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Santa Barbara Police Arrest Suspect for Attacking Children Riding E-Bikes on State Street

Kyle Donald Calvello, 65, was charged with assault, endangering a child and criminal threatening

A passerby (left) confronted suspect Kyle Calvello (right) after he allegedly punched a girl in the face and shoved a boy as they rode their e-bikes on State Street in downtown Santa Barbara. | Photo credit: xtex_overload via Instagram


This article was funded in part by the Mickey Flack’s Journalism Fund for Social Justice, a proud, innovative supporter of local news. To contribute, go to sbcan.org/journalism_fund.


On July 21, Santa Barbara police arrested 65-year-old Kyle Donald Calvello of Santa Barbara County for allegedly punching a girl in the face and shoving a boy after they rode their e-bikes on the sidewalk of State Street.

After an altercation between Calvello and a group of youths escalated into an assault, a bystander stepped in to confront Calvello, which led to a physical altercation between the two. In a video posted on Instagram by one of the witnesses, Calvello can be seen throwing an A-shaped sidewalk sign at the other man. Other bystanders broke up the altercation.

Officers responded to reports of a fight in the area of ​​State Street and De la Guerra Plaza around 6 p.m. Sunday. When they arrived, the other adult male fled the scene, leaving Calvello and the juveniles behind.

Calvello was arrested and charged with assault, child endangerment and criminal threatening. He is being held on $50,000 bail. The case remains under investigation.