Downtown hotel standoff with armed, suicidal woman ends peacefully

SAN DIEGO – A suicidal woman who was armed with a gun with her boyfriend in a downtown San Diego hotel room was safely taken into custody after a standoff that lasted nearly three hours Monday morning. 

 

At 5:33 a.m., San Diego police officers responded to reports of an armed woman in a room on the second floor of the Plaza Hotel at 1037 4th Street. Surrounding rooms were evacuated and guests at the adjacent US Grant were told to shelter in place. SWAT and hostage negotiators were called in.

 

At some point, officers learned that the woman’s boyfriend was also inside. Police were eventually able to make phone contact with the woman, who told them that she was willing to die.

"She was making repeated statements to commit suicide by cop," SDPD Lt. Scott Wahl told reporters at a morning briefing. 

 

Sometime before 8:30 a.m., the woman’s boyfriend tackled her to the ground and wrestled away the gun. He then yelled for SWAT teams to enter. 

 

"We could hear his cries and his pleas for us to make entry,” Wahl said. 

 

Both were taken into custody without further incident. Wahl could not confirm the names of the couple or the circumstances that instigated the situation.   

 

"At this point, it looks like he (the boyfriend) was just trying to calm her down and get her out safely." Wahl said. 

 

During the standoff, there was a heavy police presence as 4th Street was shut down from B Street to Broadway. Trolley service in the area was also delayed. 

 

It was not immediately clear if charges would be filed.