An encounter with a potentially suicidal man ended without injuries after Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a Los Alamos disturbance, according to Barbara County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Kelly Hoover.

A family member reported a disturbance on the 600 block of Main Street Sunday in Los Alamos, where a 27-year-old man was screaming and acting out of control.  

When the man was contacted, he said he planned to attack deputies with a shovel to make them shoot him, Hoover said.

The man then became aggressive and had to be handcuffed.

“He subsequently made several suicidal statements and asked deputies what he needed to do so that they would shoot him,” she said.

The cautious approach from the deputies thwarted the man’s plan, Hoover said.

Santa Barbara County Mental Health Care and Recovery Emergency Services responded to assist the man and placed a mental health hold on him.

Upon investigation, deputies seized two firearms that were registered to him, Hoover said. 

A state-recognized Crisis Intervention Training is offered to all Santa Barbara County law enforcement and the program is designed to help officers learn how to respond to situations involving people who may have mental health issues or who are developmentally disabled, Hoover said. 

“This case is an example of some of the challenges law enforcement are faced with when they come into contact with individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis,” she said.

The man was not arrested and authorities are not releasing his name, Hoover said. 

— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.