The Santa Cruz Police Department was in a multi-hour standoff Monday at Main Beach while attempting to negotiate with a man refusing to leave the water. (Shmuel Thaler — Santa Cruz Sentinel)
SANTA CRUZ — A multi-hour standoff Monday at Main Beach with a man authorities were attempting to coax out of the water forced city authorities to temporarily shutter the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf.
The man emerged from the water and surrendered to police shortly after 6 p.m.
Callers initially reported the man as standing in the water with a hat and umbrella and alternately yelling at people on the beach and throwing rocks.
After 1 p.m., the Santa Cruz Police Department was joined at the scene by the Santa Cruz Harbor Patrol and a mental health liaison, among other personnel. Much of the day’s interaction involved de-escalation techniques, however, shortly before 4:30 p.m., officers also deployed “less-lethal” rounds that struck and bloodied the man on the forehead.
Originally published at Jessica York