Man armed with hatchet prompts police response in Sterling Heights

Sterling Heights police Thursday released videos of their response last week to a man having a mental crisis while armed with a hatchet.

Officials said they took the man to a hospital for a mental evaluation after they subdued him.

Officers were called at about 12:15 p.m. Friday to the Fuddrucker's restaurant on Van Dyke Avenue and 18 Mile Road for a report of a disorderly person armed with a hatchet or axe-like weapon.

Police arrived and found a man outside of the restaurant with a weapon, officers' body camera video shows.

The man refused to comply with officers' repeated commands to drop the hatchet, according to the footage.

After the man threatened himself and the police, officers used a non-lethal weapon to subdue him.

Video shows officers taking the man into custody. Officials said neither he nor the officers were injured in the encounter.

"The individual, who was clearly suffering from mental illness, was transported to the hospital for a mental petition," Sterling Heights police said in a statement. "Due to the outstanding job by our officers, a very dangerous situation was controlled and no one was hurt. Furthermore, the subject obtained much-needed treatment at the hospital."

cramirez@detroitnews.com

X: @CharlesERamirez