Armed Man Threatening Suicide in Bar Surrenders

WESTMINSTER — A man who was apparently distraught over finances entered a sports bar with a handgun Monday evening and threatened suicide after ordering everyone out, but police negotiators coaxed him into surrendering after several hours, police said.

The man, whose name was not immediately available, was being questioned by police late Monday night.

According to police, he entered Lookers Sports Bar at 15192 Golden West St. shortly after 6:30 p.m. and asked the patrons and bartender to leave.

“It wasn’t a threat of hurting anyone else,” Police Lt. Rick Main said.

The man’s wife was with him in the bar, where he is a regular customer, Main said.

A customer who was asked to leave called police.

Police negotiators communicated with the man through his wife for several hours, Main said.

The man eventually surrendered about 9:15 p.m. Police said there were no injuries in the incident.

While police negotiators talked with the man, SWAT team members set up around the bar.

The man’s wife stayed with him throughout the incident, Main said. “She was scared to death we were going to hurt him,” he said.

Main said police procedure in such situations is designed to avoid confrontation. “We’ll wait him out. We’ll wait forever if we have to.”