After a four-hour negotiation with crisis intervention specialists, an obviously distraught man climbed down a VTA bus where he had climbed up in search of finding help.
The man climbed down the roof of the VTA bus just about 2:15 p.m. peacefully. He had been on the roof since 10:15 a.m.
It was then, that VTA spokeswoman Brandi Childress said for some reason, the man told a bus driver at First and Keyes streets: "I need to talk to police."
The bus driver did just that. As she was trying to reach authorities, Childress said the man hopped on the front bike rack of the bus, scaled up the front windshield and positioned himself on top of the large vehicle.
The man is reported to possibly be wielding a screwdriver, according to Santa Clara County Sgt. Jose Cardoza.
NBC Bay Area video of the scene shows the man, mostly calm, squatting in a flannel shirt and jeans on top of the bus. At times, he stood on top of the bus and yelled. At one point, he took off his flannel shirt and was wearing only a white T-shirt. He could be seen a piece of paper, perhaps a rolled-up flier, in his hand. A screwdriver was not immediately visible to NBC Bay Area.
He could also be heard asking to speak with his father.
Local
Special crisis teams with expertise in mental health issues were called to help negotiate.
About 15 passengers were on the bus, but they have since been let off and no one was injured. The stranded passengers were all put on another bus.
Photographer Alan Waples contributed to this report. Contact Lisa Fernandez at 408-432-4758 or lisa.fernandez@nbcuni.com.
