It's not something you see every day. A man standing on a shopping center rooftop, wearing nothing but a hospital gown, refusing to climb down.
Hanford Police evacuated the building and shut down several stores including Target, Marshalls, Old Navy and PetSmart.
Don, who didn't want to give his last name says he started watching the man at five in the morning. He was supposed to be remodeling Marshalls but his work was put on hold.
"It's crazy, he's slowing us up from work...trying to go to work, tired of just sitting here," Don added.
Randi Zable says the man is her uncle. She says he sneaked out of the hospital and climbed on the roof because he didn't want to go back. "I'm scared for him, I want to help him but they won't let us."
Deidre Vargas felt bad for the man but he also felt bad for his co-workers. He's a manager at Famous Footwear but he wasn't able to open the store.
"I mean right now is our busy time. We don't like to miss out on sales but we hope everything works out for this gentleman right here," Vargas said.
The hours dragged on and the sun scorched the shopping center. Negotiators offered the man water but he wouldn't take it.
Hanford resident, Mike Mainer said, "he's gotta be hot up there...doesn't look like he has pants on so those shingles have to be getting hot on his legs."
It took the man nine hours to give in. And even then, he slowly inched his way down. Ironically, the man was taken back to the hospital for a medical evaluation. Moments later, the shopping center was back in business.
Hanford Police would not comment on the man's mental health or why he escaped the hospital.
TXT 24
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