INSIDE
PCH Rehabilitation Projects Planned in Santa Monica and Malibu smmirror.com
May 22 – May 28, 2026 Volume CXXIII Issue 214
See Page 4
Kidnapping and rape suspect jailed after Santa Monica police chase, shooting Los Angeles resident faces multiple felony counts after tracking an ex-partner to a Westside grocery store lot.
Gunfire erupted in a South Los Angeles neighborhood early Monday morning following a cross-county police pursuit of a kidnapping and rape suspect, according to law enforcement officials. Personnel from the Santa Monica Police Department arrested Jorge Luis Vega, 32, of Los Angeles, following the vehicle pursuit and subsequent officer-involved shooting in the 900 block of West 85th Street at approximately 3:15 a.m. No officers or suspects sustained gunshot wounds during the confrontation, authorities said. The tactical operation concluded a multiagency search that began Sunday, May 17, at 12:14 a.m., when officers responded to an abduction report at the Vons supermarket parking lot at 1311 Wilshire Boulevard. Preliminary findings indicate that Vega allegedly confronted an adult woman with
whom he had a prior dating relationship, forced her into a vehicle, and threatened a witness who attempted to intervene. Detectives emphasized that the abduction was a targeted domestic violence incident rather than a random attack. The victim was located safely later Sunday in the city of Beaumont—more than 80 miles east of the initial crime scene— and was secured by local law enforcement. She was not inside the vehicle or present at
the site of Monday's shooting. Vega was booked on multiple felony charges, including: ● Kidnapping ● Rape ● Criminal threats ● Brandishing a firearm ● Being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm The Santa Monica Police Department is withholding the victim's identity due to the
sexual assault allegations connected to the case. The investigation remains active as local detectives coordinate with outside municipal agencies. Authorities urge anyone with pertinent information to contact Detective Hilda Lucero at 310458-8939, Detective Esteban Hernandez at 310-458-8946, or the SMPD Watch Commander at 310-458-8427.
Santa Monica Police respond to an unprovoked attack on a student near the SMC media and design campus Police are searching for an unidentified suspect following a Tuesday morning attack
The Santa Monica Police Department is investigating an unprovoked attack on a Santa Monica College student that occurred Tuesday morning near the school’s Center for Media and Design (CMD) campus, according to a Santa Monica College Police Department alert. The incident took place at approximately 8:25 a.m. at the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and 26th Street. According to
a crime alert issued by SMC Police Chief Johnnie Adams, the student was targeted while using a crosswalk. Santa Monica police and fire personnel responded to the scene and transported the victim to a local hospital for precautionary treatment. The student reported only minor injuries. The suspect, described by witnesses as a person experiencing homelessness, fled the scene and remains unidentified. No further physical description was available at the time of the alert. The Santa Monica Police Department has taken the lead on the investigation. Officials are urging anyone with information regarding the assault to contact SMPD at 310-458-8495. In response to the off-campus assault, the Santa Monica College Police Department reminded the campus community to
remain vigilant. Safety recommendations include utilizing the "Walk with SMCPD" escort feature on the Corsair Alert safety
app, avoiding deserted areas at night, and immediately reporting suspicious activity to dispatchers at 310-434-4300.