Santa Monica police bodycam shows man charging officer with a knife

Key Points:

• On August 22, Santa Monica police responded to reports of a man chasing a woman but encountered an unrelated man, Michael Rodriguez, 44, who charged at officers with a large knife in a crowded seaside park.
• Bodycam footage shows officers repeatedly ordering Rodriguez to drop the knife, but he advanced with the weapon raised, prompting an officer to fire one shot, striking Rodriguez in the chest.
• Officers found two additional knives on Rodriguez and immediately began life-saving efforts before paramedics transported him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead; the medical examiner ruled the death a homicide.
• No officers, bystanders, or other members of the public were injured during the incident, which is under criminal investigation by police and review by the district attorney’s office.
• Santa Monica Police Chief emphasized the tragic nature of the loss and the department’s commitment to transparency by releasing the bodycam video and conducting both criminal and administrative investigations.