Santa Barbara police are investigating a stabbing reported downtown early Friday morning that sent a person to the hospital with injuries. 

At 1:44 a.m., police responded to the first block of West Ortega Street for the report of an assault with a deadly weapon. Officers found a person with multiple stab wounds and responders rendered medical aid at the scene before transporting the person to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Sgt. Bryan Kerr said. 

Emergency radio traffic indicated someone had applied a tourniquet to the victim’s leg, but that could not be independently confirmed. 

Witnesses on the street in the area of the Bobcat Room and Wildcat Lounge told Noozhawk photographer Peter Hartmann that there had been a fight.

Officers searched the area but did not locate the stabbing suspects, Kerr said. 

“Preliminary information suggests this attack was an isolated incident and there is no indication of an ongoing threat to the public. It is unknown at this time if the incident was gang related,” he said. 

No additional details were available. 

Anyone with information about the incident can contact police detectives at 805.897.8900.