Four Santa Barbara Police Department officers were reportedly injured while taking a hate crime suspect into custody on Thursday.
Police say officers responded to a report of a battery in progress late Thursday afternoon in the 500 block of Bath Street and observed a man attacking a 64-year-old man.
When the suspect, identified as Carlos Undabahena, 21, of Santa Maria, noticed the officers, officials say he ran into a nearby apartment complex.
Officers followed Undabahena into an open apartment where police say he attempted to punch and fight the officers, striking one of them in the face.
According to the police department, officers fired a non-lethal foam projectile at Undabahena but it had little effect so a K9 officer deployed his police dog. Undabahena was bitten but managed to break free and run off again.
Officers eventually caught and arrested Undabahena after a short chase.
He was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of violence against an officer, battery causing injury to an officer, resisting arrest, battery, and hate crime. Police say the victim told officers Undabahena was making multiple homophobic threats and statements during the attack.
All four officers were treated for some form of minor to moderate injuries. Undabahena reportedly sustained minor injuries and refused medical treatment. The victim sought his own medical treatment for minor injuries.
