CLAREMONT — The Claremont City Hall Complex was put into lockdown on Monday morning when a 28-year-old Claremont man walked into the lobby of the city’s police station and threatened to take his own life with an armed handgun, according to police.
The man entered the lobby of the police station at about 10:30 a.m. and told dispatchers that he wanted to see the police chief on a “citizen violations” complaint, Claremont Police Chief Brent Wilmot told the Valley News on Tuesday,
Dispatchers, who are located behind a teller-like window, saw via video camera that the man had a pistol and was attempting to shoot himself before ordering City Hall into a lockdown. Meanwhile police secured the entrances to the lobby of the the police department to ensure that no one entered the building, Wilmot said.
From behind the lobby window, Wilmot was able to engage in a dialogue with the man, who then placed the gun on a chair, along with a knife, before surrendering to officers, Wilmot said. The man, whose identify is not being released, was transported to Valley Regional Hospital for a mental health evaluation, Wilmot said.
The man had a mental health episode that involved a police response six years earlier, according to Wilmot.
Monday’s incident lasted “about 10 minutes from start to finish,” Wilmot said.
“The two dispatchers did an absolutely incredible job in managing the situation,” Wilmot said on Tuesday, praising their quick decision to order City Hall into lockdown.
If you or someone you know might be at risk for suicide, contact The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 at 988 or 1-800-273-8255.