Palisades Park Shooter Gets 9 Years In Prison: SMPD

SANTA MONICA, CA — A man who had been accused of attempted murder in connection to a 2023 Palisades Park shooting was sentenced earlier this month to nine years in state prison, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.

Angel Diaz, 21, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty on July 9 to a charge of assault with a semi-automatic firearm after being charged with attempted murder in connection to the Jan. 18 Santa Monica incident as well as another similar incident in LA, police said.

On the evening of Jan. 18, 2023, Santa Monica police responded to the 1500 block of Palisades Park where they found a victim who had been shot in the face. The victim was transported to a local hospital, police said.

Police determined that the victim had been engaged in an argument with three other people prior to the shooting, including Diaz. Diaz carried out the shooting, which is believed to be gang related, the SMPD said.

Evidence Diaz discarded at the crime scene was determined to belong to Diaz through DNA. He was also captured on security camera footage fleeing the area, police said.

During their investigation, detectives learned that Diaz was arrested less than a month later by the LA Police Department for attempted murder with a handgun. Ballistic evidence proved that the handgun used in the Santa Monica shooting was also used in the LA incident, police said.