SWAT Standoff at Emerson Hospital Helicopter Landing Pad

• Subscribe to Concord Patch news alerts

Concord police on Friday morning said they engaged in a standoff with a knife-wielding suicidal man at Emerson Hospital.

The 59-year-old Pepperell man threatened to harm himself and others during the two-hour standoff, which ended peacefully when he surrendered, police said.

The man, whose name was not released, was then transferred inside the hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.

The standoff began at about 8:30 a.m. when officers responded to the hospital after the man’s relatives said he was distraught and threatening to hurt himself and others, police said. The man ran to the hospital’s helicopter landing pad and when officers approached, he pulled out a knife, police said.

The North Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC) SWAT Team was called to the scene. A NEMLEC negotiator and Concord Police Sgt. Christopher Troian talked with the man, who surrendered peacefully after about two hours.

“This is an example of quick work by police, using specialized units and advanced training to save life today,” Police Joseph Chief O’Connor said in a statement. “The arrival of the NEMLEC SWAT Team and a trained negotiator helped de-escalate this situation. I am proud of the partnerships that the Concord Police Department has established with its partner agencies, and I am relieved to report that no one was hurt during an incident that could have been much worse.”

--------------------------

Recent Concord police/fire news

• Missing Concord Girl Found Safe
• Concord Police Log: OUI Arrest; Aggressive Dog; Girl Rides on Hood of SUV
• Concord Firefighters Rescue Deer Stuck in Ice
• Concord Police Log: ‘Break-In’ Turns Out to Be Loud TV; Movers, Neighbor Dispute; Suspicious Man Photographs Mailbox
• Credit Card Thief Caught After Hitting Same Gym a Third Time, Concord Police Say

--------------------------

Photo credit: WHDH