(CBS) — A scuffle at the Leighton criminal courts building sent a sheriff’s deputy to the hospital Thursday.

CBS 2’s Roseanne Tellez reports it has probation officers renewing calls for more staff.

The offices of the adult probation department in the basement of the criminal courts building were cleared after a mental health probationer became hostile and grabbed at a deputy’s gun.

Jim Dunaway, president of the union representing probation officers, says officers who were there told him they got the scare of their lives.

“Some got under their desks and hid,” he says. “It was chaos.”

Dunaway says today’s incident only highlights the issues facing probation officers who are overworked and understaffed. He says an intern was handling the probationer’s case Thursday — something he says should never happen.

“We have to have more staff to effectively supervise probationers,” Dunaway says.

Sheriff’s police say the officer had a hand on his weapon the whole time but confirm the probationer made a grab for it. They are seeking charges against him.