Alameda Deputies Subdue Suicidal Man with Taser at Oakland Airport

Apr. 7—Alameda County Sheriff's deputies tased a man they said was suicidal and was threatening to harm himself with a knife after several hours of negotiations that shut down terminals and affected flights at Oakland International Airport.

Officials evacuated Terminal 1 at Oakland International Airport Tuesday morning as sheriff's deputies and crisis negotiators worked with a man they said was threatening to harm himself with a knife.

The incident unfolded "in the baggage claim area of the terminal before the checkpoint," according to the Alameda County Sheriff's Office.

Officials said a sergeant briefly struggled with the man who was able to maintain a hold on the knife before he was subdued. The man sustained an injury to his neck, the sheriff's office said.

"He's obviously suffering from a severe mental health crisis. We are working with him," the office tweeted.

Sheriff's officials said the outer area of Terminal 1 was evacuated by 9:30 a.m.

Hawaiian, Alaska, Delta and Frontier flights were affected, officials said. Airport staff redirected customers through Terminal 2 to their scheduled flights.

Vanessa Arredondo is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @v_anana

___

(c)2021 the San Francisco Chronicle

Visit the San Francisco Chronicle at www.sfchronicle.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.