Armed Juvenile Arrested After Making Threats in Lompoc

On 10/7/22, at 8:21am, the LPD Officers were sent to the 600 block of North Fourth Street regarding a report of a male juvenile with a gun trying to kick the door in and threatening to kill the occupant. Officers arrived shortly after. It was learned that the suspect was a Hispanic male juvenile who ran into the alley and then went into a nearby apartment.

Officers were able to determine that the juvenile suspect was inside the apartment, and a perimeter was established. During the investigation, officers learned the juvenile suspect had pointed a firearm at the victim, who was part of an ongoing investigation involving the juvenile suspect. The juvenile suspect went to the victim’s residence and threatened to kill the victim. This juvenile suspect also days prior had escaped from Los Prieto Boys Camp and was currently on the run. Lompoc Police Department SWAT Team with the Assistance of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department and Lompoc PD Crisis Negations Team, as well as the Santa Maria Police Drone Pilots arrived to assist.

Search and Arrest warrants were obtained for the apartment and the juvenile suspect. Numerous attempts were made to call the juvenile out by utilizing a loudspeaker. The SWAT team placed a phone into the residence, but the juvenile refused to communicate with the police. The Santa Maria Police Department Drone Pilots flew into the apartment and attempted to locate the juvenile suspect. After repeated attempts to get the juvenile to come to the door or answer the phone, the SWAT team deployed less lethal chemical agents into the apartment. The juvenile came out of the apartment and was taken into custody.

No one was hurt during this incident which lasted approximately 6 hours. The juvenile was later booked into the Santa Maria Juvenile Hall on the following charges:

Because the suspect in this case is a juvenile, the identity will not be released. The search for the firearm that was used is still on-going at this time.

The investigation is still on-going. If anyone has any addition information, please contact Lompoc Police Department Investigations Section at 805-736-2341.