Standoff near Palm Desert Starbucks ends after man stabs himself

Paul Albani-Burgio and Ani Gasparyan, Palm Springs Desert Sun
Updated ·3 min read
4
Sheriff's deputies with weapons drawn at a Palm Desert, Calif., shopping center after a man called police making irrational statements, then stabbed himself on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023.
Sheriff's deputies with weapons drawn at a Palm Desert, Calif., shopping center after a man called police making irrational statements, then stabbed himself on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023.

A 35-year-old Palm Desert man was arrested Monday for exhibiting a weapon at a peace officer, resisting arrest and because of an outstanding felony warrant in a bizarre incident outside a Starbucks on the 73000 block of El Paseo in Palm Desert.

Deputies from the Palm Desert Sheriff's Station responded to a call to check the welfare of two people outside the Starbucks and, according to a news release from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, when they arrived they found Dexter McCluney and Jareca McCluney, both 35 years old.

Before arriving, deputies learned that Dexter had an active felony warrant out of San Bernardino County. Upon arrival, deputies gave instructions to Dexter and Jareca. Jareca had a large dog on a leash. According to the news release, neither complied with the deputies' instructions, and Dexter reached into a backpack and pulled out a large knife.

Telling deputies he would not go to jail, Dexter started "inflicting bodily harm on himself with the knife" the report states. Jareca would not leave Dexter's side.

Members of the Riverside County Crisis Negotiation Team and the Riverside County K9 Team assisted and after hours of negotiations, Jareca and the dog were removed from the scene. At that point, "less-lethal devices" were deployed and Dexter was taken into custody.

Paramedics gave Dexter medical aid and he was transported to a local hospital with significant self-inflicted injuries. He will be booked and charged for exhibiting a weapon at a peace officer, resisting arrest and for his outstanding felony warrant. Jareca was also booked for resisting arrest.

It was all part of an unusual scene from approximately 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Monday. Some roads and nearby businesses were ordered to be closed during the standoff.

Riverside County sheriff's deputies search a woman before putting her in a cruiser Monday. The woman had been with a man who'd called police, then stabbed himself in the rear of the Starbucks at Highway 111 and Monterey Avenue in Palm Desert.
Riverside County sheriff's deputies search a woman before putting her in a cruiser Monday. The woman had been with a man who'd called police, then stabbed himself in the rear of the Starbucks at Highway 111 and Monterey Avenue in Palm Desert.

Deputies responded to the 73000 block of El Paseo at 10:28 a.m. to check the welfare of someone who called in making irrational statements to dispatch, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

The scene after a man stabbed himself Monday outside the Starbucks at the corner of Highway 111 and Monterey Avenue in Palm Desert.
The scene after a man stabbed himself Monday outside the Starbucks at the corner of Highway 111 and Monterey Avenue in Palm Desert.

A pool of blood was visible outside behind Starbucks, and the business was roped off with police tape and had a sign on the door saying it was closed until further notice. Otherwise, things returned to normal at the shopping center by about 1 p.m., with shoppers coming and going.

Jonathan Romero, a store associate at the Shoe City in a neighboring building in the shopping center, said he was shocked by the events. He said deputies didn’t tell anyone at his store to lock their doors, but they did it out of precaution and warned customers leaving that way.

“My thought was like, ‘What is going on?’ and ‘This is crazy,’” he said.

An employee at Blue Orchid Thai Cuisine next door to Starbucks told The Desert Sun at around 12:30 p.m. that officers at the scene had their guns pointed at a man on the patio for multiple hours.

However, the employee said moments later that it appeared the situation was now being de-escalated and the man was being taken away.

The employee, who said his first name was Jack but declined to give his last name, said he first heard about the incident when an employee at Starbucks called him and told him there was a commotion happening on the patio. The altercation appeared to involve multiple people, including a woman who had a dog with her and a man.

"That's when I came by, like at 11:30, and saw the squad cars and everyone lining up right there where the Starbucks is with their guns and everything," he said.

Jack said deputies had initially told the restaurant to close its doors but were later traveling through the restaurant to access the scene.

After the incident, Kevin Park was heading to a thrift store with a friend when they saw Starbucks taped off. Park said it was scary to hear about what had happened.

“Usually this is like a chill, nice spot where my grandparents live,” he said.

Desert Sun photojournalist Jay Calderon and City News Service contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Standoff near Palm Desert Starbucks ends after man stabs himself