What started as a frightening gun scare at a Santee medical office yesterday ended not with an arrest for a violent crime, but with a mental health evaluation and a 72-hour treatment hold.
Deputies evacuated patients and staff from the Sharp Rees-Stealy medical building in Santee after multiple 911 callers reported a possibly armed man inside. After a careful search, officers found an adult man who was not armed and appeared to be in the middle of a mental health crisis. No patients, medical staff or deputies were hurt, and the man was taken into custody for evaluation.
Deputies Responded Quickly
San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched just before 3 PM on Saturday to the Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group at 8701 Cuyamaca Street, near Buena Vista Avenue, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office. Officials said deputies cleared the building out of an abundance of caution while they carried out a room-by-room search for the reported suspect. The department also shared a media contact for anyone seeking follow-up details as the operation wound down.
Search Found An Unarmed Man
During that search, deputies eventually located an adult man inside the clinic who they determined was experiencing a mental health crisis. No weapons were found at the scene, NBC 7 San Diego reported. Patients and medical staff were escorted out during the sweep and later allowed back in once deputies declared the building clear.
Investigators said the man was evaluated on site by clinicians from a Psychiatric Emergency Response Team. That early involvement of behavioral health specialists helped shift the situation from a potential criminal case to a medical one.
PERT Evaluation And A 72-Hour Hold
According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, the man was evaluated by a Psychiatric Emergency Response Team clinician and placed on a 72-hour hold for mental health treatment under Welfare and Institutions Code section 5150. Deputies emphasized that no one in the clinic, and no responding officers, suffered any injuries during the incident. Authorities said the man was turned over to mental health services for further evaluation and care…