An arrest has been made in a fatal stabbing that occurred Thursday night on Santa Barbara’s Eastside, according to the Santa Barbara Police Department.
Ernesto Gil Lopez, 32, of Santa Barbara was taken into custody on Friday on suspicion of murder and a parole violation, said Anthony Wagner, a police spokesman.
Lopez was being questioned by investigators in the slaying of Jorge Diaz, 38, of Santa Barbara, according to Lt. Aaron Baker.
Officers responded at about 9:15 p.m. to the vicinity of Cacique Street and South Voluntario Street, where they found Diaz critically injured, Baker told Noozhawk.
He was nonresponsive and without a pulse, Baker said, and emergency personnel made efforts to revive him.
Diaz was taken by AMR ambulance to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, where he was declared dead a short time later.
Baker said that Diaz walked about a block after being stabbed before collapsing.
Police have not disclosed a possible motive for the killing, or whether they believe it was gang-related.
Streets were closed off overnight in the area of the attack, but subsequently were reopened.
Check back with Noozhawk for updates to this story.
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.