Woman in Possession of Multiple Knives Taken Into Custody on State Street
Update by the Santa Barbara Police Department
4:00 p.m., February 13, 2025
On February 13, 2025, at 10:11 a.m. Santa Barbara Police Dispatch received a call of a suspicious female holding a knife in her hand on the 700 block of State Street. Officers arrived on the scene and contacted the involved female, who fled southbound on State Street from officers.
After a brief foot pursuit, the female turned around and confronted officers with a knife in each hand. Members of the Santa Barbara Police Crisis Negotiation and Co-Response teams arrived and began speaking with the woman who was actively threatening officers.
Officers negotiated with the female for approximately two hours. During negotiations, she concealed several knives on her person and in her belongings next to her.
When she no longer had any knives or weapons in her hands, officers were able to coordinate an approach with two ballistic shields and take her into custody without injury.
The woman was identified as 46-year-old Santa Barbara resident Amy Berry. Berry was booked at Santa Barbara County Jail for the charges of Criminal Threats, Resisting Arrest, and Possession of a dirk/dagger, with a bail set at $50,000.
Suspect with a Knife on State Street, Police Standoff for Several Hours
Originally reported by BobScan
12:30 p.m., February 13, 2025
Around 10:00 a.m. (Thurs), Santa Barbara Police responded to a report of a suspect with a knife near the intersection of State and Ortega Streets in Santa Barbara.
Per the scanner traffic, a reporting party stated the suspect was holding a small knife and was seen chasing a bystander. Suspect was described as a female adult, possibly unhoused.
Police officers arrived in several cars and cordoned off the area, approaching the suspect at gunpoint. The suspect reportedly displayed several knives but did not move and was seated against a building in the 700 block and was making several incoherent statements.
Mental health staff and negotiator was called to the scene. I didn’t hear all of it but sounded like a longer standoff until she was safely apprehended and transported to Cottage Hospital a few hours later.
A disturbed person who will not surrender a knife to officers has led to a shutdown of the 700 block of State St. in downtown Santa Barbara. A mental crisis team has been called in to join a Santa Barbara police negotiator. A patient approach is the plan. pic.twitter.com/54JKv1xMXg
— John Palminteri (@JohnPalminteri) February 13, 2025
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Unclear from these two reports if the person was put in jail or in mental health care. Seems very obvious that the latter is going to be necessary and probably should be custodial for a time. Being in a “jail” is just going to worsen her condition.
Two hours of negotiations?
If it averts violence, why not?
She looks elderly too. Maybe they were worried she’d hurt herself rather than them if they just neutralized it quickly. Then the cops would get major blame around here (Edhat), that’s for sure!