Despondent man, threatening to harm himself, taken to hospital to be evaluated

GALION — A reportedly despondent man who was threatening to harm himself, received treatment following a Wednesday afternoon incident on Second Avenue.

But not before Galion police and the Crawford County Special Response Team became involved. The incident was resolved peacefully about 2:30 p.m. No one was injured.

“We took every precaution to assure the safety of our officers, involved persons inside the residence and the neighborhood,” Galion Police Chief Brian Saterfield said in a news release. “Ultimately, the gentleman was safely transported to the hospital and all officers at the scene were safe.”

According to the news release, the Galion Police Department received a report of a possible suicidal man with a weapon in the 500 block of Second Avenue around 12:51 p.m. Tuesday.

A caller reported an elderly man was “despondent,” had access to a weapon and was contemplating committing suicide, according to the press release.

Galion officers tried to call the man on the phone, but were unable to do so.

Police later learned the man was not willing to leave the house to speak with officers, according to the press release.

The Crawford County Special Response Team was activated, and a negotiator from the Bucyrus Police Department came to the scene.

Shortly before 2:30 p.m., a family remember came out of the Second Avenue residence and told police where the man was located in the house. Members of the special response team entered the house and contacted the man “without incident,” according to the mew release.

No weapons were found in the house, according to the press release, and Galion EMS took the man to Galion Community Hospital to be evaluated.