Suspect in shooting of co-worker at California college found dead in car after standoff

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — A gunman suspected of critically wounding a co-worker in a shooting at California’s Santa Monica College took his own life during a standoff with police, authorities said.

The unidentified victim, a custodial operations manager, remained in critical condition after being shot late Monday at the school’s Center for Media and Design, Santa Monica police said in a statement Wednesday.

The 39-year-old suspect fled after the shooting, which college officials called a “workplace violence incident.” His car was stopped by police near the city of Hawthorne, south of Santa Monica. After failing to surrender, he was found dead inside by suicide, the department statement said.

“The investigation remains ongoing, and detectives are working to determine the full sequence of events leading to this tragedy,” the statement said. “There are no known additional suspects involved and there is no ongoing threat to the public.”

In 2011, the suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, and in 2019, he was arrested for alleged assault with a deadly weapon. However, his only convictions were for misdemeanor property crimes, police said.

The community college, with about 30,000 students across satellite campuses in the beachside city, was open again Wednesday after being closed Tuesday during the investigation.