Man Kills Himself After Stabbing Former Wife

By Lookout Staff

August 4 -- A man jumped to his death from a Santa Monica oceanfront high-rise Tuesday evening after stabbing his former wife, then fleeing her home, police said.

The man -- identified as Bruce Benjamin Shaffer, 36, by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office -- was pronounced dead at the scene after falling 15 stories.

His former wife, who was stabbed several times in the upper body, was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries, police said.

The incident began at around 6 p.m. when police responded to the 1000 block of 20th Street regarding a domestic violence call, said Lt. Frank Fabrega, the police department spokesman.

“When officers arrived they spoke to the victim who said that her ex-husband stabbed her several times in the upper body and fled,” Fabrega said.

The victim told officers that her ex-husband has psychological problems and was suicidal, Fabrega said. Officers went to the 1400 block of Ocean Ave and located the suspect inside an apartment.

“While officers spoke to the ex-husband, he ran to an open window and jumped,” Fabrega said.

The Coroner’s Office responded and removed the body.

The investigation is being handled by the Robbery-Homicide Unit of the Santa Monica Police Department.