Police Investigate After 19 Half Marathon Runners Hospitalized

What happened

Nineteen runners who took part in a Santa Barbara half marathon were taken to hospitals. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the hospitalizations and have described them as suspicious.

The event involved a half marathon, but the race date, the locations of the hospital transports and the condition of the runners have not been stated.

The investigation

Police are examining the circumstances connected to the runners’ hospitalizations. No suspect, arrest, charge or cause has been identified.

The investigation’s scope has not been described. It is also not clear whether police are examining something that happened during the race, before it began or afterward.

What remains unclear

The information publicly identified so far does not establish whether the 19 runners experienced the same symptoms or whether the hospital trips were connected to one another. It also does not say whether race organizers, emergency medical personnel or another public agency issued a separate statement.

The investigation remains active. Further information would be expected from police or other officials handling the response, including any explanation of the suspicious circumstances and updates on the runners’ conditions.