Around 6:20 p.m., Santa Maria police responded to a report of a disturbance in a home. Upon arrival, officers learned an armed suicidal man had been threatening family members inside the home. Police set up a perimeter around the home. The man then came out of the house armed with two knives and confronted officers, who shot and killed him.
Victim's Name: Alejandro Valdez
Agency Responsible: Santa Maria Police Department
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Race: Hispanic
Date of Death: January 7, 2018
County: Santa Barbara
Cause of Death: Gunshot
Official Disposition: Pending investigation/No Known Charges
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: Yes
Armed: Allegedly Armed
Weapon: knife
Threat Level: other
Fleeing: Not fleeing
Body Camera: No
Washington Post Database ID: 3270
Geography: Suburban