Back in March, 19-year-old Jose Manuel Reyes Rios was killed in an officer-involved shooting outside the Melody Market in Orcutt.
Following months of investigation, the County of Santa Barbara’s District Attorney’s Office has found the officer’s use of lethal force to be justified.
According to an eight-page report from the DA’s office released Friday, at around 8 p.m. on March 25th, Santa Maria Police Officer Antonio Peña, who was off-duty at the time, parked his truck in front of the Melody Market, leaving his wife and brother-in-law inside the vehicle as he went into the store off Foster Road to make a purchase.
The report states that when Peña left the market and returned to the driver-side door of his truck, he saw four males, including Rios, arguing and fighting in the parking space adjacent to his.
It continues that Peña then heard the sound of tires screeching and saw a gray car that was also in the parking lot accelerate toward the group of males, striking two of them.
Authorities say Rios then pulled out a gun and immediately started firing upon the group.
The report says while Rios fired his weapon at the other males, he ran in the direction of Peña’s truck, where officer Peña, who was not in uniform, then pulled his own firearm out of his appendix holster.
According to the investigation, Peña then pointed his gun at Rios, saying he was a Santa Maria police officer, commanding Rios to put down his weapon.
Rios then turned his head toward the officer and pointed his firearm in Peña’s direction.
Fearing for his life, as well as that of his wife and brother-in-law who were still inside the truck, the report states Peña then fired his gun at least 16 times at Rios, killing him.
Details from the investigation say the other involved males then fled the parking lot, and though Peña was armed, he opted not to shoot at them since other businesses were open nearby.
After the remaining subjects had fled, Peña then brought his wife and brother-in-law inside the market, along with other bystanders who were present during the shooting.
Once everyone was barricaded inside, the report states he called 9-1-1 to report the incident as they waited for Santa Barbara County Sheriff's deputies to arrive.
After spending months reviewing data from the collected cell phones of the suspects, video surveillance from Melody Market, as well as general evidence found at the scene, the DA’s Office concluded that Officer Peña’s actions were reasonable and that he believed Rios posed an imminent threat to himself and others who were in the vicinity.
The completion of the DA's Office's nearly nine-month-long investigation means Peña now bears no criminal liability for his actions.
Assistant District Attorney Kelly Duncan tells KSBY this officer-involved shooting is the 12th one that has been investigated since 2018 and all have been found to be justified.
Santa Maria Police officials add that Officer Peña has since returned to the department.
