Shopping scare: man accused of threatening shoppers detained, sent to hospital
Some shoppers were shaken up Sunday afternoon in Palm Desert, when they say they were being threatened by a man on the roof of a store.
Around 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department were called out to the busy shopping center, located off Highway 111 near Fred Waring Drive.
Investigators say a man, who appeared to be experiencing a mental health crisis, was on the roof of a business.
He reportedly was throwing roof tiles off the roof and threatening the public.
Members from the Riverside Sheriff’s Crisis Negotiation Team, Riverside Sheriff’s Aviation Unit, and Cal Fire were also on hand to support.
A couple businesses in the area were shut down during the ordeal.
The man was eventually detained, escorted off the roof, and sent to the hospital for a mental evaluation.
