Safely resolve a crisis incident at Lake of the Pines

Auburn, Calif. – On Thursday afternoon, May 9, 2024, at approximately 2:00 p.m., the Nevada County Regional Dispatch Center received a 911 call from a witness who reported hearing a man screaming outside a home in Lake of the Pines, in which he appeared to be in crisis by threatening to use a firearm. Deputies and allied agencies responded immediately as additional calls were received in the mail with similar reported circumstances. One of those additional calls came from an FBI Threat Assessment Center reporting that the suspect had called and made several concerning statements about weapons and threats to involve law enforcement in a shootout. The man retreated to his apartment, where two other family members were, before authorities arrived. As soon as the emergency services were on site, a barrier was set up around the house and surrounding residents and schools were alerted.

Nevada County Sheriff Deputies and our internal specialized units, including our Co-Responder Mobile Crisis Team, Critical Incident Negotiation Team, Special Enforcement Detail and Tactical Dispatch Team responded to the scene to assist with the active critical incident. Partner agencies from the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol and Grass Valley Police Department also arrived with personnel and resources, as well as medical assistance from Sierra Nevada Ambulance and Cal Fire, who remained on standby during the incident.

Crisis negotiators were able to make regular telephone contact with the suspect, and on one occasion he let one of the family members speak briefly to let them know they were unharmed, but then broke off the conversation. After several tense hours, negotiators were able to defuse the situation and the two family members left the house, followed shortly afterwards by the suspect at around 5:00 p.m. The man was arrested without further incident and taken to hospital for evaluation and treatment. A search of the home confirmed that legal firearms were accessible but had not been used and no family members present were injured. The weapons were taken for safekeeping and investigators sought a gun violence injunction issued by the Nevada County Superior Court. The suspect remains hospitalized and is not expected to face criminal charges.

We would like to thank the agencies that helped us and all the staff who contributed to a safe solution for this family. We would also like to take this opportunity to share that help is always available for those in crisis by calling 24/7 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 911 in an emergency.