Bank of America in downtown Santa Barbara evacuated after bomb threat Thursday afternoon

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Bank of America on State Street and Canon Perdido Street was evacuated after a man claimed to have a bomb Thursday afternoon in Santa Barbara.

The man walked into the bank claiming he had a bomb in a bag he was carrying and sat on the floor of the bank with said bag, claimed Santa Barbara County Police Department.

A SWAT team had responded to the incident with a heavy response vehicle and the Santa Barbara Police Department taped off access to the streets surrounding the Bank of America until 4 p.m.

Officers take a man away in handcuffs after responding to a call of a potential bomb threat at the Bank of America on State Street. SBPD say a subject called reporting an explosive device inside. Police did not locate anything inside the bank saying threat may not be credible. pic.twitter.com/XId60Y2B8y

— Ryder Christ (@RyderChristNews) April 4, 2024

Santa Barbara Police Department Public Information Officer Ethan Ragsdale issued the following statement about the incident:

Currently, the Santa Barbara Police Department is investigating an incident occurring at a bank located at 834 State Street. A subject contacted the Santa Barbara Police Combined Communications Center and reported that there was an explosive device inside the bank. 

Officers conducted preliminary checks inside the bank and did not locate anything resembling an explosive device. Also, Detectives obtained information that this threat may not be credible. Out of an abundance of caution, bomb technicians were called to the scene for a more thorough search of the building.

Please stay away from the area of State Street and Canon Perdido Street. No vehicles or pedestrians are allowed in the area until this investigation has been concluded.

This is an active investigation, and no further information is available currently.

Update from Santa Barbara Police Department at 5:49 p.m. on Thursday:

On April 4, 2024, around 2:00 p.m., The Santa Barbara Police Department’s Combined Communications Center received a report of a bomb threat. It appears a man walked into a bank located at 834 State Street and reported to a teller that he had an explosive device in a bag he was carrying. The subject then sat on the floor of the bank with a bag.

Bank employees called 9-1-1 and started to evacuate the bank. Officers immediately responded to the bank and made contact with the man who reported the threat to the teller. After a brief negotiation, officers were able to take the male into custody without incident.

Out of an abundance of caution, the Santa Barbara County Bomb Squad responded to the scene to thoroughly check the man's bag, and no explosive device was discovered.

The subject was identified as 35-year-old Stephen Samuel Paradise, a resident of Bristol, England, and the British consulate was notified of his arrest.

Mental health professionals (CARES) responded to the station to speak with Paradise prior to being transported to the Santa Barbara County Jail. He was booked on felony false bomb threats and felony terrorist threats. His bail was set at $50,000.

State Street and Canon Perdido Street were closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic for several hours. The area was reopened around 4:00 p.m.

Detectives are still investigating this incident.