Rubber bullets used in arrest of man with hatchet at Sterling Heights restaurant

Man taken to hospital for mental health evaluation

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. โ€“ Police have released bodycam footage of the arrest of a man armed with a hatchet in Sterling Heights.

According to authorities, the man was waving around a hatchet inside a restaurant on Van Dyke Avenue, near 18 Mile Road.

โ€œHe was wavering around a hatchet within the business, scaring customers and employees,โ€ said Lt. Mario Bastianelli.

Officers encountered the man as he was leaving and he allegedly made threats toward the police. Bastianelli said the man was experiencing a mental breakdown and police de-escalated the situation by reasoning with the man and trying to convince him to put down the hatchet.

โ€œHe was creating great dialogue with them and de-escalating. Funny enough, heโ€™s one of our brand new officers, technically in training,โ€ Bastianelli said of one of the officers. โ€œBut clearly, his experience and many many years being in law enforcement was able to allow him to handle that situation.โ€

While the officer spoke with the man, another officer took the opportunity to use a rubber bullet to subdue him and drop the hatchet.

โ€œWithin a second, that can turn into a deadly force incident,โ€ Bastianelli said. โ€œOur officers, if they donโ€™t react quick enough, they could end up getting struck with that weapon.โ€

The man was taken into custody and transported to a hospital for a mental health evaluation.

The investigation is ongoing.


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