Woman stabs stranger in the back in Santa Barbara

June 14, 2022

By KAREN VELIE

A 33-year-old woman is in jail after she allegedly stabbed a stranger in the back in Santa Barbara on Monday evening.

Shortly after 5 p.m., the woman spotted a man walking near the intersection of West Micheltorena Street and San Andres Street and stabbed him in the back with a large kitchen knife. The suspect then fled on foot while the man asked for help at the nearby Westside Medical Clinic.

A witness to the stabbing followed the suspect while on the phone with police dispatch, and provided a detailed description and direction of travel.

Officers located Vanessa Beatriz Alvarez in the 1700 block of Castillo Street. As soon as Alvarez observed the officers, she discarded the knife and refused to follow their verbal commands. The officers then took Alvarez into custody

Both the victim and the witness positively identified Alvarez as the attacker. Video surveillance in the area also captured the unprovoked stabbing.

Officers booked Alvarez in the Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, use of a deadly weapon likely to cause great bodily injury and resisting an officer, with her bail set at $1,070,000.

After receiving initial medical attention at the clinic, the victim was transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for further treatment.