AnonymousUpdate by the Santa Barbara Police Department
July 6, 2021
The name of the subject arrested during yesterday’s incident near Cabrillo Boulevard and Calle Cesar Chavez is, Dennis Ray Powell, 39-years-old, listed as a San Luis Obispo City resident.
Pending booking charges are: 245 PC – Assault with a Deadly Weapon (felony), 594 PC – Vandalism (misdemeanor), 148 PC – Resisting/Obstructing an Officer (misdemeanor), and 417 PC – Brandishing a Weapon (misdemeanor).
Update by the Santa Barbara Police Department
5:00 p.m., July 5, 2021
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.
Update by the edhat staff
1:00 p.m., July 5, 2021
The Santa Barbara Police Department has confirmed there was not an officer-involved shooting this morning on East Beach.
According to Sgt. Ethan Ragsdale, officers utilized a less-lethal round to subdue a suspect who was using a deadly weapon during a confrontation. The case is still under investigation.
If there were any other witnesses that observed the incident, they are encouraged to contact the Santa Barbara Police Department 805-897-2355.
By Roger the Scanner Guy
8:00 a.m., July 5, 2021
Police Activity on the beach across from the Hilton, a lot of police vehicles.
I was at the beach roller blading when this happened and witnessed the police activity which occurred directly across from the Hilton (old Fess Parker) . A long haired, bearded man (possibly homeless given his disheveled appearance) was having some sort of violent fit… charging towards people… vandalizing a car. Police attempted to contain him. He could not be contained and continued his violent rampage. An officer pulled out his gun… warned the man and then shot him. I was fairly close but did not see where he was shot. He did not seem severely wounded though as he was handcuffed when I bladed around him on the street.
Wow that has not happened in along time Thanks for the info…Officer involved shooting…
Great, another officer-involved shooting. Let’s see the body cam footage.
1033am – what’s great is how exceedingly rare they actually are!
I’m glad the officer will go home safe to his family after his shift today…. If it was an officer involved shooting, I say we start a FundMe to send him / her to Hawaii for a week of R& R…
Your ridiculous for basically saying; “yes officer, don’t defend yourself against a berserk man running (armed or not) towards you, get in a fist fight with him, lose your gun so HE can shoot YOU, and we can have a berserk man with a gun…” Incidentally, a taser isn’t meant to be used in this type of incident; “come and jump on me, so I can try and use my taser on you.”
This is what it is coming to. Remember that backlash I have mentioned before? Get ready for more of this kind of activity. Yes, the cops have had enough, so has the general community of Santa Barbara, Noleta, Goleta and Isla Vista.
My questions are simple. Is anyone surprised by this incident? Is anyone shocked how loing it took for an incident such as this to happen?
I hear about all this ptsd bull used to defend our “houseless neighbors” all the time, but what about the cops? They’re human too. Do any of you actually think these men and women go into work hoping to shoot somebody? Sorry people, they get ptsd too.
“ just someone who lost their shit “…..I guess if it was you in that car Sacjon, you would have just rolled down the window and gave him a big hug
A-1625555221, I think you need a new eyeglass prescription because you probably didn’t see this part of my comment:
“They’re human too…”
By using the word “too” in the comment, it automatically includes the “houseless neighbors” as part of the “human” classification.
As for it being bull when “houseless neighbors” are involved, unless we’re talking about homeless war veterans, it is bull.
Many of the “houseless neighbors” running around causing 90% of the problems are young, between 20 to 35 years old and able bodied. These are the ones where the ptsd excuse is absolute bull, but they are human too.
I think you’re mixing up what was said, but whatever, I will stand behind my point, given the age demographics, bad behavior and the enabler’s excuses for said bad behavior.
NO WAY! These officers get paid a healthy salary, MUCH more than firefighters, who put their lives on the line way more. Even when officers get disiplined for bad behavior they are sent home with pay. I’d NEVER donate to that.
COAST – I’d love a free vacation for simply doing my job!
Absolutely true. It is a big part of why police officers are paid well, with great benefits and stellar retirement packages, all well deserved – it’s just not mentally (and sometimes physically) sustainable. We are all human, but don’t forget, we don’t all get the same treatment for the same maladies. Ex: Why must homeless PTSD be “bull,” but “human” when it’s a cop that’s afflicted?