Edhat Staff
Update by edhat staff
4:00 p.m., January 4, 2020
There have been two deaths and two hospitalizations in Sunday evening’s shooting on Santa Barbara’s eastside.
All victims are reportedly young males. One of the deceased victims has been identified as 18-year-old Omar Hernandez and the other is a minor.
The two other victims were transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital to treat their injuries, one with a wound to their arm and the other with a wound to their foot, according to scanner traffic.
Santa Barbara Police responded to the 1200 block of Liberty Street near S. Soledad Street around 5:50 p.m. after a report of shots fired.
It’s reported that one suspect approached the victims on foot near Cañada and Liberty Streets and opened fire as police are investigating this as a gang incident, according to KEYT News.
It’s currently unclear how many victims in total there were.
No arrests have been made in this incident.
This is a developing story.
Update by edhat staff
6:30 p.m., January 3, 2020
Santa Barbara Police are investigating a shooting on the eastside with multiple victims reported.
Police responded to the 1200 block of Liberty Street near S. Soledad Street around 5:50 p.m.
Scanner traffic reports there are four victims, two that are unresponsive and two others that are wounded. Suspects were seen running from the scene and have yet to be apprehended.
This is a developing story.
Shots fired. There are subjects seen running from the scene. SB Police are responding code 3 (lights and sirens). There’s a possible victim in the 1200 Block of Liberty.
Now is when you want one of those “defund the police” resources like a social worker or a trained community outreach person to be down there talking to people, including involved and neighbors, to try and get and give information. And then the folks in Blue can be totally focused on nabbing this shooter. Delegation. It’s not a hard concept.
Shut it yepsb – like that will change the outcome of at least 1 shot dead in our city. We don’t have a lot of gun violence here, this stuff concerns me. Also, want to know more about if it is gang related or what.
If it’s gang related, a social worker will be useless. Amazing how you aren’t concerned about the increases in murders, shootings and stabbings in Santa Barbara but about the after effect.
Don’t walk towards the light!
People act like crime is a new thing. Societies have always had crime. In our country this condition is exacerbated by the ready availability of weapons of mass destruction. Let me know where the utopia is that doesn’t have crime and I’ll move there.
@PIT- The crime caused by gangs is negligible- It is due to one thing and one thing only- THE SALE OF DRUGS… There is tons of money to be made selling pot, crack, meth-whatever…The gangs are the distributors of said products and fight for control of areas and supply. So yeah, just another harmless personal use drugs cause this crap to continue- even after pot has been legalized…
COASTWATCH – Nope, you’re absolutely wrong. Gang violence is due to much more than the sale of drugs. Where have you been? Here’s a few criminal activities of gangs – territorial disputes, initiation rituals (beatings and attacking innocent civilians), acts of defending “honor” or revenge, burglaries/robberies, etc etc etc…..
Further, there is NOT “tons” of money to be made selling pot. How many pot-filled pangas have you read about since we legalized it? Maybe 1 or 2 at best. Nope, drugs are not the “one thing and one thing only” causing violence in gangs.
I don’t believe a participant in a shooting incident should be identified as a “victim?”
With this comment in mind, were there multiple victims or multiple participants that were shot?
@coastwatch nailed it.
Laker girl nailed it !
COASTWATCH – haha nope. There are many other acts of violence and crime carried out by gangs that are not drug related. Yeah, obviously drugs are a huge income generator for gangs, but 1) that’s not the only crime gangs are involved in and 2) there are plenty of dealers who have no gang involvement. Have you ever purchased illegal drugs? Where are all the hippy gangs at the Phish shows selling shrooms and weed? Dude…. you’re so out of touch it’s embarassing.
Rando – the city (mayor) is allowing all the same stuff you’re describing ALL OVER Santa Barbara! It’s not some east side conspiracy. Take a look at state st. I think you’re assuming the local politicians are just ‘letting things go on the poorer areas’ right? I don’t think so.
@lakergirl – it really is astonishing how twisted your views are on this issue. Stopping the gang-related revenge cycle (which is NOT done by the police) is absolutely crucial for stemming future violent crime. Stats and research clearly show that social workers, community investment, diversion programs, etc. PREVENT crime, while it is painfully obvious that the American standard of allowing overzealous, militarized, over-funded, nearly all-powerful law enforcement to throw anyone they want into the trap that is our “justice” system has failed miserably.
Plus, what you’re saying doesn’t even make sense – you’re saying that community crime intervention is pointless because it only deals with the after effects of violence while conveniently ignoring that law enforcement typically only deals with violence AFTER the fact…
Ehdat..
Hutash is not the neighborhood, it’s the street name, but I see how you tried to interject your rascism into the comment.
You make edhat look bad.
LOCALS – It appears you are one that would choose to remove money from a police budget. Right or wrong? Don’t blame the police for doing their job and enforcing the law. Why do you place responsibility to keep these thugs from committing crimes onto the police or other agencies? SB police are neither overzealous, over-funded or all powerful. The same laws they enforce to protect you from the criminals are the same that protect you from police actions. Being “militarized” is required due to the more lethal weapons these clowns choose to arm themselves with these days. Contrary to what you state, police can’t “throw anyone they want” into the justice system. Why is it so hard to understand, if you don’t want to get involved in the justice system don’t get involved in crime? The responsibility to stop these clowns begins with their mother, father and family, the people that should have taught right from wrong and disciplined them from a young age.
By the time these clowns come to the attention of the different agencies you list it is likely too late for most to change. Relative to your “stats and research” comment, how can anyone prove a crime was prevented by “social workers, community investment and diversion programs?” What exactly is community investment? What (is) “painfully obvious” to me is that most of these little clowns will continue their violations of our laws until they are incarcerated. And, like the drug user/dealer, once they are taken out of the system there is always another little clown to take their place.
@RANDO- The issue isn’t as simple as Police presence and follow through… The bottom line is the DA won’t prosecute the infractions and crimes you’re listing. I agree that they are all valid concerns and laws broken should be prosecuted, but that is where our “laws” fall short- There is little to no consequences for any crime that does not involve bodily harm anymore. The cops hands are tied and those that are doing the law-breaking know it…
Freak, that’s so funny! People living or dying is just so entertaining for you!
Can’t wait to hear your next big laugh line!
Writing ticket’s generates revenue. Education and prevention along with going to a crime scene to write an after the fact report, costs money.