 contact and wounds received from the gunshots.
The suspect, Dante Glenn Leverette, male, black, 32-years-old from Los Angeles, was arrested and will booked for attempted homicide.
The criminal investigation is being handled by the Santa Monica Police Department’s Robbery/Homicide Unit. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Officer Involved Shooting Team is assisting in the investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Michael Bambrick at (310) 458-8932 or Sergeant Ira Rutan at (310) 458-8959 or the police department (24 hours) (310) 458-8426.