Two Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies who wounded a suspect last week in Vandenberg Village fired a total of 11 shots, according to an update provided Tuesday by the Sheriff’s Department.
The suspect, 24-year-old Rudy Angel Delgadillo, was struck by a single gunshot as he faced off with deputies near Providence Landing Park, sheriff’s spokeswoman Raquel Zick said.
She said 10 of the shots were fired by Deputy Ross Van Tassel and one was fired by Deputy Yeshella Jimenez.
It is not known which deputy hit Delgadillo.
The incident began at about 1:30 p.m. Feb. 23 after a hit-and-run crash in the 4000 block of Stardust Road, near the west side of the park, and multiple calls to 9-1-1 dispatchers about a reckless driver in a dark-colored Toyota Tundra pickup.
Numerous deputies converged on the area near the park, at 699 Mercury Ave., and located the Tundra in the 3800 block of Celestial Way, south of the park, after it had crashed into a fence and the driver fled on foot, Zick said.
“After that collision, and prior to contact with the deputies, surveillance video from the area shows the suspect trying the doors of two parked cars and entering a third vehicle,” she said.
Zick said Van Tassel located Delgadillo in the 600 block of Mercury Avenue and gave him repeated verbal commands, but he failed to comply.
“The suspect then made several sudden movements, including what the deputies perceived as a shooting stance toward Deputy Van Tassel,” she said. “In response, Deputy Van Tassel fired 10 rounds and Deputy Jimenez fired one round at the suspect.”
Delgadillo sustained a single gunshot wound to the shoulder, received emergency treatment at the scene and then was taken to Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria.
He was treated and released, then booked into the County Jail, and remained in custody on Tuesday, according to Zick.
“No weapon associated with the suspect was found at the scene,” Zick said, adding that neither deputy was injured in the incident.
Charges had not been filed against Delgadillo as of Tuessday, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Both deputies were placed on administrative leave after the shooting — standard practice in such situations.
Sheriff’s detectives have gone door-to-door in the area to try to locate any additional witnesses, and are encouraging anyone who may have seen any portion of this incident to contact them.
Detectives are also interested in any home surveillance footage that may have captured parts of the incident.
Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives at 805.681.4150. Anyone who wishes to remain anonymous may provide information by calling the department’s confidential tip line at 805.681.4171, or online at SBSheriff.org.
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
