Officer Involved Shooting and Homicide Investigation in Lompoc

Update by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office
6:00 p.m., November 20, 2017

Identities of Homicide Victim and Homicide Suspect/ Officer Involved Shooting Decedent Released

The Sheriff’s Coroner’s Bureau is releasing the identities of the homicide victim and the homicide suspect who was fatally injured yesterday, November 17, 2017, in the Lompoc Police Department Officer Involved Shooting. The homicide victim is 28-year-old Timothy Ross Culley of Lompoc. 

The homicide suspect/officer involved shooting decedent is 34-year-old Geronimo Vicente Santos of Lompoc. He had several aliases but had been living the past several years under the false identity of 32-year-old Carlos Aguirrez-Justo. Next of kin for both decedents have been notified.

The Lompoc Police Department (LPD) is investigating the homicide. Questions regarding the case should be directed to LPD.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the officer involved shooting as requested by the Lompoc Police Department. Once the investigation is complete, it will be forwarded to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office for review to determine the lawfulness of the force used.

Update by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office
11:00 p.m., November 19, 2017

Sheriff’s Office Investigates Lompoc Police Department Officer Involved Shooting

At approximately 7:30 a.m. today, November 19, 2017, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office received a request for assistance from the Lompoc Police Department (LPD) regarding an Officer Involved Shooting that occurred within the City of Lompoc and involved five LPD patrol personnel. 

Sheriff’s Office personnel assigned to the Criminal Investigations Bureau as well as the North County Patrol Operations Division responded to the scene of the Officer Involved Shooting in the 700 block of North “A” Street. Sheriff’s Patrol Deputies established the containment and control of the crime scene while personnel from the Criminal Investigations Bureau responded consisting of Sheriff’s Detectives and Forensics Bureau Crime Scene Technicians and Sheriff’s Supervisors.

The subsequent investigation revealed that a 34-year-old, male, Lompoc resident was involved in a homicide earlier that morning in the Santa Ynez riverbed. Witnesses provided City of Lompoc first responders with a physical and clothing description of the suspect. A Lompoc Fire Department employee saw a subject matching the description of the suspect and advised Lompoc Police Department personnel who were in the area. Several Lompoc Police Department Patrol Units responded and contacted the suspect who refused to comply with their orders.

The suspect then turned toward officers, raised his hand and discharged a firearm directly at them. The Lompoc Police Department Officers returned fire striking the suspect multiple times. Once the scene was rendered safe, Lompoc Officers began life saving measures until paramedics arrived. The suspect was transported by AMR to a local hospital where he died of his injuries.

Sheriff’s Office personnel contacted and interviewed several neighborhood residents as well as processed the extensive crime scene. The suspect’s weapon was recovered at the scene.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office will complete the Officer Involved Shooting investigation. The Lompoc Police Department is handling the homicide investigation. The identities of the homicide victim and the officer involved shooting suspect are being withheld pending next of kin notification.

Anyone who may have any additional information or witnessed this incident is encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Bureau at 805-934-6170. To leave an anonymous tip, please call 805-681-4171 or go our website at www.sbsheriff.org.

Reported by Roger the Scanner Guy
6:15 a.m., November 19, 2017

Gunshot victim in the 2100 block of North "H" Street.