Oakland police fire at man armed with golf clubs

Oakland police fired shots early Saturday while subduing a mentally disturbed man armed with golf clubs in the city’s San Antonio neighborhood, authorities said.

No one was struck by the gunfire, which marked the first time Oakland police had fired their weapons in 20 months, authorities said.

The confrontation happened at a home on the 2100 block of East 17th Street about 12:10 a.m.

A woman called police, saying her mentally ill 24-year-old son was armed with a golf club and tried to hit her, authorities said. She reported that she had locked herself and other family members in a room.

Officers arrived and asked for more backup as a confrontation erupted with the man, who tried to hit officers with two golf clubs, police said. Officers tried to stun the man with their Tasers, but the probes didn’t hit him, police said.

“The suspect continued his attempts to strike the officers,” said Officer Johnna Watson, a department spokeswoman. “One of the officers discharged (a) firearm.”

The man wasn’t hit and was taken into custody. No officers were hurt.

Police had their body cameras activated during the incident, and investigators were reviewing the footage, Watson said.

Although no one was hurt in the incident, the shooting is under investigation by the department, Watson said.

“We recognize there are circumstances that require the use of potentially lethal force and the Oakland Police Department continues to value human life and the community we serve,” police officials said.

Henry K. Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: hlee@sfchronicle.com