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Man threatens police with chainsaw during standoff, police say

By Paula Wethington

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    EATON RAPIDS, Michigan (WWJ) — A man threatened two Eaton Rapids police officers with a chainsaw Wednesday as they responded to a call, the department reported.

The man was taken to Eaton County Jail, and the case has been forwarded to the Eaton County Prosecutor’s office for review. His name was not released, pending arraignment.

Officers were sent about 11:30 a.m. that day to a home in the 500 block of Lake Street to investigate a possible violation of the city’s burning ordinance, the report said.

“After initial contact, the alleged suspect started a chainsaw and then threatened them with it,” the report said. The officers tried de-escalating the situation by talking him into dropping the chainsaw. The suspect eventually dropped the saw and began to flee.”

In response, police tried to use a Taser electric shock weapon. But the man ran into the home and barricaded himself in a bedroom.

Additional officers from the Eaton County Sheriff’s Office, the Charlotte Police Department and the Michigan State Police arrived to assist. The man refused to surrender, and then police forced their way into the bedroom.

“The suspect resisted but was taken into custody without injury to him or the officers,” the report added.

“I am very proud of the officers who handled this situation and am grateful neither they, the suspect or anyone else was harmed,” Eaton Police Chief Larry Joe Weeks said. “The officers used incredible restraint handling an incident that easily could have ended very differently.”

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