Five youths arrested for attempted murder in Santa Barbara County

April 15, 2020

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies have arrested five juveniles for allegedly carrying out gang-related assaults last month with weapons including bats and a machete.

During the evening of March 6, a group of teens violently assaulted several other teens in the 5700 block of Hollister Avenue in Goleta, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies arrived to find a 14-year-old victim with severe injuries, including multiple lacerations to his head. A second victim suffered less severe injuries.

The suspects fled the area before deputies arrived. Investigators later learned several suspects had attacked the victims with weapons that included hammers, bats, pipes and a machete.

About two hours after the assault, a fight was reported in the 4500 block of Carpinteria Avenue in Carpinteria. Investigators determined several male suspects who were armed with the same variety of weapons had attempted to assault another group of males. No one suffered injuries during the fight, and the suspects fled the area before deputies arrived.

Detectives determined the crimes in Goleta and Carpinteria were committed by the same suspects using the same weapons.

On March 31, detectives served two search warrants in the city of Santa Barbara and arrested three juvenile suspects. Then on Tuesday morning, detectives served two more search warrants in Santa Barbara and arrested another two juvenile suspects.

Deputies booked all five suspects into the Santa Maria Juvenile Hall on charges of attempted murder, attempted murder in association with a criminal street gang, conspiracy to commit attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury and personal infliction of great bodily injury.

Sheriff’s officials are reminding the public that, during the current crisis, it is still seeking out and bringing justice to criminal offenders.