Second murder this week

The second murder of the new year in Santa Maria was also the second in just a week:

One man was killed Sunday night in an alleged confrontation in the 400 block of North Oakley Avenue near Fesler Street in northwest Santa Maria, according to reports from the Santa Maria Police Department.The incident occurred shortly after 9 p.m., according to information from the Santa Maria police department dispatch team.

The victim was reported to have been shot in the back, police said.Police officers and investigators were still at the scene after 11 p.m. Sunday night, and their investigation was expected to keep the area streets closed into early this morning.

Santa Maria police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding another shooting that occurred Wednesday.

Kind of disconcerting in a city still this small.