California IN BRIEF : SAN FRANCISCO : Man With Knife Takes Nurse Hostage

A psychiatric outpatient armed with two knives entered a hospital and held a nurse at knifepoint for two hours in an elevator before surrendering, police said. The man held one knife on the nurse and the other pointed at his chest during the standoff at St. Mary’s Hospital, police said. The man entered the psychiatric unit and took one nurse hostage, but she escaped with the help of another nurse, officers said. The man then grabbed a third nurse and forced her into an elevator where he began shouting at hospital officials and police officers. After two hours, and with a SWAT team standing by, the man surrendered to crisis negotiators, a priest and an acquaintance who were called in to talk to the man, police said.