Police de-escalate mental health incident in Hollister – SanBenito.com

Hollister police safely arrested a man who claimed he was armed with a gun and threatening to harm himself and others in a local neighborhood, authorities said.

According to the Hollister Police Department, on May 7, police responded to a call from an adult male who reported he was in the area of ​​the 800 block of Line Street. The man told authorities he was currently self-harming. He said he had a gun and would use it against police officers who arrived at the scene.

Officers on two shifts “recognized the seriousness of the situation and the potential dangers of a possibly armed man exhibiting suicidal behavior,” according to a news release from Hollister police. Responding officers remained a few blocks from where the man was located and attempted to gather more information before making further contact.

While officers responded, emergency dispatchers made phone calls to the person and attempted to de-escalate the situation, police said. Officers identified the man and noted that they had previously contacted him about possible gang activity and gun-related allegations.

A responding officer spoke to the man via cell phone and also attempted to de-escalate the incident, authorities said. The man continued to threaten to harm police when they arrived.

Because of the threats against police and the man’s suicidal behavior, officers prepared “less-than-lethal options” to subdue the victim, including bean bag rounds and pepper ball rounds, police said.

Police then approached the area on Line Street from two different directions and observed an adult male “walking toward them quickly and aggressively,” Hollister police said. An officer gave the man orders, who initially did not comply.

After a brief standoff, the perpetrator complied and officers determined he was not armed, police said. He was arrested without further incident and taken to a nearby hospital for a mental health evaluation.

“It appears that the man was attempting to instigate an incident that would result in police shooting him,” the police news release said.

Police will refer possible charges to the San Benito County District Attorney’s Office. The man was not identified in the police press release.

The press release continued: “The Hollister Police Department prides itself on ongoing training and preparation for situations like this to ensure our officers have the tools, training and skills to safely… incidents like this to bring closure.”

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (www.sprc.org) explains that mental health issues affect many people. “Mental health problems are not a sign of weakness or character defects. There are many ways to get help and support, including telephone and online help, mental health services, peer support and other options,” the release said. “There are medical professionals who are specifically trained to assess suicide risk and effectively treat suicidal thoughts and behaviors. There is hope.”

Anyone at risk of suicide or in need of psychiatric help can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1.800.273.8255.