Two juvenile males were arrested for the armed robbery of a delivery driver in Santa Monica on Monday and were only apprehended after one of the suspects shot himself in the hand, authorities announced.
Calls about the robbery, near the intersection of 3rd Street and Idaho Avenue, came in at around 2 p.m. When officers arrived at the scene, they learned that the delivery driver had been threatened by the two suspects, one of whom pointed a firearm at the victim, according to a news release from SMPD.
While police were investigating the robbery, a call of shots fired in the 800 block of 2nd Street came in. Officers quickly learned that one of the suspects from the robbery had accidentally discharged the firearm and shot himself in the hand while inside a residence.
Police were able to locate both juveniles and arrest them.
The uninjured suspect was booked at SMPD and taken to juvenile hall. The injured juvenile was treated for his wound at the hospital, released a day later and was also taken to juvenile hall. Both suspects have been charged with robbery.
Detectives say the continued investigation of the incident has tied the two youths to “multiple additional crimes that occurred in the area over the past few months, including residential burglaries, auto theft and a stabbing.” Additional charges against the two are pending. 