A 21-year-old with a knife confronted his mother at her job at
Hazel Hawkins Hospital, threatened his own life and advanced toward
an officer with the blade before police subdued him with non-lethal
bean bags.
A 21-year-old with a knife confronted his mother at her job at Hazel Hawkins Hospital, threatened his own life and advanced toward an officer with the blade before police subdued him with non-lethal bean bags.
Hollister resident Jeff Sanchez was immediately treated at the hospital because he had slit his wrists during the skirmish, which lasted about 35 minutes. Mental Health authorities also later examined Sanchez, according to Hollister police Sgt. Ray Wood.
Only Sanchez, who held a 10-inch to 12-inch steak knife missing its handle while shouting for police to shoot him, was injured. But police evacuated the hospital’s main entrance during the incident.
Police didn’t immediately arrest Sanchez because they had to treat his injuries and asses his mental state. It was unclear as of press time what charges he may be facing. Police believe Sanchez was under the influence of alcohol and natural adrenaline, Wood said.
“He was pumped up, excited, anxious about whatever was going on with his mom,” Wood said.
The episode began when Sanchez showed up to the hospital for unknown reasons at about 3:30 p.m. and continually shouted at his mother – working at her office near the main entrance – and another unknown woman, police said.
The three remained in his mother’s office until the first couple of police officers arrived, Wood said. The door was partly open, and police didn’t consider it a hostage situation, Wood said.
Sanchez proceeded to yell at officers to shoot him. Eventually, he let the women leave and about eight or nine squad cars arrived, police said.
Sanchez appeared to know the hospital well, Wood said. Because he “slipped out a side door” before officers noticed his escape attempt and surrounded him.
Sanchez then advanced toward an officer “in an aggressive manner.” Police fired off shotgun powered bean bags, and the final of three shots brought Sanchez to his knees, Wood said. Use of such a weapon by police is becoming a more common tool to nab suspects without seriously hurting or killing them, Wood said.
Police were ready to shoot Sanchez with bullets if he advanced much closer to officers, Wood said.
“Our officers did an outstanding job,” Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller said. “This easily could have been a fatality.”
Afterward, other members of Sanchez’s family arrived. And Wood said Sanchez’s mother was pleased at the level of action taken.
The threats and dangerous situation led police to evacuate the hospital’s main entrance section and a seating area for about 30 minutes, police said. No patients were affected by the activity.
“We were 100 percent concerned (about others’ safety),” said Wood, adding that police would have blocked off a much larger portion of the hospital if Sanchez had a gun.
Wood said hospital officials were “pretty irritated” about the day’s turn of events. But head administrator Ken Underwood said he didn’t know details of the incident.
“I don’t have enough information to even comment on it,” he said.
