Gambiaj.com – (Santa Barbara, CA) – The Gambian community in California is mourning the tragic death of Abdou Rahman Nyan, a U.S. veteran, National Guardsman, and IT specialist, who was shot and killed by police officers in Santa Barbara County last week.
According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office (SBCSO), the incident occurred around 2:39 p.m. at Ralph’s grocery store on the 5100 block of Hollister Avenue in Goleta.
Deputies say they attempted to apprehend Nyan following what the police described as an “assault with a deadly weapon,” which led to the police using gunfire.
“Deputies contacted the suspect (Abdou Rahman) and attempted to apprehend him. There was an altercation, and the suspect (Abdou Rahman) was shot. Deputies were not physically harmed. Abdou Rahman was pronounced deceased at the scene,” said SBCSO Public Information Officer Raquel Zick.
The Sheriff’s Office has launched an investigation into what it described as “a shooting incident involving a deadly weapon that turned into an officer-involved shooting.”
A Comparatively Different Narrative From the Police Version of What Happened
Independent eyewitness accounts reported by Santa Barbara’s News Channel 3 (ABC affiliate) present a different version of events.
Witnesses said the ordeal began outside the store when Abdou Rahman and another customer were involved in a confrontation with a white man holding a large kitchen knife while a dog appeared to defend him. Pictures of this narration have since leaked to social media.
The struggle reportedly moved inside the store as frightened shoppers fled and called 911. Moments later, gunfire erupted, leaving one man dead and another injured. It now appears that Nyan was the man shot by responding officers.
According to the family of Abdou Rahman Nyan, he was shot six times by the police, as a result of which he died.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the two deputies involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
The devastating news was only communicated to Nyan’s family, including his mother, Amie Noho, a well-known member of the Gambian community, on Monday, nearly a week after the incident.
Members of the Gambian diaspora in California have expressed shock and sorrow, describing Nyan as a gentle, dedicated neighbor and professional but also a proud serviceman. Many are now calling for a transparent investigation into the circumstances that led to his death.
