On Wednesday May 19, Santa Clarita Sheriff Station deputies received a call about an unstable man in Canyon Country who was firing gunshots into the air. The report came from a family member who claimed that the man had been threatening suicide and firing shots into the air with his pistol. The deputies who responded to the call also brought with them specially trained mental health professionals who are members of the Mental Evaluation Team (MET). This team of highly-trained professionals is tasked with providing deputies with expertise in the field of mental health when said deputies are responding to a call involving a possibly unstable or disturbed individual.
Not long after their arrival, deputies and mental health professionals were able to coax the man out of the home and take him into custody. The presence of the MET personnel reflects a growing trend in law enforcement regarding individuals who may be mentally ill. In decades past, when police encountered these people, the individuals were often arrested and taken to jail. Unfortunately, simply arresting someone and throwing them in jail isn’t a universal fix – especially when dealing with those who may be mentally ill. As a result, law enforcement agencies like the LASD and LAPD have begun working with mental health professionals and specially trained officers who can respond to these situations and get the individuals the help that they need.
For those who are wondering: yes – firing a weapon into the air is a crime. Covered under California Penal Code 246.3 PC, “negligent discharge of a firearm” is a “wobbler.” Whether or not an individual will be charged with a misdemeanor or felony charge will depend upon the nature of the offense and the individual’s prior criminal history. Misdemeanor convictions carry the possible penalties of summary probation, up to 1-year in county jail and/or a fine of up t $1,000. Felony convictions are punished by formal probation, up to 3-years in county jail and/or a fine of up to $10,000.