Armed standoff suspect arrested in Santa Cruz with help of de-escalation techniques

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION) Santa Cruz police say de-escalation techniques helped them to arrest a suspect without use of force.

Officers were called to Cedar Street near Elm just before 3:30 p.m. Thursday for a report of a man with a large knife threatening someone. The man then reportedly barricaded himself in a car he did not own.

When police arrived, they said the man refused to get out, and over the next hour, crisis negotiators and a county mental health liaison talked to the suspect, who they learned was a retired military veteran,

Eventually, a detective was able to convince the man to open the door and throw the knife out. Officers were able to take him into custody without force. He is facing felony criminal threats and other misdemeanor charges.

The suspect, a 73-year-old Santa Cruz resident, was intoxicated, according to police, and received medical, veterans and mental health resources.