When Beseeching Fails, Barking Prevails Over Knife Wielder – October 13, 2012
APD Press Release
DOWNTOWN – On Friday, Oct. 12 at approximately 5:08 p.m., the Arcata Police Department received a report of a possibly intoxicated male subject brandishing a knife at people on the Arcata Plaza.
Several citizens with cellular phones, followed the subject as he walked north on H Street from the Plaza and eastbound on 10th Street. The downtown bike patrol officer located the subject at the corner of 10th and G streets.
The subject, later identified as Alioune Thiam (32) from Berkeley, was still holding the knife at his side when the officer located him. The officer pointed his duty handgun at Thiam and ordered him to stop and drop the knife. Thiam stopped, but did not respond to the order to drop the knife.
Thiam continued to hold the knife at his side. Several other officers arrived on-scene and Thiam was repeatedly ordered to drop the knife. Thiam continued to ignore the orders to drop the knife. A police K-9, who was on-scene, was brought forward and given a bark alert command.
Once the barking K-9 was present, Thiam began responding to orders and dropped the knife. Officers were then able to detain Thiam in handcuffs without further incident. No one was injured in the incident and the Police K-9 deployment was limited to the bark alert.
Thiam was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility, where he was booked and lodged for 417(a)(1) PC, brandishing.
