UPDATE, noon: Captain Steve Watson of the Eureka Police Department tells the Outpost that the subject was found a short time ago by an off-duty Sheriff’s deputy near some outbuildings near the marshland at the foot of Pine Hill. He will be taken for medical treatment and mental health evaluation, at which point the department will decide whether to file criminal charges, or which charges to file.

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A Coast Guard helicopter circles south Eureka Saturday morning searching for an allegedly suicidal individual.

Detective Ron Harpham of the Eureka Police Department tells the Outpost that the department is asking for the public’s help in locating a large young man who is currently on the loose in West Eureka, possibly near south Broadway or the Pine Hill area.

The person they’re looking for is 18 years old, 6‘4” and between 260 and 280 pounds. He is believed to be wearing a black T-shirt and underwear and is bleeding from both arms. If you see him, the Eureka Police Department asks that you call 911.

Early this morning, Harpham said, the man they’re looking for entered a business on South Broadway and confronted a janitor working there. He repeatedly told the janitor, “I’m not going to hurt you, but I need to find something to kill myself with.” Eventually the janitor was forced to undress and locked in another room while the subject slashed both his arms with an unknown implement.

Police received the call at about 6:45 a.m. and followed a blood trail into the greenbelt behind K-Mart and Hensell Materials. They conducted a search of the area but were unable to find the man, and they’re unsure where he might pop up.

“We have this guy out there who’s either mentally unstable or under the influence of bath salts or mushrooms or something like that,” Harpham said.

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UPDATE, 10:19 a.m.: The Eureka Police Department has issued a press release containing a few more details on this tale:

Photo of the subject, from EPD

On 2-21-2015 at about 0643 hours, the Eureka Police Communications Center received a call from an employee from Kmart reporting a man in his underwear was pounding on the front door and stated a subject was committing suicide at a nearby business.

Upon investigation officers learned that a janitorial service was cleaning a nearby business. The lone employee was interrupted by a white male, about 18 years old, approximately 6’4” and 280 lbs. The male was only wearing black boxer briefs and a black t-shirt. He was soaking wet and covered in mud. He identified himself to the employee and said he played football for C.R. The subject grabbed the employee physically and told him he would not hurt him but he needed a weapon to kill himself with. He forced the employee throughout the business searching for a weapon. The employee said the subject was single purpose to kill himself and did not look for money or items to steal or to harm him. The employee made one attempt to escaped but was re-seized very quickly. The subject found a pair of scissors. He made the employee undress and go into the bathroom. The subject sat in a chair near the bathroom and made sounds of anguish. The employee looked out and saw the subject had cut himself on both arms. When the subject got up to walk to the front door, the employee ran out the back and to Kmart.  The scene supported the employee’s story. There was a significant amount of blood around a chair and blood droplets throughout the store. There was no sign of arterial spurts nor enough blood loss to suggest life threatening injuries.

A sparse blood trail was located that went to the back of Hensell’s material and out into the brush and then into marsh. Eureka police officers conducted an extensive search but lost the trail. At about 0830 hours, officers learned from the HCSO that a mother called to report her son missing and suicidal. The name of the suicidal son was the same as the person who identified himself to the victim employee.

The Eureka Police Department is working with the HCSO and the US Coast Guard. The US Coast Guard is assisting by conducting an aerial search. The area the subject is lost in is bordered by South Broadway, Pine Hill, Elk River and South Eureka area. If anyone sees a person fitting this description call 911 as soon as possible.