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On 08/24/08, at approximately 10:32 p.m., officers responded to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital on a call of a taxi driver currently en-route to the hospital with a stabbing victim and two female relatives of the victim. One of the women stated that they had last seen the victim at the home on today?s date around 10:00 p.m. Officers spoke to the 16 year old victim at the hospital. The victim stated that he left his home to go for a walk. He was walking near his home when he noticed a male walking towards him. The victim described the male as approximately 19 years of age, normal build, short hair, and wearing dark clothing. As soon as the suspect passed the victim, he felt himself being stabbed in the back. The victim next heard the suspect yell out a gang name. The victim then ran towards his home and stated he was briefly chased by the suspect. As the victim was approaching his home, he ran into two of his relatives who then called for a taxi. The investigation is continuing and it is considered gang related.

On 08/24/08, at approximately 12:40 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 1100 block of Punta Gorda Street on a call of an assault that had just occurred. Officers arrived to find the adult male victim being treated by medics for a large laceration to the center of his head. Officers spoke with victim who said he had been employed by suspect Phillip Thomas, 48 years of age, for the past five days. The victim said that Thomas had not paid him for the work he had done. The victim went on to state that minutes before the assault he ran into Thomas near the area of Voluntario Street and Punta Gorda Street. Thomas was in his vehicle. Both began to talk about the money owed to the victim. Thomas exited his vehicle and the victim turned his back to Thomas momentarily. At this point, the victim said that Thomas struck him on his head with a metal bar. The victim was able to flee to his home located on the 1100 of Punta Gorda Street and then called 911.

Officers continued their investigation and contacted a witness. The witness lives in the same home as the victim. The witness said that Thomas had been at the home earlier looking for the victim. Thomas was demanding to speak to the victim and wanting to get some uniforms back. Thomas was seen holding a red metal bar with a black handle by the victim.

Officers searched the area and found Thomas and his vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a metal bar suspected of being the weapon used in the assault. Thomas was arrested and booked at Santa Barbara County Jail for Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

On 8/22/08, at approximately 4:39 a.m., officers were flagged down and informed that an individual was in the process of spray painting the walls of Foodland, 1501 San Andres Street. Officers responded to the area and located an individual, later identified as Kyle Archer, 19 years of age, to the rear of Foodland. Officers also found what appeared to be fresh graffiti on one of the walls of Foodland. Upon approaching Archer officers noticed him placing his left hand to the front of his shorts. Officers contacted Archer and retrieved a white spray paint can from the front of Archer?s shorts. Officers also noticed that Archer had white, silver, and green paint on his fingertips. Officers took a closer look at the walls of Foodland and noticed that there were several areas of the business that had been tagged with paint consistent with the color of paint found on Archer?s fingertips. Archer was arrested and booked at Santa Barbara County Jail for Vandalism.

On 08/17/08, at approximately 7:12 p.m., officers responded to a 911 call of a man who had been stabbed and was at 1827 San Andreas Street. Officers found the 21 year old male victim in the front yard with a stab wound to his abdomen. The 911 caller (Kenneth Sterling 65 years of age) was the resident at 1827 San Andreas but refused to give any information about the stabbing. Officers at the scene, however, saw Sterling washing off a knife in his kitchen while Paramedics were tending to the victim. Officers arrested Sterling and subsequently transported him to Santa Barbara County Jail where he was booked for Attempted Murder.

Detectives were called in to assist with the investigation. A search warrant was served at 1827 San Andreas where a knife was found in a kitchen drawer. The knife is believed to be the weapon used in the assault. The victim was sent to surgery and then to the Intensive Care Unit at Cottage. His condition was stabilized after surgery. He could not provide a statement due to his condition. The victim is currently in the Intensive Care Unit recovering from his wound. On 08/18/08 detectives spoke with the victim and he identified Sterling as the individual who stabbed him. The motive for the stabbing is unknown and the investigation is continuing.

On 08/16/08, at approximately 1:04 a.m., officers were dispatched to the El Paseo Restaurant on a report of a subject with a gun. Upon arrival officers observed restaurant security standing around a subject later identified as Javier Esparza (43 years of age). It appeared Esparza was attempting to enter the establishment. Officers made contact with security. Security identified Esparza as the subject that had been seen with a gun inside the restaurant. As officers approached Esparza, he tried to walk back into the restaurant. Officers asked Esparza to stop and at the same time took hold of Esparza. Esparza began to resist and officers handcuffed Esparza after a brief struggle. A search of Esparza revealed a loaded 9mm semi automatic handgun in his beltline and a bottle of vodka in his boot. Officers transported Esparza to the police station where he was searched again and he was found to be in possession of a small amount of marijuana. Esparza transported to Santa Barbara County Jail and booked for Carrying a Concealed Weapon and Possession of less than an Ounce or Marijuana.

On 8/15/08 at 1:14 a.m., officers were dispatched to 400 block of E. Anapumu St. regarding a suicidal subject who had just been involved in a domestic dispute. When officers arrived, the suspect Arthur David Lopez (47 years old) was holding a knife challenging officers to shoot him. One of the officers pointed his taser at the Lopez and ordered him to drop the knife. After repeated refusals by Lopez to drop the knife, the officer deployed his taser on the suspect who fell to the ground. During the process of handcuffing him, officers were attacked by one of two dogs which reside at the residence. The dog also jumped up and bit at another officer?s right arm, but he was able to dodge the assault. During the struggle with the dog, (a Boxer mix), one officer drew his service pistol and fired one round into the dog. The dog then retreated. The dog suffered a grazing wound to the left side of its head and survived the incident. Both dogs on scene were taken into custody by Animal Control. A records check of Lopez revealed that he is currently on parole for domestic battery.

Arthur Lopez, was treated at Cottage Hospital for a possible neck injury and was booked at Santa Barbara County Jail for Domestic Battery, Brandishing a Knife, Resisting or Delaying Arrest, and Violation of Parole. One officer received a minor bite wound to his left leg and another officer had bite marks on the heel of his boots.

SANTA BARBARA, CA - On 8/10/08, at 8:10 p.m. officers responded to a stabbing that had just occurred at the Guest House Inn located at 3344 State St. When the officers arrived they found an 18 year old male victim lying in front of the lobby bleeding profusely. The victim was suffering from multiple stab wounds to his body and an injury to his face. The victim was transported to Cottage Hospital.

During the investigation, detectives identified one of the assailants as Pablo Lopez, 18 years of age. On 08/12/08, at approximately 9:00 a.m., detectives went to Lopez’s place of employment and took him into custody. Lopez was subsequently booked into Santa Barbara County Jail for Attempt Murder, Active Participation in a Criminal Street Gang, and Intimidating a Witness. The investigation is continuing. Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to please call the Santa Barbara Police Department at (805) 897-2300.