Police shot and killed a homicide suspect on the night of June 5 following an alleged domestic violence incident where a woman was stabbed to death, according to the Santa Maria Police Department.
Sgt. Russ Mengel said that police responded to a call at 9:36 p.m. in the 300 block of West Williams Street and found an armed man holed up inside his home. It was reported that a woman—possibly the man’s wife—was inside the home, already dead from stab wounds, Mengel said.
He added that when police arrived, they tried to negotiate with the suspect to surrender. After 40 minutes of unsuccessful negotiations, Mengel said the man confronted officers with either a rifle or a shotgun and the officers opened fire, hitting the man several times. He died later that night at a nearby hospital.
At least two officers were placed on administrative leave, which is the SMPD’s standard practice following an officer-involved shooting, Mengel said, adding that the shooting is being investigated by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
It’s not clear how long the officers will be on leave, but Mengel said it could vary depending on how the investigation proceeds.
The SMPD is investigating the woman’s death as a homicide, Mengel said.
The Sheriff’s Office is also investigating another officer-involved shooting that occurred near Carpinteria in the early morning hours of June 7. Police said that the 23-year-old man identified as Oscar Varela Moreno was pulled over for an alleged traffic violation and then was shot several times after he allegedly pointed a shotgun at officers. Moreno is expected to survive.
This article appears in Jun 11-18, 2015.
