Authorities are looking for witnesses or video evidence from last week’s officer-involved shooting near Lompoc that injured a suspect who is now behind bars.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office says the incident began the afternoon of Wednesday, Feb. 23, when multiple 911 calls came in reporting the driver of a pickup who had crashed and driven off and was also reported to be driving erratically in the Providence Landing area of Vandenberg Village.
The sheriff’s office says the Toyota Tundra was found along the 3800 block of Celestial Way after the driver crashed into a fence and then ran off. A witness in the area provided deputies with a description of the suspect.
Officials say surveillance video they obtained shows the suspect then trying to get into two parked cars unsuccessfully before being able to get inside a third.
The deputies involved have been identified as Ross Van Tassel and Yeshella Jimenez.
The sheriff’s office says deputy Van Tassel contacted a man matching the suspect description near a recreation center on the 600 block of Mercury Avenue.
“He gave the suspect repeated verbal commands, but the suspect failed to comply. The suspect then made several sudden movements, including what the deputies perceived as a shooting stance toward Deputy Van Tassel. In response, Deputy Van Tassel fired 10 rounds and Deputy Jimenez fired one round at the suspect,” the sheriff’s office said in a press release.
The suspect has been identified as Rudy Angel Delgadillo, 24, of Lompoc.
The sheriff’s office says he was shot once in the shoulder area and has since been booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail. They add that the officers were uninjured and no weapon associated with Delgadillo was found at the scene.
Officials say detective have identified the three people who called 911 but they are looking to speak with anyone else who witnessed any part of the incident or who has home surveillance that shows anything that took place that afternoon in connection with the incident.
Detectives can be reached at (805) 681-4150. Anonymous tips can be made by calling the sheriff’s office’s tip line at (805) 681-4171 or online here.
