A tense SWAT standoff unfolded yesterday evening in Carlsbad, sparking road closures and causing temporary shut-downs of nearby local businesses, in a case described as a man experiencing a dire mental health crisis believed to be armed with a gun while barricaded in his car, according to Carlsbad PD. The incident began around 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, with police responding to a concerned friend's call, and finding the man locked inside his disabled Lexus SUV along the 2700 block of Loker Avenue West near Palomar Airport Road.
With businesses on Loker Avenue West closed out of an abundance of caution, some employees arriving in the area were turned away by authorities, even affecting public transportation in the vicinity. The road closure on Loker Avenue West stretched from Palomar Airport Road to El Fuerte Street during the standoff.
Negotiators at the scene were in ongoing communication with the man, as reported by NBC San Diego, highlighting the complexities of handling situations involving mental health crises with potential dangers.
