INSIDE
smmirror.com
October 18 - October 24, 2024 Volume CXXIII Issue 214
THIS WEEK: PumpkinThemed Events Hosted by Santa Monica Farmers Markets See Page 4
SMC Shooter, Identified As School Employee, Dead After Police Pursuit The Victim, the College’s Custodial Operations Manager, Remains in Critical Condition Davon Durell Dean, an employee of Santa Monica College, has been identified as the suspect who shot and critically injured a fellow staff member on Monday night at the college’s Center for Media & Design, SMPD announced. Dean, 39, fled the scene after the attack but was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following a police pursuit near El Segundo Blvd. in Hawthorne. The victim, the college’s Custodial Operations Manager, remains in critical condition at a local hospital. The college shooting took place around 9:50 p.m. at 1660 Stewart Street in an act of workplace violence. Following the incident, the suspect fled the scene,
leading to an extensive overnight search by SMPD, the Santa Monica College Police Department (SMCPD), and other law enforcement agencies. On Tuesday afternoon, SMPD located Dean’s vehicle near El Segundo Blvd. and Aviation Blvd. in Hawthorne. After a brief pursuit, officers used a pursuit intervention technique to stop the vehicle. Despite efforts by the Hawthorne Police Department’s Crisis Negotiations Team, Dean was found dead inside the car from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Dean, who had a history of prior arrests for violent crimes, including attempted murder in 2011, had only been convicted of misdemeanor property offenses, according to authorities. SMC officials stated that the college requires background checks and disclosures of prior convictions for all employees. SMC Superintendent/President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery expressed sorrow over the incident and announced that counseling services are available for students and staff. SMC campuses will remain closed through Oct. 20, 2024, with classes and operations shifting online. “To help our community through
this very difficult time, SMC will be providing...counseling and mental/ emotional support,” said Dr. Jeffery in a message. “At this heartbreaking time, I urge us all to come together in kindness
and compassion as we navigate this unspeakable tragedy.” The investigation remains ongoing, but police believe there are no additional suspects or threats to the public.
SMC Employee Dies from Shooting, Remembered For Decades of Service Santa Monica College Foundation Has Established the Felicia Hudson Legacy Fund in Collaboration With Her Family Felicia Hudson, a 54-year-old Custodial Operations Manager at Santa Monica College, has died from injuries sustained in the workplace shooting at the college’s Center for Media & Design that occurred on Monday. Hudson was transported to a local hospital, where she remained in critical condition until succumbing to her injuries on Wednesday, at approximately 5 p.m.
The suspect, identified as 39-yearold SMC custodian Davon Durell Dean, fled the scene after the shooting but was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his vehicle following a police pursuit near El Segundo Blvd. and Aviation Blvd. in Hawthorne. According to police, Dean had a history of prior arrests for violent crimes, including attempted murder in 2011, though his convictions were limited to misdemeanor property offenses. The shooting occurred at 9:50 p.m. on Monday in what investigators are calling an act of workplace violence. The incident triggered an extensive search involving SMPD, the Santa Monica College Police Department (SMCPD), and additional law enforcement agencies. Dean’s vehicle was located on Tuesday afternoon, and despite efforts by crisis negotiators, he was found dead inside the vehicle. Hudson, who had served SMC for nearly three decades, was remembered by SMC Superintendent/President Dr.
Kathryn E. Jeffery as a dedicated and beloved colleague. “We are deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic loss of our colleague Felicia Hudson. She took great pride in being a steadfast coworker and leader,” Jeffery said in a statement. The college has offered crisis counseling services to students and staff and will be conducting a thorough review of the incident. To honor Hudson’s memory, the
Santa Monica College Foundation has established the Felicia Hudson Legacy Fund in collaboration with her family, which will continue her spirit of service and support within the community. Donations can be made through the SMC Foundation’s website. While the investigation into the shooting is ongoing, authorities confirmed that no other suspects are involved, and there is no continued threat to the public.