On October 5th, around 8:15 a.m., Evansville Police Officers were initially dispatched to the intersection of Negley Ave and Harlan Ave for a naked male who was standing in the middle of the roadway screaming and yelling. The caller updated Dispatch and said that the male was now on Joan Ave and chasing the caller down the street. The caller then reported that the male was on her car. Dispatch received a second call about the male screaming.
One of the first arriving officers was flagged down by neighbors in the area who told him that the male’s wallet was in the street. The officer checked the I.D. and reported the name to Dispatch. Dispatch told the officers that there was an alert that the male would fight with officers. There was another alert that the male speaks to people and sees things that are not there.
The first arriving officer saw the naked male in the middle of the roadway on Joan Ave. and exited his patrol car in full uniform. The officer gave clear commands to the male to stop and turn around. At first the male stopped, but then ran away from the officer as the officer approached him. Numerous people were standing outside during this incident.
Two more officers arrived on scene. All three officers on scene are Crisis Intervention Team members and were attempting to de-escalate the situation by giving clear commands. The officers blocked the roadway so the male could not run past them. One of the officers told the male that they were trying to get him help and to stop and get on the ground. The male stopped momentarily but then started running at one of the officers who was standing in front of him. At this time, the situation turned from non-compliance to active aggression. The officer who was standing behind the male deployed his CEW. The CEW deployment was successful and the male fell to the ground. Officers continued to try to gain control of the male’s arms so they could handcuff him but the male was uncooperative, pulled away from officers, and tried to get up off the ground. The officers were eventually able to gain control of the male without any other necessary force. AMR was called to transport the male to the hospital for further evaluation.
