Despite hours of negotiations, a man died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound that occurred while he was in his car at Community Park, says the Henderson Police Department.
HPD Public Information Officer Jason Cullum said the man sent a 911 text at about 2 p.m. Wednesday. The text indicated the man was having mental health issues, Cullum said.
Officers found the man in his car at the park about 15 minutes later and immediately began trying to talk to him.
Cullum said he could not release the nature of the mental health issues that the man was going through.
He didn’t know the number of officers on the scene, though he did say that patrol officers and detectives were on the scene, as well as the tactical operations team that was called in. The Evansville Police Department also brought its Bearcat, a heavily armored vehicle, to the scene to provide protection for officers.
Officers were speaking to him via cell phone, Cullum said.
The gunshot occurred at about 4:15-4:30 p.m., Cullum said.
“We had been in contact with him at the scene for about two hours,” the PIO said.
Cullum did not have a description of the talks that occurred between the man and officers. But, in general, he said that officers attempt to get a person talking and keep them talking with a hope that the time will allow them to reconsider.
Nearby schools were also put on alert about the incident as it was unfolding, Cullum said. He said police and school administrators spoke again before dismissal time, when police believed it was safe to allow students to go because the incident was contained in the park and there are no bus stops near it.
