Santa Monica officer fatally shoots man who stabbed him outside station, police say

A police officer shot and killed a man who stabbed him Saturday outside the Santa Monica Police Department, authorities said.

The officer was standing and talking with a resident at the front of the station around 5:21 p.m. when a third person, described as a man in his 30s, confronted the officer. Police said the officer had asked the man to wait his turn before the man pulled out a knife and began stabbing and slashing the officer, the police department said in a news release.

The man with the knife pursued the wounded, retreating officer, who shot him, according to police. The man died at the scene.

The department said Sunday afternoon that the officer had been released from the hospital and was at home recovering.

“We are all grateful for his dedication to protecting our community and will do everything we can to help him and his family through the hard work of recovering from this attack,� Lt. Erika R. Aklufi said in a statement.

She declined to disclose the officer’s name or identify the assailant.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Santa Monica Police Department at (310) 458-8427.