Mom Thanks Cops For Sparing Son's Life By Giving Cards, Stuffed Animals
CHICAGO (STMW) -- A heartwarming yet bittersweet story about a police encounter in south suburban Dolton this week.
Dolton Police Chief John Franklin says it happened Wednesday night when officers got a call about "a man with a gun" on 140th and Indiana. Moments later, the officers had the 21-year-old man in custody.
"Fortunately nobody did have a gun," Franklin said.
What did become clear was the young man had recently been released from prison, and was depressedn and was trying to commit "suicide by police," according to Franklin.
Instead, officers took him to a hospital for a mental evaluation. The man's mother was very grateful.
"She actually stopped by the station, and she brought two stuffed animals for the officers, and she brought them both Hallmark cards, where she wrote on each of them, 'Thank you for sparing my son's life,'" Franklin said.
The chief said it was nice of the mother to take the time to do that. He said his officers are very well-trained, and give good police service.
Of the two officers involved, one was on his first day on the job as a part-time officer, according to Franklin. The other had had to shoot and kill a man who was pointing two guns at him in August.