Police disarm man with crossbow

Police responded to a suicidal man with a crossbow at approximately 1 p.m. Monday, Bloomington Police Department Sgt. Joe Crider said.

Officers observed the 52-year-old man sitting in his living room on the 1700 block of South Park Avenue with a loaded crossbow. Police made contact with him through an open door at the residence, Crider said.

The man, who had a history of suicide attempts and suffers from a mental disorder, reportedly told officers that “time was running out,” Crider said. The man said he wanted officers to enter his residence, but they declined his request as he would not put down the crossbow.

At least eight police officers created a perimeter around the residence to prevent him from leaving as well as to protect the public in the event of a crossbow firing, Crider said.

Due to the man’s statements and prior history of suicide attempts, an officer trained in non-lethal ammunition was called to the scene. The specialist fired a sponge round from a 40-millimeter launcher through the front door, striking the man in the lower leg.

The arrow fell from the crossbow immediately after, allowing officers to quickly enter the situation and place the man in custody, Crider said.

The suspect was taken to IU Health for evaluation and treatment.

— Jeff LaFave