Incredible video shows California police subduing meat-cleaver-wielding hostage taker without firing a shot

Surveillance video captured by police in Salinas, California, shows officers amazingly subduing a woman who had taken a hostage with a meat cleaver, without firing a shot.

The video, which was released by KPIX-TV, shows an unidentified woman who was conducting some business at the police station front desk around 4:10pm local time on Wednesday. As she turned to leave, she was accosted by a woman who police have identified as 22-year-old Mariel Capulong.

Capulong grabbed the woman around the neck and appeared to hold her hostage by holding a meat cleaver to her neck.

Police have not yet indicated whether Capulong knew the woman she took hostage, whether she made demands, or has indicated any rationale for her actions.

The video shows that multiple officers then approached Capulong with weapons drawn. According to the Salinas Police, the officers were instructing Capulong to put the weapon down.

At this point, the would-be-hostage took matters into her own hands and somehow slipped out of Capulong's grasp. Capulong, confused, can be seen wavering between her hostage and police. At this point, one of the officers holstered his weapon, and walked toward Capulong, incapacitating her with a taser.

Police then arrested Capulong without further incident. The would-be-hostage was uninjured, and Capulong received minor injuries from the taser.

Assistant Salinas Police Chief Roberto Filice praised his officers in a tweet that included the video, saying, "Great de-escalation tactics by officers and civilian personnel."

According to KPIX, Capulong has been charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment, and assault with a deadly weapon.