A UCSB student who was reported to be armed and suicidal was apprehended by Isla Vista Foot Patrol deputies, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputies were called to an apartment in the 700 block of Camino Del Sur at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, said sheriff’s spokeswoman Kelly Hoover.
They were responding to a report that Joshua Hillsburg, 20, had a gun and wanted to kill himself, Hoover said.
“Sheriff’s deputies responded to the apartment, secured a perimeter, and attempted to make contact with Hillsburg,” Hoover said. “After a short amount of time, Hillsburg came to the front door, and when he saw deputies, he attempted to retreat into a back bedroom.”
Deputies were able to prevent Hillsburg from reaching the bedroom and detained him, Hoover said.
A records check did not show any weapons registered to Hillsburg, Hoover said, but deputies learned there was a handgun in a back bedroom.
They subsequently found a loaded .357 revolver under a pillow, and seized it pursuant to a section of the state Welfare and Institutions Code pertaining to weapons in the possession of people with mental-health issues, Hoover said.
The weapon was registered to a family member, she said.
“While deputies were inside the residence, they saw multiple sets of brass knuckles in plain view,” Hoover said, adding that Hillsburg was arrested on suspicion of possessing brass knuckles, and those weapons also were seized.
Hillsburg was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail, with bail set at $20,000.
“The Isla Vista Foot Patrol commends the reporting party in this case for calling 9-1-1 to report the subject’s erratic behavior which ultimately could have saved his life,” Hoover said.
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— 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.
