Santa Monica Youth Shot by Father in First Homicide of the Year

By Anne La Jeunesse

Friday, July 30--A 49-year-old Santa Monica man shot his son to death Thursday during an argument in what is believed to be the first homicide in the city this year, according to police.

Los Angeles County Coroner's Department spokesman Scott Carrier identified the boy as Daud Hebert, 17, and said there "had apparently been some type of physical altercation" leading to the shooting.

The victim's father, David Emile Hebert, 49, was arrested at the scene without incident and is awaiting arraignment, likely on Monday, on a murder charge, said Lt. Bill Brucker of the Santa Monica Police Department.

"He walked out front and identified himself to officers," Brucker said.

Police received a call at 10:24 a.m. reporting the sound of a shot being fired and an argument near 16th Street and Colorado Avenue, Brucker said.

When officers responded, they found the victim inside an apartment in the 1400 block of 16th Street, dead of a single gunshot to the chest, Brucker said.

Paramedics called to the scene pronounced the victim dead at the scene, Brucker said.

A gun believed to be the weapon used to kill the boy was recovered, but no motive or details about the killing was disclosed, and detectives are still interviewing Herbert, Brucker said.