A bizarre incident in the streets of North Delta ended peacefully after police officers arrested a naked man experiencing a mental health crisis Tuesday evening.
Police said Wednesday they received numerous calls about a man “walking and spinning” down the middle of Scott Road near 90 Avenue around 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Video sent into Global News showed the man with his arms outstretched in the street, spinning in circles.
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The man then stops a silver sedan and climbs on top of it as the people inside yell at him to get down.
“I need a time out,” he says as he stands on the roof of the vehicle, before sitting down cross-legged.
The man then slides off the car and climbs inside, while the occupants — including two young children — escape.
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A bystander then pulls the man out of the car and throws him down to the ground. The man stays curled in the fetal position while the bystander yells at him to stay down.
A short time later, officers arrive on the scene and can be seen negotiating with the man until he sits on the centre median of Scott Road. He’s later placed in handcuffs.
Police said officers recognized the man “appeared to be scared and worried” and talked to him calmly before apprehending him under the Mental Health Act. The man was then taken to hospital without force.
In a statement, Delta Police Chief Neil Dubord praised his officers’ mental health intervention training for successfully de-escalating the situation.
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“This situation was a bit different as it occurred in a very public manner, but this peaceful resolution is reflective of the type of work our officers do regularly,” Dubord said.
Police said the family inside the car are “doing well,” and were not harmed during the incident. Their car did sustain some minor damage, they added.
Police said the investigation is ongoing, and no one else was injured.
Fraser Health could not comment on the case citing privacy concerns, but said anyone brought to one of its hospitals under the Mental Health Act is assessed to determine the best course of treatment for the individual.
“A patient’s discharge plan is unique to them and their circumstances and is determined by our trained physicians and nurses,” the health authority said in a statement. “These often include referrals for community follow-up.
“Our priority is to ensure every patient receives timely, appropriate care when they come to one of our hospitals.”
—With files from Sarah MacDonald
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