Guadalupe man killed in officer-involved shooting, investigation underway
GUADALUPE, Calif. - An officer-involved shooting investigation is underway in Guadalupe after a resident was tragically killed Saturday night.
The incident began around 9:40 p.m.
Guadalupe Police officers reportedly responded to the intersection of Birch and Obispo Streets after spotting a person with an outstanding no-bail felony arrest warrant in the area.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said the events that occurred after the officers contacted the suspect are currently under investigation by the California Department of Justice.
At this time, the sheriff's office said it is able to confirm that a Guadalupe officer fired his gun at the wanted person, but ended up striking an uninvolved resident who was sitting in a vehicle on the 100 block of Obispo Street.
The resident, identified as 59-year-old Juan Luis Olvera-Preciado of Guadalupe, was pronounced dead at the scene around 10:13 p.m.
The sheriff's office said the person wanted for a felony warrant was arrested at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
The SB County Sheriff's Office sent detectives and forensics technicians to the scene at the request of Guadalupe Police Chief Michael Cash to begin the investigation.
Detectives quickly realized that this incident met the criteria of AB1506, which requires the Attorney General's Office to investigate an officer-involved shooting that results in the death of an unarmed civilian.
The Santa Maria Police Department will conduct the administrative investigation at the request of Chief Cash.
The sheriff's office said the identities of both the wanted person and the involved officer are not yet being released while investigators conduct additional interviews.
Chief Cash reportedly met with the family of the victim Olvera-Preciado to offer his condolences and coordinate support services.