Deputies Subdue Woman Armed With Knife

Three sheriff’s deputies disarmed a woman with a knife Thursday rather than shoot her and were nominated a few hours later for an award.

Deputies Wayne Waterman, Bradley Thompson and David Furedi were nominated for the Commendable Restraint Award, said Capt. Donald Rodriguez, the commanding officer of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Santa Clarita station.

The award recognizes deputies who “elect to use less than lethal methods even though confronted with a potentially deadly situation,” Rodriguez said.

Deputies confronted the woman about 1:25 p.m. at a residence in the 19400 block of Cedarcreek Street.

Waterman, Thompson and Furedi were called about a family disturbance.

When the deputies arrived, a 24-year-old woman--described by deputies as mentally unstable--threatened them with a butcher knife, Rodriguez said. At one point, the woman yelled, “ ‘Shoot me! Shoot me!’ ” Rodriguez said.

The deputies used pepper spray on the woman and took away her knife, authorities said.

The unidentified woman also attempted to injure herself, deputies said. She was taken to Olive View Medical Center in Sylmar for a psychiatric evaluation.

A sergeant who reviewed the deputies’ actions nominated them for the award.