Anonymous
Update by the Santa Barbara Police Department
Downtown Altercation – Two Sustain Stab Wounds
On March 12, 2023, at 3:16 am, Santa Barbara Police Officers responded to a report of a physical altercation involving two groups of individuals around 500 State Street, where two victims sustained stab wounds.
Officers located two adult male victims in the downtown area involved in a fight. One victim was found in the first block of East Cota Street, and a second in the first block of East Ortega Street. Paramedics transported both victims to Cottage Hospital for treatment, where they were reported to be stable but in critical condition.
This incident is currently under investigation by Santa Barbara Police Detectives. It is not known at this time if this altercation was gang-related. No further information is available.
By an edhat reader
3:21 p.m., March 13, 2023
A lot of police vehicles at the Smart & Final on Gutierrez Street right now (3:15 p.m., Monday). Anyone know what’s up?
An altercation (fight) at least 5PD units that I heard and it was still in progress for several minutes until I heard code 4.
All is great and fine in S.B. : just ask the mayor !
And as I keep saying: it happens more and more often, it gets worse all the time but : hussshhhh : let’s not talk about it, and let’s not do anything about it !
Sacjon: The December 9 member was NOT covered in any details until 2 months later and until after Noozhawk covered it a great length.
The stabbing from 2 weeks ago was described, FOR A WEEK, as a “disturbance” on S.S.
And just look at the headline of THIS article: it is an UPDATE which was not reported as 2 stabbings when it happened!
Is that enough proof of what I’m saying ?
@FOND – what you’re referencing are posts on edhat that were initially from scanner reporters or edhat readers. They were not official statements by the SBPD but instead community members, so of course the exact verbiage and details were not available. Regarding the Noozhawk schmucks, they made quite a mountain out of a molehill while an investigation was still active and suspects were yet to be arrested. And I’ll rarely defend the police but that situation was silly and used only to increase their click rate and pat themselves on the back as “hard-hitting journalists” when they mostly cover car crashes and city council complaints.
FOND – nope.
The mayor is a figurehead by design.
FOND – in what galaxy is this being “covered up” or whatever you’re saying? It’s literally published just inches above your comment. The police are investigating and doing their job. What more do you want?
When someone of renown is hurt, then there will be a reckoning…or , killed.
No cops walking the beat on State Street. NONE! Hotel Santa Barbara had to take down their awning because of people climbing on it. Teens doing wheelies down Stae Street running tourist off the street. Ever increasing amount of homeless trashing the street. This must be the revitalization the new Mayor and Councilman, and Police Chief promised. American Riviera? I think not.
CHALF – exactly. When I was in my teens hanging out on State, there were cops EVERYWHERE all the time. Why don’t they have foot patrol on State anymore?
“Not know if gang related at this time” – mmhmm sure
4:45 – clearly, the cops weren’t there to question the participants, so how else would they know 100% whether it is or isn’t gang related? The law deals with facts, not hunches. What would you prefer? You want them to say, “Although we don’t know for sure it was gang related, we will assume it was because there were 2 large groups.” What good does that do anyone?
People with money and big homes who have private security pay enormous property taxes and still think they need to pay for extra security. They have an equal right under the law to law enforcement protection, but because they have money, they can purchase purchase supplemental protection. Here is the place where equity climbs in… I do not need supplemental protection because I don’t have much. The rich need it because they do. I’d hate to have to have a full time security staff.
SACJON is correct. Lots of times the detectives want the perpetrators to let their guards down or to gain time to follow their leads. The other issue is that gang members NEVER EVER (don’t ask me why) tell the police who the other gang members were in a fight let alone even admit someone stabbed them or whatever the crime. We almost always hear about it though and not sure why the public needs to know sooner.
Last point, aside from the horrible shooting of an innocent bystander recently, gangs do not fight people outside of the gang culture. Almost never.
All the celebrities that live here have ccw’s or armed security. What makes their lives more important than us ??? Shouldn’t we also have the same rights to protect ourselves???
Yes, Benicee, YES, we should!
Benicee–
Oh, really. “All the celebrities”. No kidding. Every single one. Amazing.
BENICEE – you have every right to hire armed security to protect yourself from gang fights. What we DON’T need is bystanders shooting off guns because they see a gang fight nearby.
Get these gangs OUT of here!!!! Police, do your job.
BIGUGLY – they’re investigating this. I don’t understand why, every time there is a crime reported to be under investigation/arrests made, etc so many people “yell” at the police to do their job or complain that crime isn’t being reported in the comments section of the article about the the crime that is being reported…….
BIGUGLY – What do you suggest the police do to get the gangs out of here?
And remember, gang injunctions are often found to be unconstitutional or otherwise contrary to law. Please remember SB went through this recently!
Simply search “news santa barbara ca gang injunction”
https://www.noozhawk.com/santa_barbara_gang_injunction_ruling_cities_perspective_070114/
https://www.independent.com/2014/07/22/judge-strikes-down-gang-injunction/
I understand that gangs aren’t the topic, but before it is, may I;
“At Risk Yoots” need an outlet.
Remember Cruise Drum Corps?
Those who didn’t drum, twirled & marched.
All dressed in home-made Tux, using secondhand gear..
But when Cruise started clicking their sticks..babies, elders, pets..store mannequins..all got to bumpin-they-heads!!..
Take the next 100k dedicated to the future Czar, & invest (organize) the “gangs” into “performance artists” for upcoming events.
There’s drummers, dancers, wheelie & stunt riders, marchers & twirlers etc.
I know it sounds goofy & stupid, but it WILL vastly reduce the number of kids with “nothing to do” because there’s no future in it.
Within the dynamic of this approach, one learns leadership, teamwork, business models, grant writing & the list goes on.
The only barrier I see is..
Who do you get to “sell” it, & who does one approach to do so?..
You seem to think that gangs are active simply because they have nothing else to do and that they are all somehow still in school or very young. None of that is correct. Not to mention you cannot out rival gangs in the same space.
No..not what I said.
Randy Rowse doing nothing to address the gang problem or the homeless encampments.