Loved ones pay their respects to slain Santa Monica College employee: "She cared so much"
Family members and loved ones of the Santa Monica College employee tragically shot and killed at the campus this week gathered for a heartfelt memorial service Friday.
Felicia Hudson, 54, had been employed at the campus for nearly 30 years and was working as a custodial operations manager when police say she was gunned down Monday evening by Davon Durell Dean, a 39-year-old custodian at the school. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound the next day following a standoff with SWAT officers, according to police.
While the suspected motive remains under investigation, police have described the killing as a "workplace incident."
During the service Friday, held at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, those who knew Hudson said she was devoted to her work and took pride in her job at the school.
"First and foremost, my mom was a hard worker," said her son, Patrick Buckley. "Work was her pride and joy."
According to Buckley, the deadly shooting happened after his mother was trying to work with Dean through some sort of issue.
"She was just giving this gentleman some direction, and he just could not receive the direction well and opened fire on my mother," Buckley said.
On Monday evening, just before 10 p.m., Dean shot Hudson at the college's satellite campus for the Center for Media & Design, located at 1660 Stewart Street, according to police. Law enforcement officers searched for Dean the following day while classes were canceled and Hudson remained hospitalized in critical condition.
On Tuesday afternoon, El Segundo Police Department officers followed a black sedan being driven by Dean before reaching the area of Aviation Boulevard and 120th Street in the city, police said. SWAT officers pinned the car to the side of the road, and after a standoff with the officers, Dean died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to police.
Authorities have said Dean was previously arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in 2011 and assault with a deadly weapon in 2019. He was also convicted of misdemeanor property crimes.
However, by law, the college was only aware of the misdemeanor crimes for which he was convicted. For Buckley, that may have led to the seemingly senseless killing of his mother since the school apparently didn't know about the more serious crimes Dean had been accused of in the past.
"(He) should have not been allowed to be an employee at Santa Monica College, and for that mistake, I've lost my mother," he said.
Still, Buckley, who graduated from the campus in 2013 with a degree in biology, said he doesn't want the school to be viewed differently in light of what happened.
"This is a beautiful campus with a beautiful, beautiful community, and please don't let this tragedy taint that," he said.
With so many years spent working there, Hudson had dedicated herself to her work and cared about it deeply, according to those who spoke at her memorial service. "She cared about this college. She cared so much," her friend, Emily Raby, said through tears.
Santa Monica College President Kathryn Jeffery became emotional as she spoke before those gathered at the Performing Arts Center, where roses were placed onto Hudson's casket and doves were released as those in her life paid their respects. "We are saddened and we're sickened," Jeffery said as she wept.
Earlier this week, the campus released a statement in which Jeffery praised Hudson for her work at the school.
"We are deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic loss of our colleague Felicia Hudson, who served the college for nearly three decades with dedication and heart. She took great pride in being a steadfast coworker and leader," Jeffery said in the statement.
"To Felicia's family, loved ones and friends, SMC extends our heartfelt condolences and prayers," Jeffery said. "The college will be conducting a thorough review of this incident. SMC is providing crisis counseling services to employees and students as we grieve our irreplaceable colleague."