Police in Los Angeles, California have taken a man into custody after a two-hour standoff at the Commerce Casino.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, a man armed with a six-inch knife began threatening to stab people in one of the casino’s card rooms before fighting with security staff.
a crisis negotiator tried to reason with the man
Police and paramedics arrived on the scene at around 6am once the property had already been partially evacuated. The standoff then lasted until 8am as a crisis negotiator tried to reason with the man. After two hours, police managed to take him into custody and transport him to a local hospital.
Sheriff Captain Pilar Chavez told reporters Tuesday morning that the man appeared mentally distraught. Witnesses confirmed that it was clear that he was suicidal from the things he was yelling. One witness in the same card room as the man, cited by CBS News, claimed he “was on something.”