Police say a man who was trying to stop a group of people from vandalizing a South Coast park was stabbed, and critically injured. It happened just after 3:30 a.m. Tuesday in Santa Barbara’s Ortega Park.
Santa Barbara Police detectives say the victim saw a group of young men vandalizing the park. He told investigators they cursed at him, identified themselves as members of a gang, and stabbed him.
Shortly after the attack, a 14 year old boy with a severe cut to his hand showed up at hospital for treatment. Police arrested him after they say they found evidence linking him to the attack in the park.
The name of the victim, who was a man in his mid-40’s, hasn’t been released.
