A man armed with a hatchet began making threats inside a Santee Walmart on Sunday, causing the store to close for roughly seven hours.
Around 12:05 p.m., the man walked into the Walmart located at 170 Town Center Parkway and climbed on top of some shelving, making threats to shoppers, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSO). Arming himself with dumbells, the man threatened to use them as weapons, prompting employees to call law enforcement.
When deputies arrived, they learned the man was armed with two knives and a hatchet. SDSO said he threatened to kill deputies and said he wanted them to shoot him.
As deputies worked to de-escalate the situation, they evacuated the store and closed it for several hours. The man, who was only identified as a 22-year-old, was taken into custody and transported for a mental health evaluation around 7:30 p.m., according to Lt. Michael Pepin.
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As of 9:30 p.m., the Walmart was reopened. No injuries were reported in connection with the incident.
