SANTA MARIA, Calif- Officer involved shootings are starting to become more and more common on the Central Coast. There have been six separate cases so far this year in Santa Barbara County alone.
Sgt. Mark Williams from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said in his 15 years of work, this number of officer involved shootings is unusual, but that fighting crime these days is a whole new ball game. "Any rapid movement or action that would alert the officers and make them feel in danger is definitely something you want to avoid," says Sgt. Williams.
Like earlier this month when a suspected burglar led Santa Barbara Sheriff's Deputies and CHP officers down Highway 246. The suspect was shot and killed after turning his car and trying to hit sheriffs deputies.
If officers feel more danger on the job today, here's a good reason why. According to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund last year more than 173 federal, state and local officers were killed on the job. That's a 42 percent increase from just three years ago. "It does seem like we are seeing more guns and weapons out in the streets," says Sgt. Williams.
Like the shooter who went on rampage in Lompoc in early June. He was shooting rounds into a neighbors home. When officers arrived he refused their orders to drop the gun, forcing officers to open fire and kill him.
"They have to think its going to be the worst case scenario and then go down from there, so they are going to approach things cautiously and be prepared for the unpredictable."
Five out of the six officer involved shootings were fatal. The only investigation that has been completed is the Officer Covarrubias case. The Santa Maria Police have been cleared of any wrong doing.
