A man is undergoing a mental health evaluation after he had a crisis while armed outside two Lemoyne businesses, according to police.
West Shore Regional Police Chief Anthony Minium said his officers were called to South Tenth Street near the Hepfers Ace Hardware and a Members First Credit Union around 12:15, for a man with a gun.
Once there, officers could tell the man was in mental health distress but did also have a loaded gun, Minium said. The man, who was not identified by police, also had his dog with him, which he was holding.
“We built a rapport but surrounded him to make sure he didn’t have an avenue to escape,” Minium said. One of his officers, the department’s Assistant Chief John Friel, sat on the ground and talked to the man.
Around them, the store and bank were closed and police blocked the roads, to create a safety zone, Minium said. The closures lasted about an hour.
The officers were able to de-escalate the situation through the conversation without any force needed, Minium said, other than putting their hands on the man to arrest him. There were no injuries to the man, any community members or officers.
Police have learned that the gun was being carried legally and that there was no known history of mental health conditions with the man.
The man is being evaluated, which will determine whether or not charges will be filed.
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