A keen-eyed citizen helped Santa Barbara sheriff’s deputies stop what appeared to be an armed robbery in progress at Home Depot in Goleta on Thursday.
The witness called 9-1-1 and reported seeing two men inside a parked blue Jeep put on ski masks and crouch down after dropping off a third man who entered the store in Camino Real Marketplace. Deputies contacted the men in the car ― 26-year-old Malik Asad from Santa Barbara and 37-year-old Nicholas Dudley from Los Angeles ― who were both “uncooperative,” officials said.
As deputies were removing Dudley from the vehicle, they observed Asad “making furtive movements” and attempting to conceal an item in his lap. That item was a handgun. Deputies pulled their own weapons and held Asad at gunpoint until his firearm, which was loaded, was safely secured.
Dudley was found in possession of fentanyl and drug paraphernalia. Asad was found with fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and items consistent with drug sales.
Deputies then entered Home Depot to detain the third man ― 46-year-old Ryan Hammond from Summerland ― who was found with fentanyl and drug paraphernalia. All three suspects were booked in county jail on multiple charges.
“The Sheriff’s Office would like to commend the reporting party for being an excellent witness and for doing the right thing by promptly notifying law enforcement,” the department said in a press statement. “Their awareness and willingness to report suspicious activity played an important role in this investigation.”
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