On Aug. 2, 2024, at about 9 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) deputies were dispatched to the Cher-Ae Heights Casino in Trinidad for the report of a disturbance.

Upon arrival, deputies made contact with casino security who claimed that a subject named Michael Black was acting erratically and had made threats to both casino employees and citizens. Black claimed he had a firearm and brandished a chainsaw as well as a pipe during the altercation.  

Black fled the scene before the deputies arrived. On Aug. 3, 2024, a concerned citizen located Black in Trinidad area and called HCSO. Deputies subsequently responded and took Black into custody without incident.

This case is still under investigation.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

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