Nineteen runners were taken to local hospitals after Sunday’s Santa Barbara Half Marathon, and police are investigating what caused what they described as “unusual symptoms” among participants.
Santa Barbara City Fire Department Battalion Chief Cory Cloud said 12 people were transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and three more to Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital. Four others got themselves to a hospital on their own. Emergency crews responded to multiple spots along the race route, including the intersection of State and Cota streets, between 9:40 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.
Race organizers say they believe heat exhaustion is the most likely explanation. Temperatures in Santa Barbara hit 86 degrees Sunday. Santa Barbara Half Marathon Event Director David Monico told Noozhawk organizers have “no reason to believe that it’s anything more than just the heat and exhaustion from the half marathon.”
“Everything from our medical staff and tent spoke to that as well,” Monico said.
He added that hospital transports during the race are not unusual, especially in warmer conditions. “Even on some of our cooler days we’ll have some transports,” he told Noozhawk.
Still, Santa Barbara police have not ruled out other causes. Lt. Ethan Ragsdale said investigators are looking into “suspicious circumstances” surrounding reports of runners seeking “medical treatment for unusual symptoms” after the race. As of about 6:50 p.m. Sunday, police had not determined what made the participants ill.
Unverified rumors spread on social media suggesting runners may have been drugged or that water stations along the course had been tampered with. No evidence has been made public to confirm those claims, and authorities have not disclosed what symptoms the runners experienced or how serious their conditions were.
Cottage Health spokesperson Cristina Cortez confirmed the hospital system saw “a larger than expected number of emergency visits” tied to the race.
“This morning 19 participants arrived at Cottage EDs, a number of them with similar symptoms of undetermined cause. We are working to determine whether this is due to the heat or other factors,” Cortez said.
Ragsdale said there’s no broader safety concern for the public at this point. “There is no specific action recommended for the general public at this time,” he said. “However, participants who feel unwell should seek medical attention and follow guidance from healthcare professionals.”
Police are asking anyone with information to contact Sgt. Andre Miller at 805-897-2330. The investigation is ongoing and no official cause has been announced.
