101 Shooting Incident Report
updated: Jul 02, 2012, 7:16 PM

By SB CO SHERIFF

The Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office is investigating an officer involved shooting on Highway 101 just south of Buellton.

At approximately 12:42pm on Monday, July 2, 2012, a woman called 911 to report that she had returned to her residence in the 2900 block of Highway 154 in the Santa Ynez Valley and suspected someone had broken into her residence and may still be inside.

While Sheriff's deputies were responding, an adult male was seen leaving the residence and driving away in a small green car. When a Sheriff's deputy observed the vehicle heading west on Highway 154 the lone subject in the suspect vehicle sped away.

The vehicle drove to Highway 101 where it then headed southbound until exiting at Avenue of Flags in Buellton. The suspect then drove to the Santa Rosa Road Highway 101 southbound off-ramp and drove northbound onto the freeway weaving through traffic that was heading south on the 101.

The suspect then stopped his vehicle on the bridge over the Santa Ynez River. When another Sheriff's deputy heading south in the southbound lanes approached in his vehicle, the suspect rammed his own car into the patrol car. The deputy fired multiple gun shots striking the suspect, who died at the scene.

No members of law enforcement or the public were injured in the incident. The southbound lanes of the Highway 101 remained closed at the time of this news release while the Sheriff's Office conducts an investigation into the events leading to the shooting.

The name of the decedent is not being released pending positive identification and notification of next of kin. Due to the early nature of the investigation, there will be no other information released at this time.

28 comments on this article. Read/Add

# # # #