Officer shot, killed by fellow police in Santa Maria

Santa Maria police Chief Danny Macagni (muh-cahn-YUH’) says authorities had no choice but to arrest a police officer being investigated for sexual misconduct while he was on duty, an arrest that led to the officer’s death.

The officer was manning a DUI checkpoint early Saturday when officers arrived to take him into custody. He was shot and killed after he struggled with them and fired his weapon.

Macagni says the four-year Santa Maria department veteran had just learned of the internal investigation of an alleged sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl, and it became necessary to arrest him immediately.

In a new conference, Macagni says he can’t give details because of the sensitivity of the investigation, but “there was some witness intimidation involved” and the arrest couldn’t wait for a more proper time or place.

The name of the officer killed hasn’t been released as authorities notify his family.