Suicidal Middle Schooler With Knife At Playground Calmed Thanks To Officers Compassion And Training: Police

BEACON, NY — A tragic situation had a silver lining, thanks in large part to the compassion and training of officers on the scene.

On Sunday, at 4:08 PM, the Beacon Police Department received a 911 call for a middle-school-aged child who was suicidal and possibly in the process of harming themselves.

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The caller told police that the child may be at the playground of the South Avenue Elementary School. Officers arrived within minutes and soon located the child, who had a knife in hand. The first officer on the scene immediately told a nearby family using the playground to leave the area for their
safety and then began to calmly speak with the child, telling the child to put the knife down, which they did.

He then approached the child and made sure that there were no other weapons present and the child was uninjured.

After that the child was transported for mental health assistance.

If anyone is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call 911 or the New York State Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.