Police ease dangerous situation

Members of the Lorain Police Department diffused a situation that could have turned deadly Sept. 28.

According to a police report, officers were dispatched to a home in the 800 block of South Central Drive at 1:06 p.m. for a report of a woman who was locked out by her husband.

While the officers were on their way to the scene, they received word from LifeCare that there was a man at the address with a gun to his head, the report said.

When officers arrived, they found the 48-year-old man pacing in the yard with what was later discovered to be a .22-caliber F.I.E. Titan handgun in his hand. The man’s wife informed the officers that the man was delusional and had placed the handgun to his head, the report

said.

The man did not respond to the officer’s request that he calm down and speak with them, but he did drop the gun, the report said.

According to the report, one of the officers approached the man and placed his hand on the man’s shoulder. The officer could tell that the man was delusional because he continually said that people were out to get him, the report said.

The man was taken to the officer’s cruiser where he was sweating profusely and was out of breath, the report said. He continued to mention people that he believed were hiding in the bushes across the street and asked the police to question these people, the report said.

Officers spoke to the man’s wife, who told them that her husband has had drug problems as well as mental illness. She said that he had been suffering from paranoia and believed that people were trying to kill him, the report said.

Earlier that morning, his paranoia had gotten worse and he locked his wife out of the house, according to the report. When she attempted to move their car, the man kicked out a second story window of the house and held the pistol to his head, it said.

The woman told police that she believed he would have jumped out of that window, the report said.

The man was transported to Mercy Regional Medical Center, 3700 Kolbe Road, where he is being held for a psychological evaluation. He has not been charged.

Lorain police Capt. Roger Watkins said he is pleased with the outcome and the officers utilized their training to de-escalate the situation.

“We’re very happy with the way this situation turned out,” Watkins said. “A lot of our officers, including the two officers who initially responded this call, have had CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) training, where we are trained in how to deal with people going through psychotic episodes or have a mental illness.

“This could have been tragic, but I’m very happy that the officers who responded were patient and used discretion.”

COURTESY LORAIN POLICE DEPARTMENT This gun was recovered from the scene where a Lorain man was threatening to commit suicide Sept. 28. Officers were able to de-escalate the situation, and no one was injured.