Update: Man suspected of threatening SLO hospital patient had run-ins with police, cops say

Update to this story >> >> Family of SLO hospital patient says knife threat suspect used racist slurs: ‘We’re in shock’

Update 3:30 p.m.:

The man arrested Friday on suspicion of threatening a fellow patient at a San Luis Obispo hospital with a knife is a transient with several past contacts with police, the San Luis Obispo Police Department said.

Police have yet to release the name of the male patient arrested in the incident, or the charges he faces.

Update, 11 a.m.:

Tenet Health Central Coast, which operates Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, said the San Luis Obispo hospital was “open and safe” after a lockdown was lifted Friday morning.

Original story:

A man was arrested Friday after a local hospital was placed on lockdown, the San Luis Obispo Police Department said.

Police received a report of a hospital patient with a knife at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center at about 8:45 a.m. Friday, the agency said.

The hospital was placed on lockdown for about 45 minutes, Sgt. Bryan Treanor said. That lockdown had been lifted as about 9:30 a.m.

Police confirmed the male patient had a knife and he was detained and placed in custody in San Luis Obispo County Jail, Treanor said.

According to Treanor, nobody was injured in the incident, which is under investigation.

“There’s not a lot I can say right now, other than one person is in custody and we’re continuing to investigate,” Treanor said.

Treanor said the incident had nothing to do with any COVID-19, saying it was a separate situation.

This story was originally published January 8, 2021 at 10:29 AM.