Deputy kills man who stormed Merced County Courthouse wielding two knives

MERCED: Witness describes chaotic scene in courtroom

By LESLIE ALBRECHT and CORINNE REILLY
MERCED SUN-STAR

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MERCED -- A Merced County sheriff's deputy shot and killed a man who walked through a courthouse security checkpoint, then burst into a packed courtroom armed with two large kitchen knives, Sheriff Mark Pazin said.

Robert Gerald Eaton, 40, of Atwater was shot by a sheriff's deputy about 2:45 p.m. Monday.

He is the same man who crashed his car into the courthouse in April 2007. He told authorities then that he was angry that he had been refused treatment at a local mental health facility.

Witnesses describe man with knife who entered Merced courthouse

Eaton returned to the courthouse Monday, this time with a knife in each hand. He walked past unarmed guards at the court's entrance, witnesses said. He then charged down the hall to Courtroom 2, where Judge Brian McCabe was presiding.

When Eaton entered, an armed sheriff's deputy who was inside ordered him to drop the knives. Eaton ignored the deputy and then lunged at McCabe in a "striking position," Pazin said.

A deputy shot Eaton four or fives times, witnesses said. Eaton died at the scene.

Dartagnan Hutcherson, who was sitting in the middle of the courtroom when Eaton entered, said the 6-foot-4-inch man charged through the doors holding the knives above his head. Eaton said nothing and kept his eyes fixed on McCabe.

"This guy comes in with a knife and I thought, 'Who is this guy out to get?' " Hutcherson said. "I was yelling 'He's got knives!' "

Hutcherson, 30, said he hit the floor when the deputy opened fire.

Others jumped over seats and scrambled to get out of the room.

Sean Howard, a public defender who saw Eaton running toward Courtroom 2, described him as determined.

'He knew where he was going'

"He didn't even give the people in the hallway a second look," Howard said. "He knew where he was going. ... Other people were yelling to clear the hallway."

Pazin said it was not known whether McCabe had presided over cases in which Eaton was a defendant or whether Eaton targeted McCabe for a reason. McCabe couldn't be reached for comment.

Eaton had a history of arrests dating to 1991, Pazin said. His most recent encounter with law enforcement was in February, when Merced police arrested him on suspicion of car theft, vandalism and a probation violation.

Douglas White, who said he knew Eaton for about eight years, remembered him as a "good-natured" man who cared deeply for his two daughters. White worked at a home for mentally handicapped adults, where he said Eaton once lived.

"Before he would act out, he would try to seek help," White said. "He was aware enough to know that he had problems and he tried to get help."

White said Eaton suffered from delusions and that he sometimes believed he was a rock star and that he had been visited by Indian spirits.

On his good days, he was friendly but introverted, White said. On bad days, when his mental health deteriorated, Eaton took out his frustrations by vandalizing property.

Commandeered car

Eaton also received treatment through the county's Mental Health Department, White said.

Eaton was a client at Turning Point Community Programs, a nonprofit agency that provides psychiatric services for the mentally ill and helps them find jobs and housing.

A driver from the agency picked up Eaton shortly after 2 p.m. Monday, said Ruben Orozco, a sheriff's deputy who interviewed the driver after Eaton's death. The driver, a woman authorities declined to identify, was to take Eaton to a medical appointment.

But about 10 minutes into the trip, Eaton told the driver to pull over, Orozco said.

"He basically said, 'I have some knives. I'm taking the car. I won't hurt you.' "

Eaton told her to take her purse and her cell phone and get out, Orozco said. The driver complied, then called authorities.

Eaton arrived at the courthouse about 2:45 p.m. He left the stolen 2007 silver Toyota Camry running outside.

He walked into the courthouse through its entrance at 23rd and N streets. The security checkpoint consists of two metal detectors and an X-ray machine.

On Monday the checkpoint was staffed by four guards armed only with Tasers.

Pazin declined to identify the deputy who shot Eaton but said his actions were appropriate.

"They did exactly what they were supposed to," he said. "They probably saved lives."

Pazin said footage from court surveillance cameras will be released as soon as his department has time to review it.

Eaton's family members said Monday they didn't want to talk to the media. In a handwritten statement, family members said, "We are grieving at this time. ... We are sorry for the loss of our family member. We just want to be left alone."