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SEARCHEaton Rapids Police officers confronted a man about suspected illegal burning, but he then cranked a chainsaw and threatened them. They de-escalated the situation, but the man fled into his home and barricaded himself inside.
When two Eaton Rapids Police officers were faced with an armed man wielding a chainsaw and threatening them with it, they successfully de-escalated the confrontation. But upon dropping the saw, he fled into his home and barricaded in a bedroom.
Chief Larry Joe Weeks of the Eaton Rapids Police Department said the two officers and firefighters responded to an area Wednesday morning to investigate a possible violation of the city’s burning ordinance.
They encountered a 44-year-old man, after which he started the chainsaw and threatened the officers with it, the chief said in a statement . Officers attempted to de-escalate by asking the man to put down the saw.
Eventually, he dropped the chainsaw and ran from the officers. They deployed an electronic control weapon but were unsuccessful in preventing the man from running inside his home. Once inside, he barricaded himself in a bedroom.
Officers, assisted by the Eaton County Sheriff’s Office, Charlotte Police Department, and the Michigan State Police, entered the residence. The suspect refused to surrender and forcible entry was made into the bedroom.
“I am very proud of the officers who handled this situation and am grateful neither they, the suspect or anyone else was harmed. The officers used incredible restraint handling an incident that easily could have ended very differently,” Weeks said.
Charges are being requested through the Eaton County Prosecutors Office for felonious assault and resisting and obstructing an officer.