SANTA MONICA—On Monday, July 29, 2024, Lt. Erika Aklufi of the Santa Monica Police Department informed Canyon News via email that a conviction transpired in an attempted homicide from January 2023.
The SMPD reported on January 18, 2023, SMPD Officers responded to a ‘Shots Fired’ call in the 1500 block of Palisades Park. Responding officers discovered a victim who was shot in the face and subsequently transported to a local hospital.
During the investigation, detectives uncovered evidence that on that date and time the victim was in an argument with three subjects. One of the subjects, later identified as Angel Diaz, 21, a resident of Los Angeles, produced a handgun and shot the victim once in the face.
The incident is believed to be gang related. Detectives discovered the suspect got rid of evidence at the crime scene, which was later confirmed via DNA as belonging to Diaz. Diaz was captured on CCTV footage as he fled the area on foot.
SMPD detectives discovered Diaz was arrested on February 10, 2023, by the Los Angeles Police Department for attempted murder with a handgun. Ballistic evidence proved that the handgun used in the SMPD case was also used in the LAPD case.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed attempted murder charges against Diaz for both the SMPD and LAPD incidents. On July 9, 2024, Diaz pled guilty to 245(b) PC – Assault with a semi-automatic firearm. He was sentenced to nine years in state prison. This sentence is to run concurrent with his sentence for the LAPD case.
For additional details regarding this investigation contact Detective Ismael Tavera at 310-458-2256 or Lieutenant Aklufi at 310-458-8493.
