Local man arrested and elderly defense attorney pepper-sprayed by ICE agents in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – A local man was taken into custody and an 80-year-old attorney was pepper-sprayed during a confrontation between ICE agents and observers in Santa Barbara Friday.

ICE agents were outside of the County Probation Office in the 100 block of East Carrillo when an observer shared with Your News Channel that a young man, identified by the Santa Barbara Independent as 27-year-old Jack Randmaa, was detained at the scene after taking a photo of the license plate of the vehicle ICE agents were using.

Doug Hayes, a local defense attorney who was at his office nearby, heard about the arrival of ICE agents and decided to see what was happening he shared with Your News Channel Friday.

At the scene, he noticed that Randmaa was face-down on the ground before being taken into custody by federal agents with his nose and mouth pressed into a backpack.

According to Hayes, he was concerned about Randmaa's ability to breath when he approached and attempted to move the backpack.

Photo Courtesy: Liz Arreguin

Hayes told Your News Channel and a video from observers reviewed by Your News Channel showed that agents forcibly pushed Hayes away and deployed what appeared to have been pepper spray, twice.

The attorney shared that he was largely uninjured following the altercation. However, immediately after he was seen with blood trickling down his forehead and reddened eyes.

Photo Courtesy: Meghan Behrens

"I was not physically harmed. I wasn't embarrassed. I was just angry, so angry about how disgusting this whole thing is," said Hayes. "If we had been in a fair fight, both of those suckers would have been down."

Around 10:52 a.m., local police were informed about the presence of ICE agents in the 100 block of East Carrillo Street stated a press release from the Santa Barbara Police Department.

Santa Barbara Police did not respond to the scene and shared that they were not informed about the federal law enforcement action ahead of time.

According to Santa Barbara Police, a vehicle being used by ICE agents had a tire slashed at the scene while parked on Carrillo Street and federal agents took an adult man into custody in connection with the alleged felony vandalism.

Photo Courtesy: Meghan Behrens

ICE agents then drove the damaged vehicle and the arrested man to the Santa Barbara Police Department building on Figueroa Street around 11 a.m. detailed the Santa Barbara Police Department.

Federal agents did not inform local police of their intentions before arriving at the Figueroa Street office added the Santa Barbara Police Department.

Observers followed agents as they travelled to the Figueroa Street office.

Agents arrived at the station, transferred Randmaa to another vehicle, and then took him to another location as police created a perimeter explained the Santa Barbara Police Department.

One witness, Ana Garcia, said she was part of Rapid Responders. She described what she saw when agents grabbed Randmaa.

"They accused him of vandalizing the vehicle, which did not happen and we have video evidence," said Garcia. "And then, the ICE agents hopped on top of him and were like, had their knee on his neck and I saw him when they transferred him from the Charger to the Expedition and he had gashes on his eyes. He looked beat."

Scott Corridan, a Santa Barbara resident, said he did not see the earlier incident on East Carrillo Street but received texts about the ICE activity and drove to the police department in a show of support.

"I'm going to say it for what it's worth: As a white man in our community, I think it's important that we show up for all of our neighbors and certain neighbors are taking it really hard right now."

As a precaution, Santa Barbara High School had students remain in their classrooms from 11:23 a.m. to 11:56 a.m. due to the presence of federal agents nearby shared the Santa Barbara Unified School District.

Normal school operations resumed after the hold was lifted added the local school district.

Your News Channel has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for more information and its response will be added to this article when it is received.