Surveillance video released by the Lompoc Police Department shows what happened during a deadly officer-involved shooting on Dec. 28th, 2023.
The six-minute-long video released on Tuesday shows the response of Lompoc police officers to several armed robbery incidents overnight at Circle K on Ocean Avenue.
The first incident happened at 11:30 p.m. when officers say the suspect, identified as 20-year-old Connor Amador from Lompoc, was armed and had entered the store and robbed the clerk of both money and alcohol before leaving the area. Officers searched for Amador, but he was not found.
This first incident can be seen in the video as police say, Amador, dressed in a black hoodie, goes behind the counter while pointing what appears to be a gun at the store clerk and empties the register of cash.
The firearm purportedly possessed by Amador and used in the robbery attempts was a 4.5-millimeter BB gun, according to a video released by the Lompoc Police Department. That video can be viewed on YouTube.
The second incident happened several hours later at 1:18 a.m. on Dec. 29 when officers were called out to the same location for an armed man and an attempted carjacking.
Police say Amador attempted to carjack someone in the parking lot, which can be seen in the video at about 2 minutes and 20 seconds, and when Amador is unsuccessful, he goes inside Circle K and attempts to rob the store again.
At this time in the video, police say you can see Amador with what appears to be a gun in one hand and a machete in the other hand. Amador approaches the store clerk holding both weapons and goes behind the counter. After this encounter, Amador exits the store.
Police say when Amador exited the store he was confronted by officers. In the video, police say you can see Amador approach the same car he attempted to carjack and bang on it, about 30 seconds after exiting the store it looks like Amador raises the replica gun and points it toward the officers.
The surveillance video cuts to the street view on Ocean and 7th Avenue where you can see the police response and hear the words exchanged and the shooting incident between Amador and the officers.
Amador was shot and pronounced dead. The department says releasing this video aligns with its commitment to be transparent with the public when it comes to law enforcement and their actions.
The Lompoc Police Department has identified the officer involved in the shooting as Alexander Justice.
Police say Officer Justice has nine years of experience in law enforcement and has been with the Lompoc Police Department for six years.
He is currently on administrative leave pending the investigation into the shooting.
