Staff Report

A juvenile suspect is in custody for a stabbing another adult male in Buellton on Saturday July 10. The victim was subsequently air-lifted to Santa Barbara Cottage hospital for treatment and is now in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery, according to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Deputies.

The incident occurred about 9:45 p.m. when deputies responded to the 100-block of Second Street in Buellton for a fight where a victim was possibly stabbed. When deputies arrived, they discovered the adult male victim who was critically injured with a life-threatening knife wound to his neck. The suspect fled the scene prior to deputies’ arrival. 

Santa Barbara County Air Support and Sheriff’s K9 units responded to area to assist with the search for the suspect, described as a white male wearing a black and blue “Thrasher” t-shirt with black jeans, black backpack with roses on straps.  While they searched for the suspect, deputies requested an Everbridge notification be shared with the public to warn them about the suspect and ask that the public call 911 if they spot him. After several hours of searching, the suspect was not located. Sheriff’s detectives and forensic technicians responded to the scene to assist with the investigation. 

On Monday, July 12, 2021, the juvenile suspect surrendered to detectives at the Santa Maria Juvenile Hall where he is being held for attempted murder.

It was not shared where the juvenile and the victim are from and their ages, nor a motive for the fight. The Star has reached out to the Sheriff’s department to get clarification. Once given this story will be updated.

If anyone has further information about this incident, or video surveillance footage that may have captured portions of the incident or the suspect, they are encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Bureau at (805) 681-4150. To leave anonymous information, you can call the tip line at (805)681-4171, or submit information online at sbsheriff.org/home/anonymous-tip.