A report of a man pointing a rifle into the sky prompted a swift police response and brief road closures in Santa Barbara New Year’s Eve evening, but no suspect was found.
At 5:15 p.m. on December 31, a passing motorist called the Santa Barbara Police Department to report a man “standing on the north sidewalk on State St., east of La Cumbre St., pointing a rifle into the sky,” according to a media release from SBPD.
Officers arrived quickly and shut down State Street between La Cumbre and Hope Avenue, searching the area and speaking with hotel staff at the Best Western Plus at 3850 State Street, where the man was reportedly seen. But no one matching the description was located…