“Use of force incident” involving Ozaukee County deputy sheriff, suspect in custody

GRAFTON, Wisconsin. – Ozaukee County officials took a man into custody Friday after a “mental health crisis” escalated into a “use of force incident,” the sheriff's office said.

It began around 11:40 a.m. with a call that the suspect had threatened to kill his family and rob a dentist's office in Grafton. Officers went to the caller's home, the dentist's office and the suspect's home to find the man.

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The sheriff's office said the suspect was experiencing a “mental health crisis” and had recently made several threats, including “suicide by cop.” The suspect was known to have access to multiple firearms and was said to be in a hostile mental state.

Officers eventually found the suspect as he attempted to leave a residence in his vehicle. When officers approached him, he got out, the sheriff's office said, and behaved in a “confrontational” manner — ignoring commands.

As the altercation escalated, an officer used a taser on the suspect, but it was ineffective. A “less-lethal impact weapon” was then used to subdue the suspect and take him into custody.

The suspect was taken to a local hospital for a medical evaluation and will be transferred to a psychiatric hospital for treatment of his mental health issues, the sheriff's office said.

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A charge of terroristic threats is pending, and additional charges may be filed as the investigation progresses.

The sheriff's office said there is no further threat to the community.