Ax-wielding man terrorizing Redding residents taken down by K-9, police say

An ax-wielding man who was threatening people in front of a Redding gas station was taken down by a police K-9 early Sunday morning, police say.

In a news release, the Redding Police Department said officers received a 911 call at 4:17 a.m. reporting a man swinging an ax around in the parking lot of an AM/PM gas station on Lake Boulevard.

Responding officers contacted Redding resident Donald Priddy, who was lying down next to the ax on the sidewalk near the gas station, according to police.

The officers asked Priddy, 60, to move away from the ax and further warned that a K-9 named Hank would be deployed if he refused. The dog was released and Priddy was arrested.

After being treated at the Shasta Regional Medical Center, Priddy was booked into the Shasta County jail on suspicion of brandishing a weapon, trespassing and resisting officers.

This story was originally published January 19, 2020 at 11:25 AM.