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Shots Fired at Santa Monica Promenade: Police Confirm No Active Shooter

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After shots were fired at Santa Monica Promenade on Friday, police quickly confirmed there was no active shooter threat.

At approximately 11:30 AM, local time, Santa Monica Police confirmed that people should stay away from 3rd and Arizona. Ten minutes later, the police account tweeted, “NOTE: This is NOT an active shooter situation.”

The tweet came after a chaotic several minutes, in which many people tweeted that the promenade had evacuated in chaos after hearing several shots fired. According to Los Angeles Times reporter James Queally, the commotion allegedly occurred after a security guard shot at a suspect.
As Rosa Ordaz of NBC LA tweets, pictures have since revealed that a male suspect approached a Brinks armored guard with a knife, inspiring the guard to shoot at at the suspect three times. No one was hit, according to NBC Los Angeles. The news network reports the man was wearing a green hat and and a tattoo on his neck. You can see the pictures below. The suspect has since been detained by police.
Here’s what you need to know:

Los Angeles Witnesses Describe the Chaos & Confusion Around the Event

To The Los Angeles Times, one witness described the chaos that took place after the shots were fired. Dan Wentzel said he was with colleagues on Santa Monica Boulevard when he saw mass of people running away from the promenade. He said, “People were running for their lives. Scared running. Everyone is so wired from these active shooter scenes.”
He added that he and his colleagues waited another ten minutes, and the lockdown on the promenade soon lifted. He continued, “We’re enjoying tea now, since we’re here. Nice, calming, soothing tea. Everything’s back to normal.”
Wentzel also tweeted, “Downtown Santa Monica near the 3rd Street Promenade with workmates – two gunshots rang out – crowds running away – beyond sobering. We’re hiding out in a store awaiting news. Police are on the scene.”
Another user, filmmaker Derrick Pete, tweeted, “Apparently a man tried to rob a Brinks truck #SantaMonica and created panic. Shots fired. 20+ police cars on the scene. I’m inside the Downtown Santa Monica, Inc office now.”
Still, there were several minutes of confusion in which many people tweeted that there was an active shooter at the promenade, followed by even more people working to alleviate fears by declaring there was NO active shooter.
“Reports of active shooter on 3rd street promenade are not accurate,” one user tweeted. “There was a shooting and smpd are conducting search for suspect 2nd and Santa Monica blvd.”
As stated above, the man who appeared to threaten a security guard, thus triggering the round of shots that inspired the ensuing chaos, has since been detained by police. The lockdown has since been lifted.
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