Man Threatens To Kill Child, Mom In Unincorporated Deerfield: Sheriff

UNINCORPORATED DEERFIELD, IL — Police are crediting de-escalation techniques used in two separate incidents over the span of several days for preventing potentially deadly incidents in unincorporated Deerfield and Volo.

In the first incident, which occurred Tuesday in unincorporated Deerfield, the Lake County Sheriff's Office was called to a home for a report of an armed man having a mental episode. A 911 caller said they were fearful the man was going to kill his child and the child's mother, who were both in the home.

Upon arrival, police were able to get the woman and child out of the home. The man had barricaded himself in a bathroom with a firearm. Police spent nearly two hours "calmly" talking to the man in an effort to deescalate the situation. Eventually, the man agreed to ext the bathroom, leaving the gun behind. He was then taken to an area hospital for a mental health evaluation and treatment.

Police recovered a semi-automatic pistol from the bathroom, which was then placed into evidence.

Two days later, on Thursday, police responded to a home in Volo for a man threatening suicide. When police arrived at the home, the man retrieved a knife and moved to a different area of the home.

Deputies from the Lake County Sheriff's Office said they spoke to the man "in a calm manner" and he then requested to speak to a military combat veteran. Police were able to accommodate the request and the man spoke to an off-duty member of the department, who is a combat veteran, by phone.

Police were able to deescalate the situation and convince the man to go to the hospital for a mental health evaluation and treatment.

Following the incidents, Lake County Sheriff's deputies used the "Clear & Present Danger" protocol through the Illinois State Police and "Red Flag" laws through the local court system to ensure both people in crisis do not have access to firearms.

"We place a major emphasis on de-escalation versus rushing to use force. If it were not for the calm disposition of our deputies, along with their desire to be community caretakers, combined with our enhanced training – these situations could have ended in tragedy," Sheriff John D. Idleburg said in a statement. "This is just another one of the many reasons I am proud to serve alongside the men and women of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office."