Woman with pellet gun wanted to die, police say

KINGSTON >> City police were able to prevent a woman from committing “suicide by cop” during an early morning incident Thursday, Detective Lt. Thierry Croizer said.

In a letter posted on Facebook, Croizer said that at 3:15 a.m,. Kingston police received a 911 call from a woman reporting shots fired in an apartment at 82 Cedar St. When officers arrived, they were confronted by a 22-year-old woman holding what appeared to be a handgun, he said.

Croizer said officers, while in the confined space of an apartment entryway, were able to convince the woman to put down the gun. The officers then were able to take the woman into custody without any injury, he said.

“After the female was taken into custody, it was determined that the gun was a pellet gun that was indiscernible from a real handgun,” Croizer said. “It was also learned that the initial intent of the female was to commit ‘suicide by cop.’” He said the woman instead was taken to Health-Alliance Hospital for evaluation and treatment.

The woman’s name was not provided.

Croizer said the officers were faced by a person in emotional crisis and acting in a dangerous manner. He said if it had not been for the extensive training the officers regularly receive, the situation could have had a much different result.