SBCDistrictAttorney
PUBLIC REPORT ON OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING OF FRANCISCO GOMEZ
SOLANO ON DECEMBER 15, 2022
The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office has completed its review of the Santa
Barbara Sheriff’s Office (“SBSO”) investigation into the non-fatal shooting of Francisco Gomez
Solano, age 24, on December 15, 2022, in the City of Santa Maria, California.
The following analysis is based upon investigative reports, video and audio recordings,
photographs, and witness interviews, including the voluntary statement of Santa Maria Police
Officer Mason Jackson, taken during the investigation and submitted to this office by SBSO
Detective Ruben Esparza.
The District Attorney finds the shooting by Santa Maria Police Department Officer Mason
Jackson was a justified use of force pursuant to Penal Code section 835a, and he bears no state
criminal liability.
FACTUAL HISTORY
Summary
On Thursday December 15, 2022, around 5:30 p.m. in the area of 223 E. McElhaney Ave. in
Santa Maria, suspect Francisco Gomez Solano pointed a gun at a woman getting out of her car
and demanded her keys. Frightened that she was going to be shot, the woman gave Solano her
keys, ran away and called 911. Solano fled in the woman’s silver Nissan Altima, while Santa
Maria Police Department (SMPD) dispatch advised officers of the carjacking. Shortly after the
carjacking, Solano collided with another vehicle, and although the Altima was damaged, he
continued driving. An SMPD Officer saw the Altima matching the stolen vehicle’s description
near the intersection of Main St. and College Ave. and began pursuing Solano. Solano drove
erratically at a high rate of speed, running red lights, and eventually lost control, crashing into a
vehicle in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven on S. Railroad Ave. Two SMPD officers responded and
positioned their patrol vehicles to the side of the Altima where they had a view of the driver’s
side. The Altima was so damaged on the driver’s side that the door would not open. Solano
rolled down the driver’s side window while holding a gun to his head with his left hand.
Officers gave him commands to drop the gun but Solano only shook his head back and forth.
Solano then climbed out of the driver’s side window while still holding the gun to his head in his
left hand. Officers continued to yell commands at Solano to drop the gun. In response Solano
moved the gun towards officers and then to his own mouth. When he moved the gun towards the
officers, an officer fired one round, hitting Solano in the right lower face/jaw area. Solano
immediately ran southbound on Railroad Ave. with the gun still in his hand. Officers chased
Solano who ran into a nearby business where the owner was inside. Solano grabbed the owner
from behind and held his gun to the man’s neck as though he were going to take him hostage.
The man was able to escape and run outside to arriving officers. Officers then placed Solano in
custody and transported him to the hospital. When officers examined Solano’s firearm, they
determined it was a replica firearm with no identifiable markings such as an orange tip to signify
it was a pellet gun.
Solano later pled guilty to one count of carjacking, in violation of Penal Code section 215(a)(1) and admitted as true the special allegation that he used a weapon in the commission of the crime. In April 2023 he was sentenced to five years in state prison.
The full report can be read here.
