By Jorge Casuso

October 8, 2024 -- The man who stabbed a Santa Monica police officer Saturday before being fatally shot used a knife he stole from a local store minutes earlier, police said Tuesday.

Deyaa Abdelhadi Halaibeh, 28, a resident of New York State, used the chef's knife from a box of kitchen knives stolen from the Target store at 420 Broadway, according to police.

"At approximately 5:16 p.m., a SMPD Downtown Services Unit officer was flagged down by store security about a robbery that just occurred," said SMPD spokesperson Erick Aklufi.

"An employee of the store was pushed to the ground and a box of kitchen knives taken by a male subject who fled the area," Aklufi said.

The 8” chef’s knife he used to stab the officer several times outside the police station two blocks away was missing from the stolen box that was later found abandoned, police said.

Halaibeh attacked the officer without warning "while pulling a knife from his clothing," according to police.

The suspect used the knife to slash and stab the officer, who "immediately moved away and armed himself with his duty weapon," police said.

"The suspect followed the officer continuing the knife attack as the wounded officer retreated around the corner of the building where the officer involved shooting occurred," Aklufi said.

Halaibeh died at the scene, and the officer was treated at a local hospital and released, Aklufi said Monday. He is recovering at home.

Halaibeh has no criminal history in California and no prior contacts with the Santa Monica Police Department, Aklufi said. It is not known whether Halaibeh was homeless.

An internal investigation by the Police Department into the officer involved shooting incident is "ongoing and active," she said.

Anyone with information about this individual or incident should email Detective Zamfirov at peter.zamfirov@santamonica.gov, Detective Sergeant Lozano at alfonso.lozano@santamonica.gov, or call the Watch Commander 24 hours a day at 310-458-8427.