Edhat Staff
Updated at 7:41 p.m.
Source: Santa Barbara County Sheriff
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is releasing the identity of the bank robbery suspect fatally injured this morning, August 22, 2017 in an officer involved shooting. The suspect is 30-year-old Robert Earl Adams of Nipomo. His next of kin was notified. The investigation confirmed that the bank robbery took place at knifepoint. The exact amount of money taken during the commission of the crime was recovered in the suspect’s wallet at the scene of the shooting.
The first Sheriff’s deputy to arrive in the area near the bank robbery located the suspect, who refused to follow orders and drop the four ½ inch blade steak knife. The suspect advanced toward the Sheriff’s deputy as he was exiting his patrol unit. The deputy then fired his service weapon striking the suspect who fell to the ground. Additional deputies arrived on scene and immediately began life-saving measures until the arrival of paramedics and Santa Barbara County Fire personnel.
The investigation revealed that last night, August 21, the suspect had been involved in several felony violations in the Nipomo area which included assault with a deadly weapon and attempt robbery/auto theft at the group home where he had been residing. He then fled the area in a vehicle which was stolen from the neighborhood. The stolen vehicle was later located crashed and abandoned. The suspect eventually arrived at Coast Hills Credit Union where the robbery occurred this morning.
The Coroner’s Office is conducting a death investigation to determine the official cause and manner of death, which is pending toxicology and lab results.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division is investigating the case. Once the case is complete, it will be forwarded to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office for an independent review. As is standard in officer involved shooting cases, there is also a Departmental Administrative investigation underway to determine if proper policies and procedures were followed.
Per Sheriff’s Office policy, the deputy involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave.
Updated at 1:12 p.m.
Source: Santa Barbara County Sheriff
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an officer involved shooting that occurred at approximately 9:17 a.m. today, August 22, 2017, in an unincorporated area of Santa Barbara County on Bradley Road in Orcutt. The incident started just after 9:14 a.m. when deputies from the Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a bank robbery at the Coast Hills Credit Union located in the 1100 block of Clark Avenue. The suspect was reported to be armed with a knife and fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of money. The suspect was observed running down a hill towards the 5100 block of Bradley Rd. in an area commonly known as the “Bradley Dip.” A deputy located the suspect and an officer involved shooting occurred.
Deputies provided immediate medical care to the suspect. He was transported by ambulance to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The Sheriff’s Office is in the process of identifying the suspect and will release his identity once next of kin has been notified.
A knife was recovered at the scene. Due to the early stage of the investigation, no additional details will be released regarding the incident at this time.
Reported by Roger the Scanner Guy
9:16 a.m., August 22, 2017
Knife brandishing and possible robbery at the 76 Station in Santa Maria. Suspect is a white male adult (WMA) in his 20’s with a knife.
