A suspect who had barricaded himself inside a restroom stall with a saw-like knife was arrested on Tuesday afternoon in Oakland, according to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies were called around 3 p.m. to Social Services at 2000 San Pablo Avenue, where a man in his 40s had reportedly kicked a hole in the bathroom wall. When deputies attempted to detain the man, he barricaded himself inside the restroom. Although the man claimed to have a knife, he did not brandish it or threaten anyone with it.
Officers from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Crisis Intervention Unit, AC Transit Unit, and the Oakland Police Department responded to the incident. The suspect surrendered shortly after crisis negotiators arrived on the scene.
The man was taken into custody without the need for force and was arrested and charged with vandalism and resisting/obstructing, according to an Alameda County Sheriff’s spokesperson.
This incident, which occurred the same day as two separate fatal shootings in Oakland, underscores the effectiveness of crisis intervention strategies in peacefully resolving potentially dangerous situations.