Man who allegedly stabbed cop in Santa Monica stole knife from Target minutes before attack, police say

Man who stabbed SMPD officer robbed Target earlier

Police say the man accused of stabbing a Santa Monica Police officer had stolen a knife from a Target moments earlier. Officers shot and killed the suspect.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - A New York man accused of stabbing a police officer in Santa Monica before he was fatally shot had stolen the knife used in the attack just minutes beforehand, according to police.

The attack occurred at about 5:20 p.m. Saturday outside police headquarters at 333 Olympic Drive.

Police said the officer was standing outside the front door of the station collecting information from a resident about an unrelated call when the suspect, 28-year-old Deyaa Abdelhadi Halaibeh of New York, confronted him and stabbed him several times. Halaibeh was shot by the police officer and died at the scene.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Police officer stabbed, suspect shot to death

Questions remain about what happened at Santa Monica police headquarters Saturday night, including about the man who was killed.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Cop fatally shoots man who stabbed him outside Santa Monica police station

An investigation revealed Halaibeh is suspected of committing robbery at a Target store at 420 Broadway just minutes before the attack. That's where he allegedly shoved a store employee and tried to get away with a box of kitchen knives. The box was later found abandoned, with one knife missing, police said.

Halaibeh has no criminal history in California and has no prior contact with the Santa Monica Police Department.

The police officer has since been released from the hospital and is recovering.

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The shooting is under investigation by the SMPD and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, per policy.

City News Service contributed to this report.