Sheriff’s Office Investigates Officer-Involved Shooting in Vandenberg Village

Update by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
March 1, 2022

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is releasing additional information from the officer-involved shooting that occurred on Wednesday, February 23, 2022. The suspect was identified as 24-year-old Rudy Angel Delgadillo of Lompoc. The deputies involved in the shooting are Deputy Ross Van Tassel and Deputy Yeshella Jimenez.

Sheriff’s detectives have identified the three witnesses who called 911 and reported the suspect driving a dark-colored Toyota Tundra recklessly in the Providence Landing area. The Tundra came to a final stop in the 3800-block of Celestial Way after colliding with a residential fence and the driver fled the area on foot. After that collision, and prior to contact with the deputies, surveillance video from the area shows the suspect trying the doors of two parked cars and entering a third vehicle.

Deputy Van Tassel contacted the suspect in the 600-block of Mercury Avenue. He gave the suspect repeated verbal commands, but the suspect failed to comply. The suspect then made several sudden movements, including what the deputies perceived as a shooting stance toward Deputy Van Tassel. In response, Deputy Van Tassel fired 10 rounds and Deputy Jimenez fired one round at the suspect. The suspect was wounded with a single gunshot wound to the shoulder area. Neither of the deputies were injured during the confrontation, and the suspect was treated at an area hospital, released and transferred to the Main Jail. No weapon associated with the suspect was found at the scene.

Sheriff’s detectives have gone door-to-door in the area to try and locate any additional witnesses and would like to encourage anyone who may have seen any portion of this incident to contact them. Detectives are also interested in any home surveillance footage that may have captured portions of this incident. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Sheriff’s detectives at (805) 681-4150. Anyone who wishes to remain anonymous may provide information by calling our tip line at (805) 681-4171, or online at SBSheriff.org.


Update by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
February 25, 2022

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is releasing the names of the suspect and deputies from the officer involved shooting that occurred on Wednesday, February 23, 2022. The suspect is identified as 24-year-old Rudy Angel Delgadillo of Lompoc. The deputies involved in the shooting are Deputy Ross Van Tassel and Deputy Yeshella Jimenez.

Based on the preliminary investigation, this incident began when several people called 911, reporting that a dark-colored Toyota Tundra pickup truck had been involved in a vehicle accident and fled the scene while being driven erratically, including along a pedestrian pathway in the Providence Landing housing area. The Tundra came to a final stop in the 3800-block of Celestial Way after colliding with a residential fence and the driver fled the area on foot. Deputies spoke with witnesses, who described the driver of the Tundra as a younger-looking Hispanic male with a goatee.

Deputies contacted a man who matched the description near a recreation center in the 600-block of Mercury Avenue. Deputies gave the suspect repeated verbal commands, but he failed to comply. The suspect then made a sudden movement, and in response, the deputies fired rounds from their service weapons. The suspect was wounded with a single gunshot wound to the shoulder area. Neither of the deputies were injured during the confrontation, and the suspect was transported to an area hospital by ambulance.

The deputies have been placed on paid administrative leave, in accordance with Sheriff’s Office policy. The suspect remains hospitalized and was booked in abstentia for a violation of probation (misdemeanor) and obstructing a peace officer (misdemeanor). He is being held without bail for the probation violation, and additional charges are pending.

Sheriff’s detectives encourage any additional victims of a hit-and-run or witnesses of any portion of this incident to contact them. Detectives are also interested in any home surveillance footage that may have captured portions of this incident. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Sheriff’s detectives at (805) 681-4150. Anyone who wishes to remain anonymous may provide information by calling our tip line at (805) 681-4171, or online at SBSheriff.org.


Update by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
February 24, 2022

Sheriff’s detectives are investigating an incident in the Providence Landing neighborhood that ended in an officer-involved shooting. At approximately 1:34 p.m. on Wednesday, February 23, 2022, Sheriff’s Dispatch broadcast a be-on-the-lookout for the California Highway Patrol (CHP) for a hit and run driver who had been involved in multiple collisions in the 4000-block of Stardust Road in Lompoc. Deputies responded to assist CHP and check the area while their units were still enroute.

Deputies arrived in the area at approximately 1:51 p.m. and contacted the suspect in the 600-block of Mercury, near a recreation building. The sequence of events that transpired after deputies initially contacted the suspect are under investigation. What is apparent now is that two deputies shot at the adult male suspect and struck him in the upper torso area. The suspect was transported to an area hospital by ambulance. The involved deputies did not require medical attention.

During this event, residents in the 600-block of Mercury Drive were asked to shelter in place and Maple High School was placed on lockdown. Once the scene was secure, both restrictions were lifted.

This investigation is ongoing, and the names of the involved parties are not yet available for release. The suspect is in stable condition and is expected to recover. CHP will be investigating the traffic collisions, Sheriff’s detectives will investigate the contact between the deputies and the suspect, and the Sheriff’s Office will conduct an administrative review of the incident in accordance with policy.


Update by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
3:30 p.m., February 23, 2022

Shelter in place has been lifted- thank you to residents for your cooperation.

This call is an officer involved shooting. Suspect has been transported to an area hospital. Deputies did not require medical care on scene.  Original call at 1:34pm was a reckless driver involved in multiple traffic collisions.


Update by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
2:37 p.m., February 23, 2022

Deputies request a Shelter-in-place in the 600-block of Mercury in Vandenberg Village for a police incident. Please remain clear of the area until further notice.

Lockdown at Maple High has been lifted – residents in the area requested to continue sheltering in place.

Update by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
2:11 p.m., February 23, 2022

Deputies are handling a major incident in the 600-block of Mercury / Providence Landing in Lompoc. Avoid the area until further notice. Updates will be shared here as they become available.


Reported by Scanner Andrew
1:52 p.m., February 23, 2022

Shots fired just occurred between deputies and a suspect near Providence Landing Park in Lompoc

sbsheriff

Written by sbsheriff

Press releases written by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office

What do you think?

Comments

0 Comments deleted by Administrator

Leave a Review or Comment

4 Comments

  1. Zenyatta. Passive voice is part of English grammar. Nothing to do with ’emotion’ but passive voice is not preferable, especially in journalism. Journalistic writing should be in active voice. Journalists are taught (eek!…..more passive voice! ) to go for brevity and facts. Subject/verb equals active voice. “Journalists write”/Police shoot (active) vs. the article was written by a journalist (passive voice) “the man was shot by the police”. See the difference?

Traffic Collision on Chapala at Los Olivos

Santa Barbara Rallies for Ukraine