Officers Arrest Subject Armed with Deadly Weapon
On July 5, 2021, at approximately 7:30am, Officers of the Santa Barbara Police Department responded to the area of State Street and Cabrillo Boulevard for a report of a subject who was a reported missing, appeared to be suffering from paranoia, and was asking community members for a gun. Officers learned on the way to the call that this subject had out of County misdemeanor warrants for his arrest.
Uniformed officers located the individual on Cabrillo Boulevard near Calle Cesar Chavez and approached the subject. While Officers were communicating with the subject, the subject reached into a nearby garbage can and removed a large glass bottle. The subject then purposefully broke the glass bottle on a nearby tree, holding the neck portion of the bottle with the sharp points brandished towards the Officers in a menacing fashion. The Officers gave numerous verbal commands to have the subject drop the improvised weapon. Instead, the subject elected to flee from Officers in the direction of Cabrillo Boulevard. While fleeing east on Cabrillo Boulevard, the subject approached several members of the public who were walking on the bike path. The subject then brandished the broken bottle causing the victims to run onto the sand for their safety. The suspect then attempted to arm himself with an additional glass bottle.
For an unknown reason, and without provocation, the suspect then approached an occupied parked vehicle and threatened the driver with the weapon. The suspect forcefully struck the closed window of the vehicle with the serrated portions of the bottle several times while the driver was inside. Officers attempted to detain the suspect, but he fled again. The suspect then quickly turned towards Officers with weapon in hand. An Officer deployed one less-lethal beanbag projectile and struck the suspect as he was moving towards a populated area. Officers were fearful if the less-lethal measure was not used, the suspect would seriously harm a member of the public. The suspect immediately surrendered and was taken into custody.
The victim seated in the vehicle was unharmed and informed Officers that they “feared the subject would kill me.”
Officers on scene rendered aid to the suspect and called paramedics. The Santa Barbara Police Department Co-Response Officer was one of the Officers who responded to this call. The suspect was transported to Cottage Hospital for treatment from the less-lethal deployment. This case is currently under investigation. The Santa Barbara Police Department is requesting any other unidentified victims or witnesses to this crime, please call Santa Barbara Police Detectives at 805-897-2347.