The Lompoc Police Department would like to respond to a recent published request that the Officer-Involved Shooting (OIS) that occurred on March 28, 2021 be referred to the Attorney General’s Office for investigation. The rationale for this request was based on misinformation that the suspect involved in this incident was unarmed. The investigation is currently ongoing and being conducted by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. The preliminary information at the time of the incident revealed that the suspect was armed with a knife and charged the officers upon their initial encounter. Subsequently resulting in an Officer-involved shooting in which the suspect was fatally wounded. The knife was recovered as evidence at the scene.
The request that the Attorney General’s Office conduct this investigation pursuant to Government Code 12525.3 which became law effective January 1, 2021, as a result of Assembly Bill 1506, does not apply in this case. The statute calls for a State prosecutor to investigate all incidents of an Officer-Involved Shooting of all cases of an “unarmed” civilian. Additionally, all California Police Chiefs, Sheriffs, and District Attorneys were informed by the Attorney General’s Office via correspondence on April 6, 2021, that the State Attorney General’s ability to implement the mandate as outlined in AB 1506 is awaiting the appropriation of funds in the State budget. It is anticipated that the appropriation will be part of the State fiscal budget 2021-2022 and that implementation of the program will begin July 1, 2021.
The Lompoc Police Department is awaiting the determination of the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office pending the review of the completed investigation by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.