Bloody Man With Knife Tased By Police In Coral Gables
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CORAL GABLES (CBSMiami) -- Coral Gables residents were put on edge after a bloodied man was carrying a weapon and reportedly chasing after cars.
It happened Thursday afternoon near the Publix at 2551 South LeJeune Road.
"I saw a man walking around with his tongue hanging out, throat cut, sliced arms," said Chris Fennel, who was working in the area. "He had a knife in his hand, blood dripping from the knife and from his hands."
Officers responded within a minute and confronted the man, believed to be in his 40's or 50's, covered in blood and a carrying a "six-inch blade."
"There was actually blood on the officer's car because the individual was then starting to charge the officers as they arrived," said Coral Gables Police Chief Edward J. Hudak. "The officers with the Coral Gables Police Department deployed their tasers. Several officers did."
Not only did the officers show restraint by not firing their weapons, they likely saved the man's life.
"After deploying their tasers several times to get him to drop the knife, they actually rendered first aid to the point where two officers applied a brachial artery stop to stop him from bleeding out from his wrists," Hudak noted.
Adding to the situation's difficulty, Chief Hudak said they received several 911 calls from people who thought it was a holiday prank.
"Like a Halloween movie," said Fennel. "That was the craziest thing I've ever seen. It gave me chills."
Police believe the wounds were self-inflicted and this was a suicide attempt. He was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition.