Suicidal man shuts down Santa Rosa transit mall

A 19-year-old Santa Rosa man disrupted the downtown transit mall Wednesday night when he threatened to jump from the roof of a five-story parking structure, police said.

The incident happened about 7:50 p.m. at the First Street lot facing the busy bus terminal, Sgt. Summer Black said.

A city employee spotted the distraught man sitting on a ledge, making statements that he intended to kill himself, Black said.

Officers and emergency crews arrived, closing off the area. A police hostage negotiator was later able to talk the man off the ledge, Black said.

He was placed into protective custody for a mental health evaluation.

The transit mall opened a short time later.

You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at 568-5312 or paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ppayne.