Deputy saves Canyon Country woman

SCV Sheriff’s Station officials say woman was found sitting in car with a shotgun pointed at her face

A Canyon Country woman is alive today after a deputy found the suicidal woman sitting inside a car with the barrel of a shotgun pointed at her face.

Making a “split-second” decision, the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputy grabbed the barrel of the shotgun and pulled it safely away from both the woman and himself, Shirley Miller, spokeswoman for the SCV Sheriff’s Station, said Friday.

Shortly after 1 p.m. Thursday, deputies responded to concerns of the woman’s family members worried for her well-being.

“The deputy was responding to a welfare check after a relative called the station indicating the woman was possibly suicidal,” Miller said. “He went to the woman’s house and rang the doorbell.”

When no one came to the door, the deputy looked around and spotted a woman sitting alone in a nearby car.

“He saw that she had a shotgun positioned under her chin and made a split second decision,” she said. “He reached inside the car and grabbed the shotgun, and pulled it away from her face, from both of them.”

The deputy began talking calmly to the woman and was able to secure the gun, Miller said.

When other deputies and support agencies arrived, the woman was taken to a hospital for medical treatment.

“This is an example of the split-second decisions deputies have to make daily, putting themselves at risk in order to help and save the lives of others,” Miller said. Local mental health resources Anyone with concerns about their mental health can text 741741 and then type in a request for help, and someone will call them back right away, said Larry Schallert, assistant director of COC’s Student Health & Wellness Center.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s website also provides advice on how to survive suicide loss, including the following:

Find a support group: You don’t have to cope with your loss alone. There are support groups specifically for those who have lost a loved one to suicide.

Do what feels right to you: Don’t feel pressured to talk right away. If you choose to discuss your loss, speaking can give your friends and family the opportunity to support you in an appropriate way.

Write: You may find it helpful to write your feelings or to write a letter to your lost loved one. This can be a safe place for you to express some of the things you were not able to say before the death.

Ask for help: Don’t be afraid to let your friends provide support to you, or to look for resources in your community such as therapists, co-workers, or family members.

Schallert noted there’s always a ripple effect, and it’s important that the community tries to support so everyone can survive it and avoid “clusters” or someone who might try to imitate that action.