A gunman was apprehended in relation to a mall shooting in Santa Monica, California after a police officer identified him from a wanted bulletin related to another incident.

The shooting on Wednesday afternoon near the 3rd Street Prominade injured one of the responding officers. 

Lt. Lewis Gilmour reported that the officer remembered the suspect from a wanted poster regarding a shooting earlier that week which resulted in two juveniles in a Waymo vehicle being injured, prompting him to approach the suspect.

As he neared the suspect, the still unidentified man produced a handgun and fired a single round at the officer before he fled. 

‘Following the officer’s identification of himself, a brief foot chase occurred, during which the officer was ambushed,’ stated Santa Monica Police Chief Ramon Batista on Wednesday evening.

‘The suspect fired multiple rounds at the officer and fled the area on foot.’

The officer injured is in stable condition at a nearby hospital. His injuries are not thought to be life threatening. 

‘He is in good spirits, and I feel hopeful that he will recover,’ Batista said. 

Local authorities began a search for the gunman as the mall was held on lockdown. He was detained not far from the scene and confirmed as the Waymo shooting suspect earlier in the week.   

‘We are all still on lockdown. Some people said they heard multiple shots. It’s really scary,’ a salesperson inside Free People located in Santa Monica Place told DailyMail.com earlier Wednesday. 

‘I am inside Nordstrom and we aren’t allowed to leave because of this gunman.’ 

Shoppers at the mall spoke of the horror of being trapped and waiting to hear more news.  

‘It started in the parking structure, parking structure 7, where my car is parked,’ Santa Monica local and mother of two Whitney Lieberman told DailyMail.com of the chaos. 

‘There’s no way in hell I am going anywhere with some nut job running around.’ 

It came less than 24 hours after the city declined to bulk up its police force.

‘Last night the Santa Monica City Council voted against hiring new police officers because they said it’s not in the budget and they don’t need it,’ said Kevin Taylor, who is fed up with the way the city is run.

Pastry vendor Kendra Choy agreed that its a sign the city has gone out of control.

‘I was at the Farmer’s Market when I heard all the sirens. It’s absolutely insane that it’s come to this. All the lunatics are making their way to Santa Monica because they know it’s lawless,’ she said. 

In a tweet, authorities described the suspect as a black male in his 30s, wearing a dark-colored jacket and black pant. 

They said he was ‘armed and dangerous’ and released what is believed to be a photo of him.

‘If you recognize this individual or see someone matching this description, do not approach—call 9-1-1 immediately. A large police presence remains in the area. Additional information will be provided when available.’

It’s not immediately clear whether the injured officer was actually shot, though they have been taken to a local hospital for treatment. 

Police have asked that the public avoid the area near the shooting as they continue to investigate. 

‘Please avoid the area near Santa Monica Place. Officers are responding to an active situation,’ the department tweeted out. 

‘Updates and additional information will be provided once available. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.’

Los Angeles’ mass transit authority has closed down the train station in downtown Santa Monica while the investigation is ongoing. 

‘We’re working on setting up bus shuttles to run between 17th/SMC and the Downtown Santa Monica Stations. Thank you for your patience,’ they wrote. 

This is a breaking news story.