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Suspicious person at Alumni Hall waves stick and flees

UPDATE – 3/31/15 at 4:00 p.m.

The suspicious person has not been found and patrol efforts have been suspended.

According to the police report, a witness observed the suspect walking through the parking lot with a long stick. The suspect stood by the flag pole and kept jamming the stick into the ground. When a visitor exited Alumni Hall, he raised the stick and slashed it through the air.

Another witness observed the suspect lean against the flag pole holding the stick. A visitor exited the building and walked towards the parking lot. Once the visitor passed the suspect, the witness observed him jam the stick into the ground. The witness called UNFPD because it seemed threatening.

According to the dispatched officer, the suspect kept raising the stick above his head and jabbing it into the ground. The officer present gave the suspect verbal commands to drop the stick. The suspect paced back and forth around the flagpole, ignoring the officer’s commands. The officer overheard him talk about “being sent here, he was from the cosmos and full of cosmos matter.”

The officer continued to ask the suspect to drop the stick, without compliance from the suspect. The suspect suddenly passed out and fell to the ground. When the officer present went to restrain him, the suspect got up and raised the stick again in a threatening manner.

At this point, the officer deployed his taser, striking the suspect’s chest. The suspect fell to the ground again. When the taser completed its cycle, the suspect got up again and raised the stick in a threatening manner.

The officer attempted to tase the suspect again, but it had no effect. Another officer arrived and attempted to deploy his taser, but missed the suspect.

The suspect fled and hit two cars. The two officers pursued him north, through Lot 60. The suspect ran down a service road and into the wooded area next to Alumni Hall.

Two JSO K-9 units attempted to track the suspect for a few hours but could not retrieve a good scent. Several JSO units arrived and helped to secure the area. The JSO air unit was requested but was not available.

***

UNFPD responded to a call this morning about a suspicious person in the parking lot of Alumni Hall, Building 60.

When approached by officers, the suspect waved the stick in a threatening manner at an officer and was tased.  Photo by Alex Wilson
When approached by officers, the suspect waved the stick in a threatening manner at an officer and was tased.
Photo by Alex Wilson

The suspicious person, a black male wearing khaki pants, a dark blue shirt and short dreadlocks according to an Osprey Update, was waving around a large stick.

When approached by officers, the suspect got “antsy,” waved the stick in a threatening manner at officer and was tased, Police Chief Frank Mackesy said. The suspect fell to the ground, got back up and fled north into the woods, parallel to Kernan Boulevard.

Officers set up a perimeter in the woods to the north and west of Alumni Hall. There is one JSO K-9 unit currently tracking the suspect and another on the way.

If the suspect is found, he will be arrested for aggravated assault for raising the stick at officers. Spinnaker will update as information becomes available.

For more information or news tips, contact [email protected]; if you see an error in this story or have any compliments or concerns, contact news@unfspinnaker.com.

*3/30/15 at 12:57 p.m. – Updated with edited video

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