The man was thought to be a danger to others, San Diego police said, and attempts to subdue him drew a large crowd to Scripps Park.
A man was subdued by Taser and taken into San Diego police custody Jan 11, after he allegedly brandished a large knife and hid inside a restroom at La Jolla’s Scripps Park.
About 2:30 pm, SDPD Northern Division officers responded to a “disturbance with a weapon” radio call involving a male walking around La Jolla holding a large butcher knife, who seemed distraught, according to community relations officer Jessica Dishman.
The man hid inside the Scripps Park Pavilion stall at La Jolla Cove with the knife; the incident drew a crowd estimated at 200 people and necessitated the closure of a portion of Coast Boulevard.
Police determined the man presented a danger to others and a threat to public safety, Dishman said; the department quickly deployed its Primary Response Team (trained SWAT patrol officers) along with the drone unit, Psychiatric Emergency Response Team and K9 unit for support.
Chemical agents were deployed, Dishman said, but the man refused to exit. He was ultimately Tased and taken into custody about 6 pm and transported to the hospital for a 72-hour mental health evaluation.
No other information about the man’s age or condition was immediately available.
