MASSILLON, Ohio — A man who was repeatedly yelled "shoot me" to a Massillon police was shocked by a Taser instead, preventing a potential suicide by cop scenario in a restaurant parking lot.
Officers believe a recent change in the type of Taser technology the department uses allowed an officer to stick with a Taser longer to deescalate the situation rather than fire a gun.
The incident started around 11 p.m. on June 12 when officers where called to Williams Ave NE where witnesses said a man was threatening to shoot a woman, but the 25-year-old suspect took off in an SUV.
A short time later, Sgt. Anthony Crabtree heard yelling coming from the south of the residence and spotted the suspect in the parking lot of Dairy Queen on Wales Road NE.
"The male turns towards me and starts telling me to shoot him, yelled several times "Shoot me! Shoot me!" (while) walking towards me on foot," Crabtree said.
Crabrtree said he didn't consider pulling his gun because he could see the suspect didn't have anything in his hands. The officer yelled repeatedly, "Get down on the ground!"
Body-worn camera footage obtained by News 5 shows Crabtree deploy a cartridge with two darts from a Taser.
"The first Taser deployment wasn't effective. He continued forward at that point," he said.
The video shows the suspect run towards his car and another officer who had arrived on the scene. That's when Crabtree deployed a second cartridge.
"At that point, I deployed a second cartridge which was effective. The male fell to the ground and we were able to take him into custody," Crabtree said.
Officers then searched the man's SUV and found a loaded gun in the backseat.
Lt. Nicholas Antonides said that while the situation was disturbing, it also ended without any serious injuries.
"It was somewhat textbook for me. It was textbook for us. It was a perfect application of that less-lethal tool.
Antonides believes a possible suicide by cop situation was avoided because the department started using Tasers with two cartridges within the last two months. Previously, the Tasers the officers carried had only one cartridge.
"The deployment of the Taser prevented him from further injury," Antonides said. "It could have potentially saved his life."
Crabtree realizes he had to make "split-second decisions" and he's grateful for the way the situation ended, noting he's not sure if the suspect was going for the gun in the car before he was shocked. The officer is also relieved that he had two chances to deploy the Taser.
"If there's not a good connection, it gives you that option to fire again," Crabtree said. "It could have ended much differently."
The suspect was booked into the Stark County jail on multiple charges, including felonious assault and domestic violence.
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