SBPDPIO
Update by the Santa Barbara Police Department
5:45 p.m., April 4, 2024
On April 4, 2024, around 2:00 p.m., The Santa Barbara Police Department’s Combined Communications Center received a report of a bomb threat. It appears a man walked into a bank located at 834 State Street and reported to a teller that he had an explosive device in a bag he was carrying. The subject then sat on the floor of the bank with a bag.
Bank employees called 9-1-1 and started to evacuate the bank. Officers immediately responded to the bank and made contact with the man who reported the threat to the teller. After a brief negotiation, officers were able to take the male into custody without incident.
Out of an abundance of caution, the Santa Barbara County Bomb Squad responded to the scene to thoroughly check the man’s bag, and no explosive device was discovered.
The subject was identified as 35-year-old Stephen Samuel Paradise, a resident of Bristol, England, and the British consulate was notified of his arrest.
Mental health professionals (CARES) responded to the station to speak with Paradise prior to being transported to the Santa Barbara County Jail. He was booked on felony false bomb threats and felony terrorist threats. His bail was set at $50,000.
State Street and Canon Perdido Street were closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic for several hours. The area was reopened around 4:00 p.m.
Detectives are still investigating this incident.
– Original Post –
Explosive Device Reported at Bank of America on State Street
By the Santa Barbara Police Department
3:00 p.m., April 4, 2024
Currently, the Santa Barbara Police Department is investigating an incident occurring at [the Bank of America] located at 834 State Street. A subject contacted the Santa Barbara Police Combined Communications Center and reported that there was an explosive device inside the bank.
Officers conducted preliminary checks inside the bank and did not locate anything resembling an explosive device. Also, Detectives obtained information that this threat may not be credible. Out of an abundance of caution, bomb technicians were called to the scene for a more thorough search of the building.
Please stay away from the area of State Street and Canon Perdido Street. No vehicles or pedestrians are allowed in the area until this investigation has been concluded.
This is an active investigation, and no further information is available currently.
Mental health is no joke. It’s sad to see so many suffering and wandering our streets. I wonder if he would have had better care available to him in England?
I work downtown and have had to call the police recently for people with issues yelling at our customers
same…we’re near the Chase Bar & Grill….its a constant, daily sh*t show downtown. had a naked homeless man with sever mental issues bathing in the Amazon fountain at Carrillo the other day, yesterday morning, two junkies passed out in the back of our building, used needles on the ground. both passed out. it’s gotten worse than the past few years. very sad.
Just wait until there is the de la Guerra Plaza’s “water feature” that councilmembers want or have voted to have in the Plaza!
I wonder if he overstayed his visa too.