Police probe in Santa Barbara after 27 half-marathon racers seek hospital care
Santa Barbara County's health department says the illnesses appear tied to heat and exertion, but police say the cause has not been confirmed.
Police in Santa Barbara, California, opened an investigation after runners in Sunday's Santa Barbara Half Marathon sought treatment for what the hospital and police called "unusual symptoms." Cottage Health reported a "larger than expected number" of emergency visits. It said 19 patients arrived on Sunday.
By Monday morning it counted 27 participants at emergency rooms in Santa Barbara and Goleta, with 24 discharged and three in stable condition. Police said the cause has not been confirmed. The day was much warmer than usual for November.
Race director David Monico said organizers sent 15 people from the medical tent to hospitals and that the medical team treated numerous runners for dehydration and overheating. Organizers said they have no information pointing to anything beyond exertion and heat. Online speculation said water stations may have been tampered with.
Monico declined to comment on it, and authorities have not confirmed it. The Santa Barbara Public Health Department said late Monday, according to the New York Post, that the incident appears isolated and linked to heat and race participation, with no sign of a broader public health concern. The Post reports county inspectors found no violations where electrolyte drinks were prepared, but adds, citing The Santa Barbara Independent, that the inspections left open whether anyone could have interfered with the stations during the race.
- 27participants treated at Santa Barbara and Goleta emergency rooms, per Cottage HealthBBC News
- 24of those patients discharged as of Monday morningBBC News
- threepatients still in the hospital in stable condition on MondayBBC News
- 19 patientsarrived at Cottage Health emergency departments on Sunday morning, per Cottage HealthFox News
- 15 peopletaken from the medical tent to local hospitals, per event director David MonicoThe Guardian
Three sides of the story
8 news outlets reported this
Tap a color or swipe sideways to switch sides.
Liberal2 outlets
Police probe, hospital counts and organizers' heat explanation
The Guardian leads with police in southern California investigating after "nearly 30" runners fell ill. It cites a police statement to the Associated Press and Cottage Health's count of 27 emergency room patients, 24 treated and discharged. It puts the day's high at 88F, unusually warm for the season, and quotes event director David Monico telling the Guardian organizers have "no additional information to suggest" a cause other than exertion.
The Independent runs a wire report that opens with police investigating after at least two dozen participants ended up at hospital. It notes neither the hospital nor police have detailed the symptoms. It cites National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Kitell on 80 degrees by 10 a.m., against usual highs in the lower to mid-70s.
Its version counts 25 emergency room arrivals, 18 discharged. It closes with Monico saying nothing was "outside of the norm" for an endurance event. Both note organizers believe heat or dehydration is behind the illnesses.
Center3 outlets
Runners' accounts of heat and online rumors
The Seattle Times, carrying a Los Angeles Times story, opens with the police probe after more than two dozen runners arrived with "unusual symptoms." It reports 86 degrees at noon against a typical 71, per the National Weather Service, and quotes runners Kate Sheppard, who describes "no shade" along the beach, and Patrick Tatum, who saw a few people in the last mile who appeared dizzy. It says some online speculate about something more sinister, and that Monico declined to comment on talk of contaminated water.
BBC News reports that police said the cause "has not been confirmed." It quotes a runner who told KEYT-TV the episode was "awfully suspicious" and that people had said they were hallucinating. UPI reports 25 runners hospitalized and says Cottage Health is checking whether illness, heat or "other factors" are responsible.
It quotes Monico saying heat and the number of runners may be factors, and gives a police number for anyone with information.
Conservative3 outlets
Suspicion and a mother's doubts versus heat findings
Fox News headlines police probing "suspicious circumstances" after nearly 20 people were hospitalized. It relies on CBS Los Angeles and a police release saying the cause is unconfirmed, and carries Cottage Health's figure of 19 patients and organizers' belief that it was heat-related. The New York Post first centers a mother who told the California Post her daughter lost her memory near the finish line and felt like she was "running through Jell-O."
She doubts heat explains it. The Post quotes police Lt. Ethan Ragsdale on "suspicious circumstances" and says there is no verified evidence of tampering. A later Post story says the mystery "appears to have been solved."
It reports the county health department said the incident appears to be isolated and tied to heat and race participation, and says inspectors found no violations at the drink preparation site. The Epoch Times runs the same wire report as The Independent, with 27 patients and 24 discharged.
- Fox News: California police probe 'suspicious circumstances' after nearly 20 hospitalized following half-marathon
- New York Post: Woman suffers terrifying side effects, collapses at California half marathon where 19 hospitalized — as her mom explodes at organizer
- New York Post: Cause of mystery sickness that left 27 runners in hospital during Santa Barbara Half Marathon
- The Epoch Times: Santa Barbara Police Investigate After 27 Half Marathon Runners Seek Medical Care
- Liberal outlets did not mentionCounty health department said illnesses appear heat-related, and inspectors found no violations at the drink preparation site Reported by New York Post
- Centrist outlets did not mentionCounty health department said illnesses appear heat-related, and inspectors found no violations at the drink preparation site Reported by New York Post
- Liberal outlets did not mentionOnline rumors that water stations were tampered with Reported by The Seattle Times, New York Post, New York Post
Which side made the stronger case?
We will email you when the story continues. At most one email a day.
- Cottage Health's Monday count of runners at emergency rooms
- The Independent: 25 arrived, 18 discharged
- The Guardian, BBC News, The Epoch Times: 27 arrived, 24 discharged
All sources: 12 articles from 8 outlets
Liberal (4)
- The Guardian: Police investigate as nearly 30 Santa Barbara half-marathon runners fall ill with ‘unusual symptoms’
- The Independent: Police launch investigation after 25 California Half Marathon runners rushed to hospital with mystery illness
- The Independent: California half marathon investigated by police after dozens end up in the hospital
- The Independent: Santa Barbara police investigate after 25 half marathon runners seek medical care
Center (3)
- BBC News: California police investigate after 27 fall ill at half-marathon running event
- The Seattle Times: Police launch probe after Santa Barbara half-marathon runners with ‘unusual symptoms’ seek medical care
- UPI: 25 California half marathoners treated for mysterious illness
Conservative (5)
- Fox News: California police probe 'suspicious circumstances' after nearly 20 hospitalized following half-marathon
- New York Post: Cause of mystery sickness that left 27 runners in hospital during Santa Barbara Half Marathon
- New York Post: Woman suffers terrifying side effects, collapses at California half marathon where 19 hospitalized — as her mom explodes at organizer
- New York Post: At least 19 runners rushed to hospital with ‘unusual symptoms’ at California half marathon as rumors swirl over cause
- The Epoch Times: Santa Barbara Police Investigate After 27 Half Marathon Runners Seek Medical Care
The evening briefing by email
One email a day, around 8:30 p.m. New York time: the seven main stories, each with its three sides, and the blind spot of the day. Unsubscribe with one tap.
A Telegram channel is coming soon.