Off-Duty Officer Interrupts Attempted Murder And Hate Crime

Sgt. Todd Johnson said he was riding his bicycle home from work around 8 p.m. on Tuesday night when he saw a man at a bus stop on E. Anapamu lunging at another man with a knife.

Johnson said he was wearing sweats and listening to loud metal music but could still hear racial slurs being yelled at a 34 year old African-American.

He got off his bike near the Santa Barbara Public Library and confronted the suspect with his own gun. He also yelled for people nearby to call 911 for police backup. The suspect, identified as Francisco Antonio Diego, 40, of Miami, Florida, quickly sized the off-duty officer up and dropped his double edged knife.

Diego told investigators he thought the other man had taken his cigarettes.

Police arrested Diego on attempted murder and hate crime charges. They said he had just arrived in Santa Barbara and had a lengthy criminal history.

Johnson said even when police are off duty they are aware of what’s happening around them. Although it appears he saved a man’s life, Johnson said he was just doing his job.

Diego was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail with bail set at $1 million.