Police: Man tries to stab pharmacist with scissors

A Costa Mesa man who tried to stab a pharmacist Friday told police the act was an effort to get police officers to kill him, police said.

Thirty-seven-year-old Kristopher Neil Jersted entered a Longs Drug Store in the 100 block of East 17th Street, approached the pharmacist, Claude Anthony Chiaculas, 49, of Costa Mesa, and repeatedly tried to stab him with scissors, police said. Chiaculas was able to get the scissors away from Jersted, police said, who was detained until police arrived. Chiaculas was not injured in the incident.

Jersted told police that he is suffering from cancer and is depressed; he thought if he stabbed someone, police officers would kill him, police said.

Jersted was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. He is being held at Orange County Jail on $25,000 bail.