Woman threatens to shoot police

An armed woman, apparently despondent over money, held Carson City police and a neighborhood at bay Monday night for more than an hour before being taken into custody by police.

"This at least had a happy ending because no one got hurt," said Chief Deputy Scott Burau.

At about 7 p.m., Edmonds Road was blocked from Stafford to Desatoya drives and homes evacuated surrounding FitzHenry's Funeral Home as the unnamed 42-year-old woman sat in her car and periodically pointed a .38 caliber revolver at officers.

Police say the woman, who was upset over the firing of her husband from FitzHenry's in July, shouted for police to come to the vehicle, but threatened to shoot anyone who tried.

A deputy gently spoke into a bullhorn, repeatedly asking the woman to drop her weapon and put her hands up. She had fired one shot through the front windshield of her 2002 Hyundai

An hour into the standoff, the woman drove to the rear of the funeral home, tossing the gun from the vehicle.

Officers on foot carrying rifles and others in patrol cars pursued her around the building.

She then turned her vehicle around and was heading toward an armed officer when two deputies pulled the woman through the driver's side window, a witness said.

As she was being taken into custody, the woman shouted, "FitzHenry's ruined us!"

She was transported to Carson-Tahoe Hospital for a mental evaluation, Burau said.

"The individual involved here tonight was having a tough time with reality and looking for a way out," Burau said. He was pleased with the way officers handled the situation, saying their biggest asset was the amount of time they spend "listening" to the woman.

"Our officers gave her a chance to vent," he said.