Update, Tuesday, Aug. 25: Police arrested Marty Schwind, 43, Monday evening on suspicion of vandalism, criminal threats, brandishing a weapon and violation of probation after a standoff that began with an attempt to detain Schwind at West Berkeley’s Seabreeze market, authorities report.
According to Berkeley Police spokesman Officer Byron White, BPD responded at 5:30 p.m. to the L Dock parking lot at the marina after receiving reports of a man smashing the windows of municipal vehicles parked in the area.
When police arrived, they saw that man walking east on University Avenue, BPD said. Police tried to detain him near Seabreeze, White said, but he brandished two knives, one in each hand, at the officers. When police ordered Schwind to drop the knives, according to White, he ran beneath the pedestrian bridge and refused to come out.
An on-duty police negotiator tried to convince Schwind to surrender, White said, but he refused — telling officers he would fight them. After negotiations broke down, said White, officers fired foam projectiles at Schwind to get him to drop the knives. Instead, said White, Schwind swam out into the water — leaving his knives near the shoreline.
Schwind ended up swimming to a wooden pole about 75 feet away, White said. He held onto the pole for about 45 minutes as first responders worked to address the situation.
Since the water was too shallow for a Berkeley Fire Department boat to reach Schwind, BFD used a jet ski to reach him for a water rescue. Schwind initially refused their help, but he eventually grabbed onto the BFD floatation device firefighters offered him, White said. BFD towed Schwind to the shoreline, where officers took him into custody.
Schwind — who had no permanent address on file — was not listed as in-custody as of publication time, so limited information was available to Berkeleyside about his next court appearance.
Police said Tuesday that Schwind was taken for a medical evaluation after his arrest.
According to Alameda County Superior Court records online, Schwind was placed on probation twice in 2019, for grand theft from a person and illegal possession of body armor.
He is on probation through 2025, according to records online. Schwind also has a 2000 conviction for a murder in Solano County, according to court records online.
Update, Monday, Aug. 24, 8:30 p.m. The westbound direction of University Avenue (at West Frontage Road) is now open, according to a Nixle alert released by the Berkeley Police Department. Berkeleyside has asked for more information about the outcome of the incident.
Original story: Police blocked access to and from the Berkeley Marina on Monday evening while officers handle an incident there.
Just before 5:30 p.m., officers responded to the marina for a report of a man smashing car windows with a stick, according to BPD spokesman Officer Byron White.
When officers attempted to detain the man near Seabreeze market, he ran under the pedestrian bridge and armed himself with two knives.
Shortly before 7 p.m. one of the department’s on-duty negotiators was talking with the man in an effort to get him to drop the knives and surrender.
Witnesses described to Berkeleyside a large emergency response, including an estimated 13 police cruisers and two BFD vehicles.