Six years after the Isla Vista tragedy, the community spirit has a more positive vibe

ISLA VISTA, Calif. - 7 deaths, 14 injuries and a community in shock. It was a night in 2014 that caught Isla Vista and the UC Santa Barbara community off guard.

It was May 23, 2014.

An ambush by a struggling college student, Elliot Roger on his three roommates left each killed in a violent stabbing attack. Then hours later he went on a driving and shooting spree around the streets of this vibrant college town.

In minutes the upbeat Friday night was filled with screams, sirens, heroic rescues, and a hail of gunfire from deputies aiming towards their suspect as he drove by.

Roger died from a self-inflicted shot and his car crashed on Del Playa Drive. Along the way, 13 others were injured, some had been run over, including a bicyclist that left a crushed windshield on the BMW Roger was using as a weapon.

ISLA VISTA TODAY
These days, Isla Vista residents and community leaders say the area has a significantly different vibe.

There's more community spirit, more safety programs, and more interaction with law enforcement as partners. It's viewed as a much safer community.

For those who are not students, they see the difference now compared to  six years ago

"The students are more polite. They look like they are more observant to other people around," said Cecila Ornales while walking back to her apartment. "I see a lot of younger ones helping other people and I didn't see that before." She has lived in the area off and on, but has been in the Santa Barbara area her whole life and knows about Isla Vista's history. That involves an active community with political rallies, big party scenes, and other incidents of deadly violence.

Messages about public safety certainly have been increased in Isla Vista in recent years. There are direct communications from the University to students who live in I.V. and a robust social media messaging system. That message includes the advice, if you see something, say something, about anything unusual or dangerous.

There are also several groups in this area where residents can go to report any concerns about their safety or the well being of others before something tragic happens.

Efforts in place now,  that are different from the scene in 2014, have created more of a safety net for those who live here and go to school nearby at UC Santa Barbara.

"We got together and we built good partnerships. With those good partnerships, we were able to open the communication, we were able to build that trust of working together and solving the problems," said the head of the Isla Vista Foot Patrol, Lt. Juan Camarena with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department. 

He also says those partnerships are with university officials, nonprofits, the Isla Vista Community Services District and the parents of students.

Isla Vista Deli and Varsity Bike owner, Dana Cornalino says she has seen a clear difference over the last few years in the behavior of student residents.
"We are seeing more studious students, we are seeing a lot more community connection and people have a more caring and respectful atmosphere," she said.

It's apparently taken a cycle of students to come and go to make a difference. "In the past, Isla Vista was just like 'look away' but now I see a lot more presence of people really caring about the person next to them versus 'it doesn't matter,'" said Cornalino.

Camareno says he hopes the residents realize the deputies on patrol and also the University Police officers were once college students as well.
"We are approachable. You remove our uniform, we are just like your typical friend, your typical neighbor, your typical brother, your typical husband," he said.

"It is a lot easier for them to come to us and gives us that headway for us to start looking into the issue or the behavior to try to solve a major problem from happening."

It may not stop some violence from taking place, but Camareno says between community help and working investigations through social media sites, they are seeing troublesome hotspots before they take place.
Under the COVID-19 conditions, the community of over 20,000 is much quieter these days. 

It's estimated about 80 percent of the students have left and are finishing their school year working remotely, but not in their IV apartments.