Full Notification

Christopher Lyn Manson III, age 26, of Santa Barbara, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and other offenses following a gang related fight in downtown Santa Barbara. Manson and the victim in this incident are both Santa Barbara area gang members and have been uncooperative with investigators; another suspect is still outstanding. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Santa Barbara Police Department.

On Saturday June 25, 2016 at 8:58 p.m., SBPD Drinking Driver Team Officer Kyle Rapp was conducting a traffic stop on the 00 block of W. Gutierrez Street when he was alerted by passers-by of a fight taking place in the intersection of State Street and Gutierrez Street involving a subject with a gun. Officer Rapp responded and observed three men involved in a fight who, upon his arrival, started to disperse. A bystander indicated that one of the men had a gun, and that he was now walking away on the 300 block of State Street. When Officer Rapp tried to contact this person, later identified as Manson, he withdrew a handgun from his waistband and started to run away. Officer Rapp, with his gun drawn, pursued Manson on foot on the east sidewalk of 300 State Street. Manson fled, gun in hand, until he ran past a hedge and attempted to discard his weapon there. Officer Rapp apprehended Manson on the State Street / Highway 101 overcrossing and arrested him. Manson’s pistol was recovered from the sidewalk where he had thrown it.

Additional officers responded to the scene to assist with the investigation. The victim, a 34-year old male Santa Barbara area gang member, was uncooperative. He was transported by paramedics to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital where he was treated for facial lacerations and released.

Investigation indicates that Manson and another suspect fought with the victim in the east crosswalk of the intersection of State Street and Gutierrez Street, and that during the course of the altercation Manson pistol whipped the victim. What prompted the combatants to begin fighting has not yet been determined. The other suspect is still outstanding. The handgun Manson used during the incident is a Sig Sauer P226 9mm pistol that was loaded with 15 rounds. The pistol was reported stolen to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office in 2000.

Manson was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on the following charges with a bail amount of $150,000.00:

• Assault with a deadly weapon

• Receiving stolen property

• Felon in possession of a loaded firearm

• Gang member in possession of a loaded firearm

• Prohibited person in possession of ammunition

• Possession of a large capacity magazine

• Participation in a criminal street gang

• Destruction or concealment of evidence

• Resisting or delaying an officer

Booking photo provided by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact SBPD Detective Michael Claytor at (805) 897-2340 or [email protected].