Gunshots rang out across the Santa Ynez Valley in the early hours of Feb. 20. When the sun rose a few hours later, one man was dead.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff Public Information Officer Kelly Hoover told the Sun that a security officer at the Chumash Casino had shot a yet-to-be-identified male subject at around 2:15 a.m. near a parking structure on the resort’s property. She said the man was fatally injured from the shooting and died of his wounds shortly afterward when sheriff’s deputies arrived.
“Sheriff’s detectives and forensic units are on scene conducting interviews and processing evidence to determine what led to the incident,” Hoover added at 11 a.m. that morning.
As of the Sun‘s press time, the type of weapon used by the officer had not been released.
Veronica Sandoval with the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ public relations told the Sun that the tribe could not comment on an ongoing investigation and referred all inquiries to Hoover.
Sandoval could not elaborate on whether the security officer was with a firm contracted by the Chumash Casino or a direct employee.
A call placed to the Chumash Casino front desk by the Sun on the day of the shooting confirmed that the casino and hotel had remained open following the incident.
“Everything is fine,” the staff member said.
This article appears in Feb 22 – Mar 1, 2018.