Smyrna Police Tase, Arrest Disrobing Man

Smyrna police have arrested a man they believe was on drugs when he threatened to kill people inside a local store before began taking his clothes off in the parking lot outside.

Police spokesman Officer Chris Graeff tells Patch that the suspect walked into a business at the shopping center located at the East-West Connector and South Cobb Drive at approximately 5:30 p.m. Thursday and threatened to kill several customers.

According to Graeff, the man then ran back into the parking lot and started taking his clothes off when he was encountered by police. The man charged at police, who had to use a taser on him before they could get handcuffs on him. Graeff added that the arresting officers strongly suspected that the man was under the influence of drugs at the time of his arrest.

The man was transported to WellStar Cobb Hospital in Austell and placed on a 72-hour hold in a psychiatric ward.

Graeff said that the police report was incomplete as of Friday afternoon, so he could not say which drugs the man was on or what charges are expected to be filed against him.