At approximately 6:15 pm last night, November 10, 2018, Sheriff’s deputies responded to an apartment in the 500 block of Avenue of Flags in Buellton to a report of a suicidal subject. When deputies arrived, they determined the subject had barricaded himself inside the apartment and refused to come out.  The 44-year-old male made statements indicating that he would fill up his apartment with gas and blow up the building.  Due to the potential danger to public safety, Sheriff’s Deputies evacuated the apartment building and an emergency notification was sent out to residents in the immediate area to shelter in place. Santa Barbara County Fire Department personnel responded and turned off the gas to the building.

Sheriff’s deputies secured a perimeter and the Special Enforcement Team and Hostage Negotiation Team were called in to assist.  Every effort was made to resolve the situation peacefully and get the suicidal subject to surrender to law enforcement.  At approximately 11:30 p.m., Sheriff’s deputies obtained and served an arrest warrant at the residence.  When they made entry inside, they discovered the male subject had attempted suicide and was in urgent need of medical care.  He was combative with deputies but was detained and transported to the hospital for medical treatment.  A box cutter was located inside the residence.

The Buellton resident was booked in absentia on charges of making criminal threats. His name is being withheld at this time due to his mental health issues.