Homeowner Shoots Pedregosa Street Prowler

A suspected prowler was shot in the right leg at around 4:15 a.m. this morning after he tried to smash his way into a home in the 900 block of West Pedregosa Street.

Santa Barbara police, said spokesperson Sgt. Riley Harwood, received numerous calls that the suspect — a 33-year-old white male — was rampaging around the neighborhood, damaging houses and acting wildly. The callers speculated he was in some altered state of mind.

As officers were responding, the suspect began breaking through the French doors on the back porch of a nearby home. The 54-year-old owner, said Harwood, told the man to leave, but he continued trying to get in. The homeowner grabbed a WWII-era M1 carbine and fired a warning shot into the ground near the suspect. It had no effect. Approximately 10 seconds later he fired through the door at the suspect, striking him in the leg.

The suspect dropped out of sight, said Harwood, and police soon arrived to arrest him. He was taken to Cottage Hospital for treatment, and charged with burglary, vandalism, and prowling. He recently started living with his parents in the area, but his name is not being released at this time as the investigation into the incident continues.