sbsheriff
Update by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office is releasing additional information from the Orcutt shooting investigation that occurred on Saturday, March 25, 2023, at approximately 8:01 p.m. The Coroner’s Bureau has confirmed the decedent’s identification as 19-year-old Manuel Reyes Rios of Santa Maria. Further investigation is being conducted to determine his cause and manner of death.
Anyone with information to assist investigators is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division by calling (805)681-4150. If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can provide information by calling our tip line at (805)681-4171 or SBSheriff.org.
By the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
On Saturday, March 25, 2023, at approximately 8:01 p.m., deputies responded to a shooting outside Melody Market at 130 E. Foster Road in Orcutt.
When deputies arrived, they discovered one suspect on-scene, pronounced dead.
During the initial investigation, deputies discovered an off-duty Santa Maria Police Department Police Officer was on-scene and involved in the shooting. No suspects are outstanding. The Sheriff’s Office is conducting the criminal investigation.
The decedent’s identity will be released as soon as it becomes available. Additionally, the identity of the Santa Maria Police Department Officer will be released at a later date.
Anyone with information to assist investigators is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division by calling (805)681-4150. If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can provide information by calling our tip line at (805)681-4171 or SBSheriff.org.
This is weird. No suspects outstanding and an off-duty officer involved in the shooting. So did the officer kill the kid, and why?
The “kid” was a 19 year old Adult. It’s all speculation at this juncture, but a cop doesn’t pull his weapon off duty or on duty for no particular reason. Relax your jerking knee until we all find out more.
In journalism, this is called “Burying the Lead.”
If you read to the bottom of the article, you realize the headline should read, “Cop kills teenager.”
Rinconer: That certainly is one potential headline that could be used. I will assume that you went to “J” school, so they could have used one of the following as well:
– “Hero Cop Shoots and Kills Gunman”
– “Bystanders Saved by Brave LE Officer”
– “Armed Male Perishes During Attempted Murder”
– “19-Year Old Loses Gun Battle With Local Sheriff Officer”
– “Brazen Shooter Loses Life in Ill-Conceived Orcutt Shootout”
So, yeah….buried headline I suppose, but 20/20 hindsight is almost always nearly perfect….almost.
RIP Manuel Reyes Rios.
Sounds like there was a serious back and forth shootout- The Thai Restaurant next door even sustained bullets, with one patron being slightly grazed… Hope there’s more info coming soon…