The man shot and killed in a parking lot next to the Santa Monica Pier early Monday, July 20, has been identified as 24-year-old Edgar Buitmea, authorities said Tuesday, July 21.
Buitmea was found with multiple gunshot wounds in Parking Lot 1 North, at 1550 Pacific Coast Highway on the south side of the pier, after Santa Monica police officers responded to a report of a shooting at approximately 12:30 a.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
No suspects are in custody.
"The suspect or suspects remain outstanding," SMPD Lt. Lewis Gilmour, the department's spokesman, said Monday. "There is no additional suspect information available for release at this time."
The department said its preliminary investigation indicates a physical altercation between two groups preceded the shooting. Detectives have not released details about what sparked the fight or how many people were involved.
Santa Monica's fourth homicide of 2026
Lt. Gilmour told City News Service the killing was Santa Monica's first homicide since March 28 and the city's fourth of 2026, matching the total number recorded during all of 2025.
Police have not connected the shooting to COAST, Southern California's largest open streets festival, which had ended more than eight hours earlier near the pier. The event celebrating the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain ran from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday and drew thousands of visitors to more than a mile of downtown streets, including Ocean, Colorado and Arizona avenues, the Third Street Promenade and the pier.
The SMPD confirmed in a separate press release Tuesday that a road rage suspect arrested after a high-speed chase that day was unrelated to the pier homicide investigation.
The department has described the case as an active and ongoing investigation and said additional information, including any arrest or charging details, will be released when appropriate.
Anyone with information about the shooting can contact the Santa Monica Police Department at 310-458-8491.
