Santa Monica College employee dies 2 days after workplace shooting
The long-time employee of a Southern California college who was wounded by another employee in a workplace shooting earlier this week has died, the college said.
Felicia Hudson, 54, worked as a custodial operations manager for Santa Monica College.
Hudson was shot shortly before 10 p.m. local time Monday on the campus of the Center for Media and Design, a Santa Monica College satellite campus, according to police.
She was rushed to the hospital where she died as a result of her injuries Wednesday evening, the college said in a news release.
The suspected shooter, 39-year-old Davon Durrell Dean, worked as a custodian, according to police. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after being surrounded by officers, Santa Monica police said.
"We are deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic loss of our colleague Felicia Hudson, who served the college for nearly three decades with dedication and heart. She took great pride in being a steadfast coworker and leader,” Santa Monica College Superintendent and President Kathryn E. Jeffery said in a statement Wednesday.
Jeffery said Hudson was originally from Newman, Georgia.
The college said it will conduct a thorough review of the incident. In the meantime, the school is providing counseling services to employees and students “as we grieve our irreplaceable colleague,” Jeffery said in the statement.
After the initial shooting Monday night, Dean fled the scene of the shooting Monday and remained at large for several hours before police spotted his vehicle in the town of Hawthorne -- about 12 miles to the south of the Santa Monica.
A short car chase involving officers with the Hawthorne Police Department ensued before Dean's vehicle was boxed in by police to stop him.
"Despite the efforts of the Hawthorne Police Department’s Crisis Negotiations Team, Dean was found deceased inside his vehicle from a self-inflicted gunshot wound," Santa Monica police said in a post Tuesday evening on the social media platform X.
Dean was previously arrested on an attempted murder charge in 2011 and assault with a deadly weapon involving a firearm in 2019, but was not convicted, according to police.
The college shooting was described as "a workplace violence incident, not a random act," Santa Monica College Chief of Police Johnnie Adams said in a statement earlier this week.
"The College is united in sending love and support to the victim’s family, friends, and loved ones," Jeffery said in a earlier statement, calling the incident an "unspeakable tragedy."
All Santa Monica College campuses were closed on Tuesday "to prioritize the safety and well-being of our community," Adams said.
The Santa Monica Police Department said it would provide extra patrols around schools on Tuesday.
