CHICAGO — A man faces felony charges after a confrontation in which a Chicago firefighter struck him with a Halligan tool after an officer’s TASER deployment was ineffective, WGN reports.
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The incident happened around 11:45 a.m. on Nov. 1 in the Grand Crossing neighborhood.
Witnesses said they had just left church when they saw a man who appeared to be experiencing a mental health crisis and called 911 out of concern for his well-being, according to CBS Chicago.
Witness Cherokee Mahomes began recording as the man approached a police officer holding a TASER, CBS Chicago reports.
“He walked up on her first, she told him, like, ‘Back up,’ she moved back,” Mahomes told CBS Chicago.
Police said the man ignored the officer’s verbal commands. Bystander video shows the suspect approaching the firefighter and appearing to wind up for a punch before continuing to chase him. As he advanced toward the firefighter, the officer deployed a TASER, which was ineffective, WGN reports. The firefighter then struck him with a Halligan tool.
The man fell to the ground and appeared to lose consciousness, WGN reports. Later video shows him alert as additional officers arrive and take him into custody for medical treatment.
Mahomes said the firefighter checked on the man after striking him.
“He swung the weapon and he protected himself,” she told CBS Chicago.
The suspect, identified as Lamar Brown, 32, was charged with one felony count of aggravated battery of a judge or EMT and one felony count of aggravated assault of a peace officer, firefighter or ER worker, WGN reports.
Brown also had eight outstanding warrants, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
