A small drama – one of several over the course of a night’s work for local police – as an unhoused gentleman made a bit of a stand at a Chevron station at N. Main and Treat Saturday.
Witnesses said the unidentified man had brandished a knife and was scraping it on the sidewalk, yelling something unintelligible as police approached, officers staging across N. Main and briefly shutting down the intersection while they attempted to make contact with the individual.
Orders to drop the knife and to put his hands on his head were ignored for a time before the man eventually complied and more officers moved in to place the man in custody.
No injuries reported that we’re aware of, we’re glad to be able to say.
“Orders to drop the knife and to put his hands on his head were ignored for a time”
And that’s the time you call for back up and talk him down PATIENTLY
OR you can chase him into a busy street and shoot him in his panic-stricken face as happened in Danville, depending upon what kind of officer you are and what you have been taught.
Agree David. Interesting how the Becton haters seem to be silent on her decision not to prosecute Hall.
Becton would have lost this Danville one, the guy took steps towards the LEO.
Firestone 11R
Yeah. LEO THEN because the wheels of the justice system are excruciatingly slow. If they moved more swiftly, he would have been a convict THEN, and a professional officer of the law would have arrested the homeless man instead of executing him in the street. Accountability! That is what is lacking! The current Sheriff put him back on the street with his blessing, and he killed again.
And, he wasn’t guilty of the other incident. Only convicted by liberal politicians and liberal Bay Area jury.
Firestone 11R
We have jury trials in this country. He was found guilty based upon the evidence by 12 of his peers in a unanimous verdict. I can’t say I’m sorry you don’t like the outcome, but “beyond a reasonable doubt” is a VERY high bar, and it was cleared by the evidence and the verdict.
And, you’ve got that backwards, by the way. A LIBERAL JURY WOULD CHOOSE TO ACQUIT, if the facts supported that.
That’s not what happened in Danville but ok.
david,
Completely different situation, this man did not walk towards the police. And, they should have shot him with less lethal once he did not comply with their orders.
Firestone 11R
Scraping a knife on a sidewalk is now a headlining crime. If that’s the big news I guess we are pretty well off around here. Police are all over the easy stuff. Also, if he’s unidentified how did you confirm he’s unhoused?
Don’t kid yourself. This is not an isolated thing. We see it happening EVERY DAY. Glad no one was injured.
Sure. Unemployed benihana chef. Just keeping the gear ready in case they call him back.
Hi Jackson, This is my neighborhood. I have owned property around the corner from here for almost 30 years. This year, I have seen many unhoused wandering the area, some very high on meth, others squatting in the abandoned liquor store a couple of doors away. They tend to walk over from the nearby Pleasant Hill BART station. The Walgreen’s across the corner from this gas station experiences a number of crime incidents, weekly, if one keeps track of things. I recommend you sit in the area one night, and witness what is happening before you post snark here.
Truth. Totally agree.
Hi Soco, I also know the neighborhood well. My point was more that the incident in question proved to be pretty benign. There are obviously real challenges with that part of town.
I don’t think it’s “benign.” I think it’s representative of a neighborhood in flux. That’s what a good local news source does – it shows us things many don’t want to see, or believe. That’s why I’m here.
Some are carrying more than knives. I’m seeing machetes and iron bars. I’ve hear there are guns being found in the camps. This is very very common now and unfortunately the police are the only ones who can deal with the problem. This man will be back soon.
Come on down sometime. Its a party.
At least he’s wearing pants.
LOL. True.
I know Libertarians believe pants are a choice, but it’s a nice gesture for public comity!
The police have taken a lot of criticism for their handling of incidents like this but they handled this incident and many others like it with professionalism. It’s just that there are so many mentally ill people, man of them off their needed medications, who are currently living on the street. It is not a problem we are likely to solve very soon.
damn Gandalf down bad these days smh