Now THIS is the way to handle mental health issues and police

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
Finally, a story with-a happy ending. I love the robot part.

NEWPORT NEWS
A 79-year-old Newport News man was arrested early this morning after a six-hour standoff with police at his home.

William Wells was charged with brandishing a firearm. No one was injured, and Wells surrendered peacefully around midnight after a standoff at his home on Morrison Avenue.

Police say Wells barricaded himself inside a house on Morrison and refused to come out. Police spokesman Lou Thurston said Wells is believed to be on several types of medication and was apparently hallucinating. His wife told police he had pulled a shotgun and a handgun on her and made statements she took as threats. She was able to flee the home around 5:40 p.m.

The Newport News fire department also responded to the scene, and a robot with a camera was sent into the home to determine the man's location inside.
 

klmno

Active Member
Thank goodness no one was hurt- I have a feeling it wouldn't have gone so well if that had happened here. I noticed that they sent more people to the home after I started telling them difficult child had MI because even though the police had received training by NAMI and were more conscious about "special" circumstances, they also have decided that it makes the situation more unpredictable and thereby warrants more people and weapons in order to protect the police themselves.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Well lets think about it, the cops knew ahead of time that this man was 79 years old and was on medications and was apparently hallucinating. I dont know if he was mentally ill or he could have alzheimers. They have hallucinations too. He could have suddenly thought he was back in some war.

If the cops wait him out, it will end on a good note.
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
I like the way this turned out. Like Witz, they would have shot him dead here also. In fact, there is a story about a man who was well known to have mental illness from years ago - in his 30's at the time. Apparently, his parents called the police on him because he was having a meltdown. When the police arrived, his mom pleaded with them not to shoot him, but to just subdue him. The man was swinging a large stick around and making threats at the police. Within 35 minutes, the man was dead. The police shot him because - and this is their defense - he was threatening them. **With a stick? Couldn't they have just shot him in the foot or something? Jeez.

Glad some police do not over react and actually listen to family members.
 
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