Santa Clara County

Sunnyvale Man Arrested After Charging Officers With Knife: Police

Sunnyvale officers detained and arrested a 46-year-old man using less than lethal force after he allegedly charged at them with a large knife Monday afternoon, according to the city's Department of Public Safety.

Tuan Nguyen was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, brandishing a weapon and willfully resisting, delaying or obstructing a police officer, public safety Capt. Shawn Ahearn said.

Officers responded to Nguyen's residence at a mobile home park in the 1000 block of Tasman Drive around 12:20 p.m. on a report from a family member that he was upset, armed with a knife and threatened to kill himself, Ahearn said.

Responding officers were able to safely evacuate Nguyen's wife and other family from the home, according to Ahearn.

Officers, including a member of the department's Crisis Intervention Team, spent the 24 minutes negotiating with Nguyen to drop the large kitchen knife, Ahearn said.

Nguyen stepped out of the home and allegedly rushed toward the officers, who fired less-lethal projectiles at him, Ahearn said.

One of the projectiles was fired 45 feet from the officers and the other was shot at 38 feet, Ahearn said. Nguyen was struck, dropped the knife and taken into custody by the officers.

The man suffered abrasions to his thighs and was medically cleared at a hospital before he was booked into Santa Clara County Jail, where he was placed on a mental health hold, the captain said.

No other injuries were reported.

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