UPDATE:
Following a carjacking and police pursuit, a suspect is now in custody with a police officer on administrative leave.
Police received reports of a vehicle stolen at gunpoint Thursday night at 5:30 p.m. in Santa Maria. The suspect Francisco Gomez of Santa Maria was spotted in the car and pursued to a parking lot on the 800 block of W. Cook Street.
The Santa Maria Police Department reported that Gomez crashed the stolen vehicle and got out of the car with what police initially thought to be a real firearm.
After an investigation, officials reported it was a realistic-looking BB gun.
Upon exiting the vehicle, police shot at Gomez. He then escaped into a nearby business where he threatened the owner with the BB gun. The store owner disarmed him, and police put the suspect into custody.
Gomez was taken to a hospital for his injuries and is in stable condition. He faces felony carjacking, evading, false imprisonment, burglary, and assault with a deadly weapon.
Investigators had closed off S. Railroad to W. Boone Street, and are working
to reopen the area now.
The officer involved in the shooting was put on administrative leave by the Santa Maria Police Department. Santa Barbara County Sheriff's detectives are conducting a criminal investigation into the action of the officers, and the district attorney's office will review what they find. The Santa Maria Police Department said they will also hold an internal investigation.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Santa Maria police are investigating a reported carjacking Thursday evening.
It happened at around 5:30 p.m.
Police say that after the victim made the report, officers spotted the vehicle and initiated a pursuit.
After a short time, the pursuit ended near the 7-Eleven on S. Railroad Ave.
As of 7:20 p.m., police had S. Railroad closed south to W. Boone St. as officers continued to investigate the scene.
There is no word on any injuries at this time.
This story will be updated with new information as it becomes available.
