Santa Maria police arrest man outside Costco for vandalizing over $3,000 in TVs

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The Santa Maria Police Department responded to "conflicting reports of shots fired inside the business and a subject vandalizing televisions" at the Costco on Bradley Road Monday evening.

Santa Maria police said the first officer to arrive on the scene located a man matching the description callers had shared. The suspect reportedly ran out of the Costco and into the parking lot shortly after.

This suspect was later identified as 25-year-old Jose De Leon Dominguez of Santa Maria.

An officer said they ordered Dominguez to stop running, but he refused and continued to flee the area. The officer followed Dominguez and contacted him near the intersection of Meehan Street and Bradley Road.

Dominguez resisted the officer's efforts to arrest him until multiple bystanders stopped to help restrain him. When additional officers arrived on the scene, Dominguez was successfully arrested.

The suspect was reportedly taken to the hospital to be medically cleared as part of the police department's normal procedures. Dominguez was booked in the Santa Barbara County Jail for vandalism and resisting arrest. His bail is set at $25,000.

Santa Maria police investigated the incident and determined that Dominguez entered the Costco and pushed two televisions onto the floor causing them to break. This resulted in a loud noise which potentially caused some of the callers to believe there were shots fired in the Costco.

Police said the total damage done to the TVs amounts to over $3,000.

Officers remained on the scene to talk with witnesses and investigate further, however, the incident seems to mostly be over.