Knife-wielding man at La Jolla Cove leads to police standoff

The presence of a “distraught” man seen carrying a knife at La Jolla Cove led to a multi-hour standoff with police Jan. 11, with the man ultimately being taken to a hospital for evaluation.

A “disturbance call involving a weapon” was made to the San Diego Police Department’s Northern Division around 2:30 p.m., according to Community Relations Officer Jessica Dishman. Officers responded and found the man holding a “large knife, like a butcher’s knife,” she said.

“He wasn’t threatening anyone with it, but bystanders and the reporting party said he seemed distraught and was swinging it around” and they felt threatened by his behavior, Dishman said. When officers arrived, the man went into one of the public restroom stalls with the knife and refused to come out, she said.

“Based on his behavior … we called the [the Primary Response Team within the SWAT unit] and our drone unit,” Dishman said. “The drone unit was extremely helpful and kept eyes on him the entire time.”

The man did not say what he wanted or why he wouldn’t come out. “He didn’t say anything to anyone. He didn’t talk to officers or anything. There wasn’t a lot of back and forth,” Dishman said.

Police then used “chemical agents,” such as pepper spray, but the man still would not come out.

Ultimately, officers Tased the man to get him into custody. According to Dishman, he told officers he “hurts people for a living” but didn’t say anything else. He was taken to a local hospital for psychiatric evaluation and further care.

Because of patient privacy laws, an update on his condition was not available.