Suicidal Man Who Wanted To Die By Cop Is Safely Taken Into Custody Without Harm

September 11, 2016

Santa Rosa Beach, Fla— A man armed with a butcher knife and threatening suicide is taken into custody without injury Sunday night.

Walton County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the suspect’s home on Markon Boulevard in Santa Rosa Beach just after 6 o’clock. Deputies had been to the home Saturday on two separate occasions. On Sunday night, the man appeared extremely agitated as he held a large knife to his throat and repeatedly told deputies on scene he wanted to die by “suicide by cop.”

WCSO Negotiators were brought in and SWAT was put on standby. After more than an hour of talking with the man he grew increasingly agitated and attempted to approach deputies. The man was tased and deputies used a less than lethal beanbag round to take the man into custody. He was transported to the hospital for precautionary measures and will be Baker Acted.

“This was the result of the extensive training our deputies go through dealing with the mentally ill and less lethal tactics,” said Sheriff Michael Adkinson. “Without that training, situations like this would go very differently.

“They had poise and were able to diffuse the situation with professionalism.”