California Police Officer Shot And Killed By Fellow Officers

A Santa Maria, California Police officer was shot and killed after fellow officers attempted to arrest him amidst allegations of sexual misconduct with a teenage girl, according to an article on ABC.com.

The officer was working a DUI checkpoint early Saturday morning when his life abruptly ended.

The deceased officer was a 4-year veteran with the Santa Maria Police Department and had recently learned of the department’s internal investigation regarding a sexual relationship that he had with a 17-year-old girl.

Officers were sent to make the felony arrest at 1 A.M. Saturday morning , however, the officer did not submit as he physically struggled with the arresting officers and then fired his gun. Thankfully no one else was injured.

Several additional law enforcement officers came to aid in the arrest, one of whom shot the resistant officer once in the chest.

The officer was pronounced dead after emergency surgery at nearby Marian Medical Center according to a statement by Santa Maria Police Chief Danny Macagni.

Detectives commenced the investigation last Thursday night and confirmed that the officer conducted himself in an inappropriate and explicit manner with an underage girl just minutes before the attempted arrest.

Although the detectives refuse to divulge all the material findings concerning the ongoing investigation, they did concede that there was a certain degree on witness intimidation going on in the case, which is why the officers felt that the officer needed to be apprehended immediately.

Macagni said that the officer’s reaction was unexpected.

The officer that fired the fatal gunshot, an 8-year veteran, has been placed on administrative leave as the Santa Barbara Police Department are investigating the shooting.

This case was tragic.  Nevertheless, we are all fortunate that no one else was harmed during the fight.

Once a revered law enforcement figure now leaves his family behind disgraced amidst allegations of his sexual misconduct. Yet, now that he is dead the sexual misconduct case is irrelevant.

However, the impending investigation against the officer who ended his life has only begun. According to the police chief’s statements it seems that the arresting officer had no choice but to shoot the resisting officer in order to protect himself, the other officer’s and the public at large.

Accordingly, it seems as if he will be the beneficiary of almost all if not all beneficial testimony, unless an adverse witnesses surfaces during the impending investigation. Thus, it is likely that the officer will be reinstated sooner rather than later.

What do you think?