Arden-Arcade neighbors push for safety solutions after man seen with knife is arrested twice

Residents in an Arden-Arcade neighborhood say they are still shaken after doorbell camera video showed a man carrying a knife and approaching homes, an incident that has drawn widespread attention and raised questions about why he was initially released from custody.The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said 56-year-old Brian Mattson was seen Thursday evening approaching homes on La Sierra Drive with a knife in his hand.Deputies arrested Mattson on Saturday morning, but investigators determined they could only book him on a criminal trespassing charge, according to the sheriff’s office.Lt. Amar Gandhi of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said deputies asked probation officials to place a probation violation hold on Mattson because he is on felony probation, but that request was initially denied.“We asked probation for a probation violation to hopefully keep him in custody longer. That was declined,” Gandhi said. “So he was out within, I want to say, about 90 minutes or so. So he got in and out of jail super fast.”Neighbors said the release added to their frustration and concern.“With all the national press that this has gotten in the last 72 hours, the story seems to be changing a little bit,” neighbor Michael Deauville said. “And we just want the community to know kind of where we stand on the issues at stake.”Deauville said the incident has pushed residents to better understand how the justice system works and where breakdowns may have occurred.“It makes us want to dive back in understanding how the system works, because clearly there’s a system in place here that I will admit I’m not as familiar with 48 or 72 hours ago as I feel like I am now,” Deauville said. “But there are a lot of pieces of this pie, and it’s so easy to point the finger at one individual group where maybe there was a lapse in judgment or something that could have been done better.”After Mattson was released, the sheriff’s office distributed his photo to the public for safety awareness and asked anyone who may have been a victim or had information about him to come forward.Hours later, deputies responded to another trespassing call involving Mattson near Fair Oaks Boulevard and San Lucas Way, according to the sheriff’s office. This time, a probation violation hold was approved, and Mattson was taken back into custody.Deauville said residents see the case as exposing a broader problem.“This is a systemic failure, we believe, and we want to learn from it and make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said.KCRA 3 repeatedly contacted Sacramento County Probation by phone and email for comment on the initial decision not to place a hold on Mattson, but did not receive a response.Even so, Deauville said neighbors are trying to focus less on blame and more on practical steps to improve safety.“The sheriff’s office has been in contact with many community members and neighbors, pointing out suggestions on how we can be sure this doesn’t happen, but also making sure we feel safe moving forward,” he said.Residents are now organizing to strengthen neighborhood communication and discuss forming a community watch group, Deauville said.“We have a future date coming up with local members of our local area and our neighborhood to kind of sit down and talk about this,” he said.He added that the incident has highlighted the need for neighbors to be prepared in the time between calling 911 and deputies arriving.“Knowing how we can protect ourselves and make sure that our community members and neighbors are safe is important until the experts arrive,” Deauville said.Mattson remained in jail and was ineligible for bail Sunday night. He is expected to appear in court on Tuesday afternoon.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Residents in an Arden-Arcade neighborhood say they are still shaken after doorbell camera video showed a man carrying a knife and approaching homes, an incident that has drawn widespread attention and raised questions about why he was initially released from custody.

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said 56-year-old Brian Mattson was seen Thursday evening approaching homes on La Sierra Drive with a knife in his hand.

Deputies arrested Mattson on Saturday morning, but investigators determined they could only book him on a criminal trespassing charge, according to the sheriff’s office.

Lt. Amar Gandhi of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said deputies asked probation officials to place a probation violation hold on Mattson because he is on felony probation, but that request was initially denied.

“We asked probation for a probation violation to hopefully keep him in custody longer. That was declined,” Gandhi said. “So he was out within, I want to say, about 90 minutes or so. So he got in and out of jail super fast.”

Neighbors said the release added to their frustration and concern.

“With all the national press that this has gotten in the last 72 hours, the story seems to be changing a little bit,” neighbor Michael Deauville said. “And we just want the community to know kind of where we stand on the issues at stake.”

Deauville said the incident has pushed residents to better understand how the justice system works and where breakdowns may have occurred.

“It makes us want to dive back in understanding how the system works, because clearly there’s a system in place here that I will admit I’m not as familiar with 48 or 72 hours ago as I feel like I am now,” Deauville said. “But there are a lot of pieces of this pie, and it’s so easy to point the finger at one individual group where maybe there was a lapse in judgment or something that could have been done better.”

After Mattson was released, the sheriff’s office distributed his photo to the public for safety awareness and asked anyone who may have been a victim or had information about him to come forward.

Hours later, deputies responded to another trespassing call involving Mattson near Fair Oaks Boulevard and San Lucas Way, according to the sheriff’s office. This time, a probation violation hold was approved, and Mattson was taken back into custody.

Deauville said residents see the case as exposing a broader problem.

“This is a systemic failure, we believe, and we want to learn from it and make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said.

KCRA 3 repeatedly contacted Sacramento County Probation by phone and email for comment on the initial decision not to place a hold on Mattson, but did not receive a response.

Even so, Deauville said neighbors are trying to focus less on blame and more on practical steps to improve safety.

“The sheriff’s office has been in contact with many community members and neighbors, pointing out suggestions on how we can be sure this doesn’t happen, but also making sure we feel safe moving forward,” he said.

Residents are now organizing to strengthen neighborhood communication and discuss forming a community watch group, Deauville said.

“We have a future date coming up with local members of our local area and our neighborhood to kind of sit down and talk about this,” he said.

He added that the incident has highlighted the need for neighbors to be prepared in the time between calling 911 and deputies arriving.

“Knowing how we can protect ourselves and make sure that our community members and neighbors are safe is important until the experts arrive,” Deauville said.

Mattson remained in jail and was ineligible for bail Sunday night. He is expected to appear in court on Tuesday afternoon.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel