Napa Police Subdue Distraught Woman Hurting Herself With Scissors

NAPA COUNTY, CA -- Napa police subdued a distraught woman who was injuring herself with a pair of scissors outside a west Napa residence Wednesday evening, a Napa police captain said.

A resident in the 3800 block of Rohlffs Way called police around 5:50 p.m. to report a woman she was familiar with had alcoholic beverages outside the residence and was known for violent behavior and possession of weapons, Capt. Jennifer Gonzales said.

The 31-year-old woman was injuring herself with the scissors when police arrived and determined she was having a mental health crisis.

The woman would not drop the scissors and kept asking officers to shoot her, Gonzales said. Police sent a Nixle alert asking the public to stay away from the area until the situation was resolved, Gonzales said.

Officers trained in crisis intervention tactics and negotiations spoke with the woman, but when she moved toward them in a threatening way they used a Taser and a weapon that fired large rubber projectiles to subdue
the woman, Gonzales said.

The woman was taken to an urgent mental health services center around 7:45 p.m. Gonzales said.

Police said Napa County Mental Health Crisis Services are available 24 hours every day for those who need such help, and they encouraged residents to sign up for Nixle at www.nixle.com to get the latest public safety information by email or text message.

• Also see: More Than 38,000 Marijuana Plants Found On Ryer Island

--Bay City News