This update includes photos of two knives that were recovered at the scene. No gun was located.
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The suspect who was taken to the hospital on a Police Officer Hold is Sean Katterle, 47. He was served a citation for Attempted Burglary in the First Degree, Criminal Mischief in the First Degree, Attempted Assault on a Law Enforcement Animal, Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon, Felon in Possession of Body Armor. He is required to appear in court at a later date.
A photo of the body armor he was seen wearing is attached. A knife was also recovered.
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Just before 6:00a.m., officers with SERT were able to safely take the subject into custody without using additional force. He was able to walk out with officers to a waiting ambulance and is being transported to a hospital on a Police Officer Hold.
Officers will be working in the area for a couple more hours continuing the investigation and removing equipment, so Northwest Cornell Road will remain closed during that process. The hiking trails are being reopened now, however hikers may encounter officers still working near the intersection of Wildwood and Lower Macleay trails.
The identity of the subject will be released if he is charged with a crime. The investigation is still ongoing.
The entire event lasted about 22 hours.
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Over 17 hours since first contact with an armed subject who has had a recent history of threatening behavior, he continues to defy efforts to take him into custody and get him medical help. In addition to the multiple confrontations with community members Saturday, he has been the subject of at least 8 calls of similar behavior in the past week. It's believed that he is in crisis, that he is an immediate danger to the community, and the intention is to take him to a hospital on a Police Officer Hold for a mental health evaluation.
After protracted negotiation, including offering water, food, changes of clothing, and recorded messages from friends and family, the subject has resisted efforts to get him help. Specially trained crisis negotiators have been in almost constant communication with him. A mental health professional assigned to CNT has been on scene assisting them.
He continues to threaten with knives and claim he has a gun. No gun has been seen by officers, but there's enough concern he could have a gun that officers have stayed at a safe distance. He is also believed to be wearing some kind of body armor. Additionally, the event has been complicated by steep and rugged terrain and remote location that has made communications difficult. Due to the unusually complicated set of circumstances, the Critical Incident Commander continues to use time and distance as a tactic, hoping to avoid precipitating an armed confrontation. After multiple warnings, force options have also been attempted, including OC (pepper) spray and impact munition, pepper balls, CS (tear) gas, and a 40mm less-lethal foam baton launcher. A K9 unit was deployed but he tried to stab the dog with one of his knives. None of these efforts has been effective.
In the meantime, Northwest Cornell Road remains closed in the area of the Audubon Society, between Northwest 30th Avenue and Northwest 53rd Drive. Additionally, community members are asked to avoid the south end of Forest Park until after the incident is resolved. Specifically, Wildwood and Lower Macleay Trails between Northwest Upshur Street (Lower Macleay Park) and Northwest Cornell Road.
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Specially trained officers are still communicating with the subject barricaded in an area of Forest Park. Photos of the command post and Crisis Negotiation Team are attached.
Officers believe that the person is in crisis, is armed, and threatening both officers and the general public. Because he is believed to be armed, officers are using time as a tactic and trying not to force a confrontation if it's avoidable.
Northwest Cornell Road remains closed. Travelers are asked to use an alternate route such as West Burnside Street.
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A man is barricaded in a remote part of Forest Park after an attempted burglary where the suspect made threats with knives.
On Saturday, August 15, 2020 at 6:54a.m., Central Precinct officers were dispatched to a report of someone trying to break into an occupied home in the 2800 block of Northwest Thurman Street. The caller reported that there may have been a gunshot fired outside.
Then, a short time later, calls came in from the Lower Macleay Trail on the south end of Forest Park that a man was holding two knives and following hikers telling them to turn around and leave.
Officers located the suspect near the intersection of Lower Macleay Trail and Wildwood Trail. He produced two knives and began walking toward the officers. An officer deployed a less-lethal foam tipped round and that stopped his advance, but he turned and ran, going down a steep embankment and stopping at what appears to be a campsite. Officers communicated with him from a distance and he claimed to have a gun and said he would shoot the officers.
Officers believe that the suspect is the same subject who was the result of multiple calls this week in the same area, many involving threats with knives. Due to extreme concern about the safety of the public, the officers, and the subject, the Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) and the Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) responded. Specially trained officers are negotiating with the subject attempting to have him come out peacefully.
The incident has forced a closure of Northwest Cornell Road at the Audubon Society, between Northwest 30th Avenue and Northwest 53rd Drive. Forest Park is closed on the south end during this incident. Specific closure area is Wildwood and Lower MacLeay Trails between Northwest Upshur Street and Northwest Cornell Road.
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