A Lompoc police officer was justified when he fatally shot a 21-year-old suicidal man armed with a machete and what appeared to be a gun last year as the incident unfolded so quickly that de-escalation tactics couldn’t be employed, according to a review conducted by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office.

The shooting left Connor Jeffrey Amador, 21, dead on Dec. 29, 2023, outside a convenience store in southeast Lompoc.

The analysis used various reports, audio recordings including 911 calls, photographs, video surveillance recordings and witness interviews collected during the investigation conducted by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators spelled out earlier encounters with Amador, who pistol-whipped a convenience store employee and attempted to carjack a customer before the final encounter with officers Tara Newton and Alexander Justice.

Amador’s actions, including ignoring commands to get on the ground, stepping toward officers and pointing an apparent handgun at them, created “a reasonable fear of death or great bodily injury in the mind of Officer Justice,” according to the District Attorney’s Office report, available here. “Based on the investigation by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office … Officer Justice acted reasonably in his use of deadly force; therefore, the shooting of Connor Jeffrey Amador was a justifiable homicide.”

After the shooting, sheriff’s deputies later determined that Amador had been armed with a black pellet gun with a CO2 cartridge and laser sight. They also retrieved a machete with a black handle and an approximately 12-inch silver blade.

An autopsy revealed that Amador had been shot three times in his head, abdomen and right arm, killing him. 

In addition, toxicological tests showed that Amador had a blood alcohol content of 0.254%, or nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08% for driving. 

Investigators also learned that Amador had sent suicidal text messages, including, “I guess it’s my time to see my brother in the after life and be with him forever I give up on my gang and just wanna see him and my dead homies … .”

Another text advised, “I’ma get into a shootout with the police.” 

Late Dec. 28, Amador robbed the store while armed with what appeared to be a handgun. Amador struck the employee in the abdomen with a fist, then hit him in the head with the butt of the gun before telling store customers to leave. He stole money and beers. 

Police arrived and the employee said Amador had pulled the trigger two times but the weapon failed to fire.

Nearly two hours later, he returned and attempted to carjack one customer before entering the store and demanding that the manager open the register. When she said she couldn’t, he pushed a cash register monitor off the counter and knocked over merchandise. 

Newton arrived to find an agitated Amador armed with two weapons standing outside near a vehicle in the parking lot. Justice got to the scene seconds later and demanded that Amador get on the ground, but he did not comply.

Instead, Amador took several steps toward the officers and raised his arm, pointing an apparent handgun in their direction, leading Justice to fire his rifle three times. 

“These events happened very quickly, without time for the officers to employ any de-escalation tactics or alternative techniques. Amador’s actions would lead a reasonable officer to believe that he had the present ability, opportunity and apparent intent to immediately cause death or serious bodily injury to Officers Justice and/or Newton,” according to the report. 

“Officer Justice’s belief that he had to instantly confront and address the deadly threat posed by Amador with deadly force was reasonable under all of the circumstances.”