About two hours of negotiations between the St. Joseph Department of Public Safety and a suicidal man have ended peacefully with him being rushed to Lakeland Hospital for evaluation. Officers were called to a home in the 800 block of Wolcott, just west of Niles Road, at 7:30 Friday morning on a report of a barricaded and suicidal man. He had cut the gas line to the home and had poured gasoline throughout. Neighbors were evacuated, and others in the area were told to shelter in place during the talks. While on FaceTime with the negotiator, the man lit the house on fire and firefighters and officers went in to save him. St. Joseph Public Safety was assisted by the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department, Medic 1 ambulance, the Lincoln Township Fire Department, Michigan State Police, and Michigan Gas Utilities.
Photo courtesy of Rusty Schrubba
