Police release video of fatal officer-involved shooting in Santa Maria
By: The Santa Maria Police Department on Friday released video of an officer-involved shooting that took place in late October.
A man now identified as Salvador Maceda, 36, of Santa Maria, was shot and killed after a standoff with police on the evening of Sunday, Oct. 30.
It happened at an apartment complex in the 1000 block of West Morrison Ave.
In the edited video provided by police, Maceda is seen outside the apartment complex holding a couple of knives. He is told to drop the knives but refuses, takes several steps toward the officers, and an officer fires a less-than-lethal projectile, hitting Maceda in the abdomen.
Maceda is seen throwing a knife at a police car and then running away, followed by several officers.
The video then shows him trying to hide on the balcony of an apartment unit reportedly occupied by a woman and her young child.
Police say officers tried to negotiate with Maceda for about 90 minutes. After police fired pepper balls onto the balcony, Maceda can be seen and heard trying to break into the apartment.
That's when police say Officer Erik Hesch shot Maceda, killing him.
Maceda was reportedly on probation for a previous standoff with officers in December 2021 and there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest for violating his probation.
Police say Officer Hesch is back on duty after initially being placed on administrative leave after the shooting.
The incident is reportedly still under investigation by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office. When completed, that investigation will be turned over to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office to determine if the shooting was justified.