Santa Cruz surfer stabbed with ninja weapon after “surf etiquette dispute”

Surf rage with a twist.

A proper surf rage has not made the news for quite some time but, thankfully, the seal has been broken and we have a “surf etiquette dispute” in Santa Cruz involving a wanton display of ninja skills, a slow motion police chase, a belated trip to the hospital and a felony charge.

But let us not tarry, let us hot-foot to the parking fronting The Hook where the action went down. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s department shared that at around 10:00 am, two surfers became involved in a heated exchange. One them, later identified as Shannon Stanger, 58, allegedly became so incensed that he fetched his kubotan and stabbed his nemesis.

Now, the kubotan was developed by the karate master Takayuki Kubota in the 1960s. The cylinder, which looks like a ballpoint pen, is generally attached to a key ring. Where the pen’s tip should be, though, there is a pointy ouchy bit. When used correctly, it can cause pain to knuckles, forearms, bridge of the nose, shins, stomach, solar plexus, spine, temple, ribs, groin, neck, and eyes. Per experts, the kubotan is “usually held in either an icepick grip (for hammer fist strikes) or a forward grip (for stabbing, pressure point attacks, and seizing). Common uses include hardening the fist (fist load) for punching, attacking vulnerable parts of an assailant’s body, and gaining leverage on an assailant’s wrist, fingers, and joints. With keys attached, it can function as a flailing weapon. As a pressure point weapon, it can attack any point a finger can, but with greater penetration because of the smaller surface area at the ends.”

Well, Stanger flashed his oriental artistry then booked it. Police arrived and found the victim, who initially refused to go to the hospital but later did get some medical attention. They set out after Stanger, got their man and charged him with felony assault. As it turns out, restraining orders were filed against him and his martial verve in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

The preliminary hearing has been set for May 29.