Police Talk Possibly Armed, Suicidal Man Out Of Laguna Hills Home

LAGUNA HILLS, CA — A close to four-hour standoff ended when authorities were able to talk a man in his 50s, possibly armed and battling suicidal thoughts, out of his Laguna Hills home Saturday and to an area hospital where he was being treated for undisclosed injuries, officials said.

"At the time we contacted him, he was not armed," a watch commander with Orange County Sheriff's Department told City News Service.

Deputies were dispatched at 4 a.m. to a home in the 25000 block of Southport Street, near Alicia Parkway and Hon Avenue, regarding a "suicidal subject," he said. "We're still unclear if he was armed."

Deputies were able to talk the man out of his home and "control" the situation at about 7:45 a.m., the watch commander said.

"The man was believed to be alone inside the residence," said Orange County Sheriff's Capt. Matthew Stiverson, adding that deputies evacuated nearby homes.

"This call is one of the most difficult types of calls law enforcement responds to today," Stiverson said. "We have a person experiencing a mental health crisis, threatening to harm responding officers and himself. Our Crisis Negotiation Team made contact with the man, who had a self-inflicted injury.

"Deputies were able to make entry into the residence and render the scene safe -- and provide immediate life-saving measures," he added.

The man was treated at the scene and rushed to an area hospital, he said. No deputies were injured.

—City News Service