Sheriff’s Deputy stabbed during response in Goleta early Friday morning

GOLETA, Calif. (KEYT) – A Santa Barbara County Sheriff's deputy was stabbed early Friday during a call in the 4500 block of Hollister Avenue in Goleta.

Deputy Fabian Flores suffered a stab wound to his upper chest area and was treated for non-life threatening injuries at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital shared the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office in a press release Friday.

On March 20, around 12:05 a.m., deputies were dispatched to the La Posada interim housing community in the 4500 block of Hollister Avenue after a man called dispatchers and indicated he intended to harm someone stated the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

The caller disconnected and then called back minutes later to repeat the threat added the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies arrived at the scene around 12:13 a.m., and located the man, later identified as 44-year-old Abu Bakr Sugich, at the northeast corner of the property where he appeared to be in an agitated state detailed the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, Sugich briefly walked away while deputies were attempted to de-escalate the situation before approaching a deputy, producing a black hunting-style knife, and stabbing Deputy Fabian Flores in the upper chest.

Deputies were able to stop Sugich's attack and place him in handcuffs and provided immediate medical aid to the bleeding deputy at the scene shared the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

Deputy Flores was transported from the scene to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and received sutures explained the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

He was later released and is recovering at home added the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

Sugich was arrested and booked on multiple felonies including attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon and he remains in custody with bail set at $1 million noted the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.