Two Santa Barbara Police Officers Put on Leave After Shooting an Oxnard Man
Two Santa Barbara police officers have been placed on administrative leave following the Aug. 3 shooting of a 24-year-old man from Oxnard. According to a statement issued by the Santa Barbara Police Department, the leave of officers Kenneth Kushner and Mike Claytor was the result of department policy.
The leave comes after the two officers shot Wilfred Turner, who pulled out a gun during an altercation that involved at least six other men. After witnessing the fight on the 600th block of State Street in Santa Barbara, officers Kushner and Claytor attempted to break up the fight when they saw Turner withdraw a .45 Springfield XD caliber handgun from his cargo pants, which he allegedly pointed at police and bystanders. Kushner and Claytor then unloaded 18 rounds, hitting Turner eight times in the torso and grazing him with nine other shots. Turner sustained fatal injuries to his hands and arms and one of his legs. He was pronounced dead at the scene. After questioning hundreds of witnesses and conducting further investigations into the incident, police arrested three other men who were involved in the fight, Mark Anthony Smith, Michael Joseph Williams and Randall Johnson. All the men were reportedly serving in the Navy, with the exception of Turner, who ended his service in April 2007. “What we do with our investigation is give it to the D.A.’s office and they make that determination if the actions of the officers were justified and after they make their decision, then we determine if the shooting was within policy.” Nearly a Dozen Arrested for Starting Wildfires The United States Attorney’s Office filed charges against 10 individuals and companies in relation to wildfires dating back to 2002, according to an Aug. 7 statement released by the Central Coast District of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “None of the cases allege arson,” said U.S. Attorney George S. Cardona. “Rather, they charge negligent and illegal activity that has caused some of the most destructive fires in recent years.” On Aug. 6 federal authorities arrested 48-year-old Steven Emory Butcher for allegedly starting the 2006 Day Fire, which burned more than 162,000 acres as well as the 2002 Ellis Fire, which burned about 70 acres in Piru Canyon, Calif. Other arrests and charges were filed against 25-year-old Jeremiah D. Hope, who illegally entered a no-car zone in an area with dry brush and grass, when the brush underneath his car ignited, causing the 2003 Playground Fire. The Playground Fire reportedly merged with the Old Fire that was burning above San Bernardino at the time. The two fires burned over 90,000 acres. He is facing two misdemeanor charges, causing National Forest lands to burn and placing a vehicle in a dangerous place. To add to the list of accused, Mendez Concrete and one of its employees are charged with starting the 2003 Piru Fire, which burned approximately 63,000 acres. The company and its employee, 57-year-old Michael Roberts are facing misdemeanor charges in relation to the Piru Fire. Other charges have been brought against 35-year-old Tina Renne Hammon, who allegedly started a signal fire near Figueroa Mountain in the Los Padres National Forest on April 27, 2004. She reportedly stared the fire in hopes of finding her boyfriend who had gotten lost during a hike the day prior to the incident. She was charged with causing a fire without a permit. Santa Ynez resident, 58-year-old Craig Anderson, was charged with starting the 2004 Cachuma Fire. The Best Demolition and Recycling Company, Inc. was charged with causing the 2003 Middle Fire in Little Tujunga Canyon. Lompoc resident, 41-year-old Marc Brian Taylor and Tempe, Arizona resident Paul Joseph Taylor, were both charged with starting the 2003 Happy Fire near Santa Ynez. Finally, 24-year-old Lucas T. Bennett of Los Angeles is facing misdemeanor charges for operating an illegal campfire in 2006. “These cases illustrate the widespread damage that can result when people ignore simple rules that are in place to limit the potential for starting serious wildfires,” Cardona said. “The rules are there for a reason, and we hope that these cases will remind people that ignoring these rules can have serious consequences.” Red Cross Offering Disaster Relief Classes The American Red Cross is offering disaster relief classes for the residents of Santa Barbara County in reaction to the Zaca Fire. Disaster Assessment and Client Casework courses will be offered for free. The eight-hour courses are intended to prepare participants to perform various duties as volunteers for the Red Cross. In the Disaster Assessment courses, students learn how to quickly collect and verify information in the event of a disaster. In the Client Casework courses, students learn how to perform casework and work with individuals and families during a disaster or emergency. The Red Cross is looking for volunteers to help with the Zaca Fire as well as other disasters that could come. “We have different areas of things that people can help with, but we do offer some mental health workers who are certified and have gone through Red Cross training,” said Louise Kolbert, emergency services director for the Santa Barbara County Chapter of the Red Cross. “First and foremost, 96 percent of everything we do in the Red Cross is done by volunteers. And the Red Cross is made up of people from each community and it’s really neighbors helping neighbors. So it’s really important that we know what to do when a disaster strikes that affects our neighbors. “The volunteers we have are incredible. We were fortunate that we had a lot of people who were trained prior to the Zaca Fire and they have responded to ensure that we can do whatever we can do if the community is affected,” she added. “We could not do it without the volunteers. When a disaster becomes very large, it takes many volunteers to help out. If there are people who want to become volunteers and are willing to be trained, we certainly welcome it.” Disaster Assessment classes are scheduled from 1 to 3 p.m. Aug. 10 and 15. Client Casework classes are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 11 and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 14. All volunteers must attend an orientation, which will be held from 3 to 4:15 p.m. Aug. 8 through 19. All classes will be held in Room 5 of the Schott Center, 310 West Padre St. in Santa Barbara. For more information, visit www.sbrecross.org or call 805-896-2986. Man Gets Away After Robbing a Santa Barbara Bank of America Police are still investigating a bank robbery that occurred at 4:40 p.m., Aug. 8 at the Bank of America located at 3790 State St. According to a statement issued by the Santa Barbara Police Department, a man entered the bank, waited in line, then approached a male teller and demanded cash. After taking an undisclosed sum of money, the man left the bank on foot and was last seen exiting the rear doors of the bank, heading towards the parking lot behind the bank. No gun is thought to have been used in the robbery. The male suspect is described as a white male in his 50s, 5 feet 6 inches tall, 140 pounds, with short grey hair. He was last seen wearing a light colored ball cap, brown sunglasses and a white T-shirt, carrying a brown leather briefcase. Anyone with information regarding the bank robbery or the suspect is asked to contact Detective James Ella or the watch commander at the Santa Barbara Police Department, 805-897-2355. Care Facility Worker Arrested for Sexual Assault A former employee of Solutions, a care facility for patients suffering from brain injuries, was arrested July 30 for allegedly sexually assaulting a female patient. The arrest of 55-year-old Bruce Duane Nelson followed an investigation that lasted several months. According to a statement issued by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, a female victim in her mid 20s reported being assaulted on several occasions by Nelson during the time she was a resident at the treatment facility between April and June of this year. Solutions is located at 1135 N. Patterson Ave. in Goleta and is a residential rehabilitation center. After developing probable cause, Nelson was arrested and charged with penetration with a foreign object. He was taken into custody at his home located on the 200th Block of W. Alamar St. in Santa Barbara and transported to the Santa Barbara County Jail. Nelson was employed by Solutions from June 2002 to July 2007. It has not yet been determined if Nelson assaulted any other victims, but the Sheriff’s Department is asking anyone with information regarding this case or other allegations and potential victims to contact Detective Danny Kies at 805-681-4150.
“No one can predict what Mr. Turner’s intentions were no one can say what he was going to do. Police officers were forced to make a difficult decision based on Mr. Turner’s actions,” said Public Information Officer Paul McCaffrey.
The case has been submitted to the District Attorney for review.