Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s investigate deadly Sunday officer involved shooting in Santa Maria

SANTA MARIA, Calif.– A male suspect has died from a gunshot wound in a stand-off with Santa Maria Police officers Sunday in the 1000 block of west Morrison Ave.

The man was fleeing Santa Maria officers on foot after refusing to comply with officers verbal commands and threatening law enforcement with a weapon.

Santa Maria Police brought in FBI trained crisis negotiators to attempt to de-escalate the situation, but the man refused to disarm, according to the Santa Maria Police Department.

The suspect while armed tried to break into a nearby apartment occupied by bystanders, which led to an officer discharging their weapon. The man died form his injuries.

Santa Maria Police Department is investigating the incident, while the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department is conducting an independent investigation into the incident.

Santa Maria Police are withholding the identity of the man at this time.