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Standoff as local resident threatens to kill himself
Police evacuated 34 residents from neighborhood in response
By Daniel Hindin
Sunnyvale police evacuated 12 houses on Dec. 5, after they received a call at 9:30 p.m. from Dale Lloyd, 50, a resident at 725 Carolina Ave. in Sunnyvale, who threatened to kill himself, as well as officers and others. He surrendered voluntarily more than 12 hours later and was arrested for negligently discharging a weapon. No one was injured during the incident.
"Police saw [Lloyd] through the window and saw a rifle," said police spokesman Capt. Chuck Eaneff.
Responding police units cordoned off the area around the house and established contact with Lloyd by phone. The police called in the Sunnyvale SWAT team and hostage negotiators.
"He came to the front door several times," Eaneff said. "One time he fired a single round that struck a vehicle directly in front of the residence, which was directly in line with a SWAT officer. It wasn't clear whether the shot had been fired on purpose or not. No shots were fired in retaliation."
"His communications with the negotiators fluctuated between rational and irrational," said assistant to Sunnyvale's City Manager Dan Rich.
According to the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety, they evacuated a total of 34 individuals from the area, including two residents of Lloyd's house and seven children. They were brought to the nearby Columbia Middle School where the Sunnyvale Emergency Preparedness Unit (EPU) set up a temporary shelter.
Finally, at 9:47 a.m., Lloyd gave up without further incident. Sunnyvale police immediately took him into custody. They booked him into Santa Clara County Jail on a charge of negligently discharging a weapon.
Members of the EPU used ARK emergency supplies located at the school to open the shelter to the evacuees. A part of Project ARK, a preparedness unit of the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, the ARK measures 40 feet long, 8 feet wide and 8 1/2 feet high. According to Anthony Marek, director of communications of the Red Cross's Santa Clara Valley Chapter, the ARK contained enough supplies to accommodate 300 people. Supplies include cots, blankets, water, portable lanterns, flashlights, portable toilets, personal care kits and other essential items.
Initially, according to Marek, the EPU didn't call the Red Cross because they didn't know how long the standoff would last. But at 5 a.m., with negotiations continuing, the EPU requested additional assistance from the Santa Clara Valley Chapter.
"It was because of a staffing issue," Marek says. "The city people had been up all night and needed to be replaced."
The Red Cross came in and served breakfast to the evacuees in the morning.
The American Red Cross Santa Clara Valley Chapter helps communities prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies of all types. The Red Cross is a volunteer-led, humanitarian service organization. Contributions may be made by calling 408.577.2114, or online at www.redcross.org/ca/scv.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
