Lisa Shields films escaped mental patient along Los Angeles Interstate 10 and posts on Instagram. What was thought to be Halloween prank was anything but.
A California woman has filmed eerie surreal footage showing what many fellow motorists thought must have simply been a Halloween prank– when in reality it was the visage of an escaped mental hospital patient bandaged like a mummy walking down a Los Angeles freeway with a knife in his hand.
Upon alerting law enforcement, Wednesday, Lisa Shields continued to drive slowly behind the strange man in front of her-only to later learn, when she handed in her cellphone footage- it was no stunt.
Shields said she was driving along Interstate 10– when she came across the bandage man walking along the route designed for slower moving traffic – which has as its starting point, Santa Monica all the way until it hits the California border of Arizona.
It was while pulling up next to the man that Shields realized something was amiss when she noticed the bandaged man’s eyes were closed as he continued ambling along the road. It’s then that Shields said she called 911.
‘This is f*cking crazy’ Shields is heard saying as she continues to film the eerie episode.
‘I’m pulling up parallel right beside him and his eyes are closed. His eyes are closed. I’m videoing it to make sure I’m getting it,’ said Shields.
It looked like a ‘Walking Dead scenario,’ added Shields.
Lisa Shields films escaped mental patient: This is not a Halloween prank.
Captioned Shields on her Instagram video, ‘This is NOT a Halloween prank. I called 911 and then CHP who confirmed it was not a prank and that this man was mentally ill’.
Posted Shields, ‘They said they picked him up and brought him back to the hospital. This man was carrying a knife and walking with his eyes closed down hwy 10 west. His head and left hand were bandaged. There’s another video that someone took and posted on @youtube and @reddit of the man ripping off his head bandages.’
‘This is just a bizarre coincidence like walking dead scenario. This guy is in the middle of the highway – even if it is a prank, he is not mentally sound,‘ Shields told Fox 11 upon spotting the man.
The un-named man was returned to Marina Del Rey hospital and placed on a 72-hour hold, the Los Angeles Times reported.
‘It was very intense. Height of traffic. People were honking – it was classic LA,’ Shields reflected of the episode.
Lisa Shields films escaped mental patient: The reality of mental illness and homelessness in Los Angeles.
Shields explained that seeing people who may have serious mental health issues putting themselves in danger is a regular occurrence in LA.
‘I mean this guy was from the hospital but there are a lot of guys like that we drive pass all the time that everyone drives past all the time,’ the woman said.
The LA Times reported in February that severe mental health issues are a leading contributor to the homeless epidemic in Los Angeles County.
According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority approximately one-third of the county’s 58,000 homeless people are mentally ill.
