Santa Maria Police Negotiated Peaceful Surrender of Armed Subject

Source: Santa Maria Police Department

[Friday] at about 1414 hours, Santa Maria Police officers responded to Atkinson Park in the 1000 block of N. Railroad to a report of an adult female threatening self-harm with a knife. Officers located the 31 year old in the public restroom holding the knife towards herself. When the two officers urged the subject to drop the knife, she quickly raised the knife towards them, at a close distance and in a threatening manner.

One officer was equipped with a less-lethal impact weapon and deployed it, striking the subject in the chest. The subject repeated her advance towards the officers and the officer fired the impact weapon again, striking her again in the chest. She dropped the knife but refused commands to surrender, maintaining control over the knife.

The second officer, a veteran member of the SMPD Crisis Negotiation Team, engaged in a verbal exchange with the subject for approximately 30 minutes and successfully negotiated he r peaceful surrender.

The subject was transported to Marian Hospital where she was released to the custody of the Mental Health Unit. Charges for the weapon violation will be filed with the District Attorneys Office. Out of consideration for her mental health condition, her name is not being released.