Man arrested by Atlanta officers after a call with a man with a knife

On 4/17/22, Officer M. Shields was patrolling the Beltline where he heard dispatch give out a call regarding a male that was walking on the Beltline yelling at people and threatening them with a knife. Officer Shields responded, with assistance from Inv. Romer and Officer Larkin from Zone 6.

Officer Shields engaged the male in a calm and professional manner from a safe distance until it was safe enough to detain him. Officer Shields engaged the suspect in conversation and quickly determined the male was undergoing some type of emotional crisis. Other officers located the knife in proximity to where the suspect was kneeling.

Throughout the process, Officer Shields maintained a calm demeanor and actively worked at de-escalating the situation, even while taking him into custody. Officer Shields was proactive in requesting Grady EMS to assess the male and provide him the help that he needed, but the suspect adamantly refused medical help. The victim, who alleged he was threatened by the suspect, said he wanted to press charges. The male was charged accordingly.

The highlight of this incident is not to focus on the arrest itself, but the officer’s response to what was a potentially volatile situation. Officer Shields calm approach, clear communication and professional demeanor reflected his training and the departments highest ideals. Job well done by officer Shields and the responding officers.