Murder suspect in Santa Monica March shooting arrested after Mexico transfer
Manuel Reyes was booked on suspicion of murder over a fatal March 28 shooting near Fourth Street and Olympic Drive. Mexican authorities and the U.S. Marshals coordinated his transfer to Santa Monica police.
Murder suspect transferred from Mexico, booked in Santa Monica
A man suspected of a fatal shooting in Santa Monica has been taken into custody following a cross-border law enforcement operation, smdp.com reports. Manuel Reyes was booked on suspicion of murder in connection with the March 28 shooting near Fourth Street and Olympic Drive, according to the Santa Monica Police Department's weekly "Blue Notebook" activity recap covering Oct. 18–24, posted on Nov. 9.
Detectives from the department, assisted by its Crime Impact Team, coordinated the transfer with Mexican law enforcement and the U.S. Marshals Service. Reyes was handed over to Santa Monica police at Los Angeles International Airport. The report did not specify where Reyes was arrested in Mexico, nor did it disclose his age, the name of the victim, or further details of the incident.
61% spike in arrests citywide this year
The arrest came during a week in which Santa Monica officers logged 2,114 calls for service and made 96 arrests. Year-to-date figures show a sharp upward trend: the department recorded 4,402 arrests so far in 2026, compared with 2,735 at the same point in 2025 — a 61% increase.
Calls for service are up 4.1% year to date, reaching 104,610. Officer-initiated activity accounted for most of that growth, rising 19.2% to 48,562, while calls from residents fell 6.2% to 56,048. Officer-initiated activity made up 44% of all calls during the week.
Downtown burglary suspect detained, retail theft operation launched
Crime Impact Team officers and the Special Investigations Unit identified and arrested a man connected to several residential burglaries in downtown Los Angeles. The arrest was made without incident, police said.
In a separate case on Wilshire Boulevard, a community member flagged down an officer. The officer observed a man climbing out of a window at a CVS store carrying stolen property and detained him on the spot.
The Crime Impact Team also led a coordinated retail theft operation involving several other units. Police confirmed it resulted in multiple felony and misdemeanor arrests for theft, outstanding warrants and related offences, but did not specify the total number of arrests.
Drone tracks theft suspect near Santa Monica Pier
Near the Santa Monica Pier, patrol officers worked with the department's real-time SMART Center to locate a man believed to be connected to a series of thefts near the pier ramp. A drone operator spotted him near the Broadway stairs, and officers detained him there. He was booked on suspicion of grand theft from a person and false personation.
Traffic stops yield firearm, stolen vehicle, impaired drivers
Traffic officers made 229 stops during the week, issuing 126 citations and 97 warnings. Motor officers focused on complaint areas along Wilshire Boulevard, 26th Street, Marine Street and Pacific Coast Highway.
A traffic stop in the 800 block of Broadway led to the recovery of a firearm and an arrest for carrying a concealed weapon. Separately, SMART Center staff alerted officers to a reported stolen vehicle near 18th Street and Wilshire Boulevard. Three people were detained and nitrous oxide tanks were found inside the vehicle.
Officers investigating an injury crash in the 800 block of Olympic Boulevard identified a driver who had fled the scene. That driver was subsequently arrested following a drug-impaired driving investigation. A second driver was arrested on suspicion of drug-impaired driving in the 2400 block of Lincoln Boulevard, where narcotics and paraphernalia were also found. A city traffic supervisor spotted a car being driven on a flattened rear tyre in the 300 block of Olympic Drive; a motor officer arrested the driver on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
Homeless Liaison Program: 121 calls, 16 arrests, five referrals
The department's Homeless Liaison Program handled 121 radio calls during the week, made 16 arrests and issued 18 citations. Five people were referred to local shelter and housing programmes. A recently evicted Santa Monica resident who sought help at the police station due to difficulties accessing services while keeping pets was connected with the Salvation Army HOPE Team and placed in a unit at SaMo Palm.
On Oct. 23, officers responding to an encampment at the Tongva Park playground met two individuals who expressed a wish to reunite with family in Arizona. Officers drove them to the Salvation Army, which referred them to the Project Homecoming reunification programme. Following an arrest at Gandara Park related to repeat camping and drug paraphernalia violations, a Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health clinician evaluated the individual at the jail; the person was placed on a mental health hold and taken to a treatment facility.
Ahead of forecast rain, officers also contacted people on the beach and encouraged them to move to safer locations.
Community outreach and animal control
Officers presented crime statistics at a Virginia Avenue Park Advisory Board meeting and met with staff at the Shore Hotel to discuss safety concerns and reporting procedures. The department continued its weekly Fall Community Academy at the Public Safety Facility.
Animal Control responded to 35 calls during the week. Five animals were adopted from the city shelter, which is still caring for 26 dogs, 34 cats, a snake, two chickens and a rooster.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)