Threat allegedly made by Lompoc mayor on councilman draws police investigation
A Lompoc city councilman has claimed the mayor threatened him while both were at the city’s Old Town Market booth two weeks ago, but police say no crime occurred.
The July 21 incident involving Councilman Jim Mosby and Mayor Bob Lingl became public Thursday when Mosby’s wife, Audrey, wrote about the allegation on Facebook, drawing mixed reactions from residents.
Mosby said the incident occurred while he was talking to a Santa Barbara County Association of Governments leader, and Lingl was chatting with an unidentified man at the downtown summer street fair.
At one point, the man asked Lingl a question, and in response the mayor allegedly moved his fingers to replicate a gun, turned toward Mosby and said, “I’d like to shoot this guy in the head.”
Mosby said he responded with, “Are you kidding me? Some things are not a joke.”
Lingl allegedly replied that he was referring to a marshmallow gun, and the two men eventually went their separate ways, Audrey Mosby’s Facebook post said.
“There are just some things you don’t do, especially in these times,” Mosby said.
SBCAG officials did not respond to a request for comment about the alleged incident.
Lompoc police confirmed they were notified about the incident on July 22.
“A brief investigation was initiated, and the Lompoc Police Department determined that no crime occurred,” police said in a statement. “The Lompoc Police Department considers the matter closed.”
City Manager Patrick Wiemiller and City Attorney Joe Pannone were notified about the report, police said.
Reached by telephone Thursday, Lingl declined to comment.
“I have no comment other than I will let Jim and his wife make fools of themselves,” Lingl told Noozhawk.
Mosby said his wife was upset about the alleged interaction.
“She feels the mayor actually called out a hit on me,” he said.
Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
This story was originally published August 5, 2017 at 11:14 AM with the headline "Threat allegedly made by Lompoc mayor on councilman draws police investigation."