Distraught Young Man Who Allegedly Threatened Knife Attack Coaxed Out of Home by Police Negotiators

A young man reportedly distraught over his girlfriend argued with a relative in the home where they both live and threatened to attack the older man with two large kitchen knives Monday afternoon, bringing a large police response to a quiet Pasadena street, police and witnesses said.

In the end, the 60-year-old relative escaped from the home uninjured and police, after several hours of talking to the suspect, coaxed him out of the house and took him into custody.

Police reported that officers arrived at the home in the 400 block of North Mar Vista Avenue about 2:30 p.m. and surrounded it, shutting down the street between Villa and Maple Streets.

Pasadena Fire department units stood by in case of injuries.

Negotiators talked to the young man asking him to come out and surrender, also bringing in relatives to convince him. Negotiations went on for hours, and finally about 5 p.m. the suspect gave up.

Pasadena Police Lt. John Luna said the suspect, Javier Castro, 19, was arrested for for assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threat and delaying officers in performing their duties.