Suicidal man detained by police in Simi Valley
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. - The Simi Valley Police Department responded to a call regarding a person with a gun inside a car making suicidal statements just after 5 p.m. Thursday evening.
Officers responded to the 1400 block of Los Angeles Avenue and located a man inside a gold Toyota Corolla in the parking lot. Officers immediately ordered the man to exit the car with his hands up.
Police said the man voluntarily exited the car and threw his gun to the ground. They then began telling the man to lay down on the ground.
The man did not listen this time, however, and chose instead to walk toward the gun and kicked it towards the front doors of a nearby business.
Police said they feared he would grab the gun and enter the business, so they took actions to stop him—shooting a non-lethal SAGE round into the man's right leg.
Officers then took the man into custody and retrieved his gun which turned out to be an airsoft pistol.
Police later identified the man as a 38-year-old Simi Valley resident. It was determined the man was having a mental health episode. From there, the man was placed on a 5150 WIC-Mental Health Hold.
