Three Murders So Far This Year in Santa Monica Portend Trouble For 2026

Santa Monica, CA - The fatal shooting of a man near the intersection of 4th Street and Olympic Boulevard on Saturday night, March 28, 2026, marks the third homicide in Santa Monica so far this year, according to local observers and a review of reported incidents.

The latest incident occurred around 11:15 p.m. when officers responded to reports of a shooting that may have stemmed from a road rage confrontation involving two vehicles. One man was pronounced dead at the scene. The intersection remained closed for several hours as investigators worked. Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) has not yet released the victim's identity or details about any suspect, though witnesses and social media alerts indicated several men may have fled the area in a vehicle. Police continue to investigate and seek to make an arrest.

This brings the city's 2026 homicide count to three:January 6, 2026: A 15- to 17-month-old girl died from significant injuries in an apartment in the 2200 block of Broadway. Her mother, 24-year-old (later reported as 25) Carmen Anita Degregg, was arrested and charged with murder and felony child assault resulting in death. Degregg has pleaded not guilty.

February 7, 2026: Two 54-year-old individuals - a man and a woman known to each other - were found dead from apparent gunshot wounds in an oceanfront complex in the 1900 block of Ocean Avenue following a welfare check. SMPD is investigating the case as a suspected murder-suicide. In standard homicide statistics, this is counted as one homicide (the victim killed by another person) plus one suicide.

No other fatal incidents resulting in homicide charges or classifications have been publicly reported in Santa Monica between mid-February and late March 2026. A non-fatal shooting at the Santa Monica Pier on March 15 wounded two people and led to an arrest, but no one was killed.