Police recently carried out a warrant in search of Heather Locklear‘s gun, and their reasoning was related to the actress’ mental health.
According to the warrant, which was obtained by Radar, police feared the Melrose Place alum would attempt to commit “suicide by cop.”
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Locklear was arrested on Feb. 25 for domestic violence and battery on a police officer. During the incident, she apparently told officers, “If you ever come back to my house I will shoot you,” according to TMZ.
After that threat, Sheriff Keith Hall sought out a warrant to search Locklear’s property. He cited her mental instability, likelihood of future police response to her home and a registered gun in her name.
“Deputies have responded to her residence in regards to Locklear being reported as a suicidal subject,” Hall wrote. “Based on my training and experience, suicidal people have been known to commit ‘suicide by cop,’ where the subject intentionally provokes a lethal force encounter to force police to shoot him as a method of suicide. Due to the history of past police responses, there’s a high probability the police will respond again to Locklear’s home in the future.”
Hall added, “Her threat to shoot police the next time they respond to her home, coupled with her erratic, aggressive behavior toward law-enforcement, and the fact that there is a record that Locklear does own a firearm presents a legitimate threat to law enforcement.”
The firearm in question is a handgun registered in Locklear’s name that was bought in 1985.
The search was carried out on Tuesday, but officers did not find that handgun for any other weapons. Authorities are reportedly “re-grouping” to determine how to further pursue the investigation.
The Melrose Place actress is said to be in rehab in the wake of the arrest. She was allegedly intoxicated at the time of the arrest, but it unclear if her treatment is solely alcohol-related.
Sources close to Locklear have said that she was “spiraling out of control” ahead of the incident.
“When the police arrived, Heather was irate,” a source told Entertainment Tonight. “She was furious her brother got the police involved, and she was in no state to be able to have a normal thinking conversation. She was out of control. She was screaming at the police and went on the attack.
The source continued, “She physically fought the police and they had to handcuff her to control her. There were marks all over her boyfriend’s face, so they had no choice but to take her into custody. They said she seemed unstable and they wanted to take her for a psychological evaluation.”
Those same sources also claimed that friends wanted Locklear to receive treatment for her alcohol and drug abuse, which they described as “out of control.”
“Her friends and family are telling her it is time to go back to rehab,” the source added. “She needs it badly. It’s sad she lets things get this out of control before she gets help.”
Locklear and her representatives have not yet commented on the weapons search.
Photo Credit: ABC / Kelsey McNeal
