by Caryn Blanton May 29, 2025
On May 9, a man at the Pacific Beach Public Library became agitated and began swinging a hatchet at desks and computers. Library staff and security got him outside, and police were dispatched. Officers repeatedly commanded him to drop the weapon before shooting him multiple times. He remains hospitalized in critical condition.
We know this man.
His story illustrates the failure of every public system meant to protect him — and our community.
Since August 2024, we have interacted with him 19 times during his visits to The Compass Station, providing support to improve his health and help him secure housing. We offered transportation to the Social Security and county benefits offices and helped him apply for a birth certificate, which is essential to accessing housing and healthcare.
But his health kept declining.
He cycled through hospitals, jails, recovery programs, clinics — always returning to the street. We called 911 three times when his condition became life-threatening. Despite worsening symptoms, he was repeatedly discharged.