Man Shot by Police Remains in Critical Condition

Andrew Furst, the 26-year-old man shot multiple times by a Santa Barbara police officer during a confrontation at a sober living home on December 6, remains in critical condition at Cottage Hospital. Police spokesperson Sgt. Riley Harwood said Furst was shot after assaulting an officer with a large shard of glass. Furst was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, but then released from custody and admitted to the hospital.

Recent police reports show that Furst was arrested twice in Santa Barbara in late November. The first arrest was for loitering in a downtown parking lot, the second for stealing a beanie from a State Street store.

A Colorado native, Furst also spent time in Santa Cruz, where he was convicted of two assault charges, as well as vandalism and false imprisonment charges between 2007 and 2010. He also reportedly violated probation and had several other encounters with Santa Cruz law enforcement. A news article published by the ColoradoDaiLY.com states Furst was arrested for assaulting a dancer at a Boulder gentleman’s club in April 2011.

According to the Santa Barbara sober living home’s owner, Furst had been checked into the recovery house a few hours before the shooting occurred. Furst reportedly became agitated and combative during the admissions process, and officers responded to the residence after receiving several 9-1-1 calls from staff and neighbors.

It’s unclear if Furst had a permanent address in Santa Barbara before he was checked into the living facility. He may have been homeless or resided at an apartment building on Coronel Place, but that has not been confirmed.

As of press time, the case had not been assigned a prosecutor and it’s not known if Furst has an attorney. Furst has a court date scheduled for December 27, which will likely be postponed.