By Allen Edmonds
Just before midnight Wednesday night, a Belton Police officer was forced to subdue a 22-year-old male armed with a hatchet and threatening to harm someone he was on the phone with, or officers if they approached him.
At approximately 11:28 p.m. Wednesday, officers were dispatched to the 1200 block of Toulouse after receiving a report of an agitated male carrying a hatchet.
Officers located the man walking in the street and attempted to speak with him, but the man did not answer. Because there were no other civilians present, officers decided to follow the man and continue trying to speak with him and resolve the situation.
He would not engage in any conversation with officers, according to Lt. Dan Davis of the Belton Police Department. However, they did hear him threatening to harm someone he was on the phone with, or officers if they approached.
At that time, a Belton officer fired several rounds of less-than-lethal ammunition at the suspect, which allowed them to take him into custody safely.
He was taken into custody near the intersection of M-58 Highway and Bel-Ray Blvd. and transported to a local hospital for treatment. The suspect's injuries are not considered life-threatening.
The suspect's identity will not be released until formal charges are filed in the case, which is standard procedure.