Man Shot in Pico Neighborhood

By Lookout Staff

January 4 -- Police have arrested a Venice gang member in the non-fatal shooting of an 18-year-old Santa Monica man in the Pico Neighborhood late Tuesday afternoon.

Hector R. Godinez, 28, was booked for attempted murder with gang enhancement, as well as for being an ex-convict with a gun, said Lt. Frank Fabrega, the police department spokesman.

Godinez, who is Hispanic, shot the victim, who is black, in the arm.

Police believe the incident -- which continues a string of shootings that gripped the area last year -- was gang related.

The victim walked into a local hospital with a gunshot wound to the arm while police were investigating a report of shots fired in the area of 1800 block 16th Street at around 4:15 p.m., police said.

“Officers immediately contained the area and a short time later saw a dark vehicle leaving the alley,” Fabrega said.

Police stopped the vehicle in the 1200 block of Pico Boulevard and detained Godinez, who was the only occupant, police said.

During a field show-up, a witness identified Godinez as “a person that was seen holding a gun in his hand,” Fabrega said.

The investigation is on going. At the time police released initial information, the suspect had not been booked.

The shooting comes after a series of violent incidents in the Pico Neighborhood last year.

In August, two Santa Monica youths received non-life threatening gunshot wounds on 11th and Pico. One of the victims sustained a gunshot wound to his leg, the other was shot in the upper torso.

A week later, two individuals were shot by suspects who fled in a dark van with dark tinted windows. One victim sustained a gunshot wound to his lower right leg, the other a grazing wound to his back.

Another shooting ended up in a car chase, with suspects reportedly firing at the other vehicle as they raced through the Santa Monica residential neighborhood of Sunset Park.

Anyone having any information on Tuesday’s shooting should call the Robbery-Homicide Unit of the Santa Monica Police Department at 310-458-8451 or the Watch Commander’s Office at 310-458-8426.

Callers who wish to remain anonymous may also call the We-Tip national hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463).