Less-Lethal Force Used on Suspect at University Hospital

  • Incident date: April 8, 2017, 6:00 pm
  • Incident type: Disorderly Conduct
  • Location/address: University Hospital

On Saturday, April 8 at approximately 6:00 p.m., UW-Madison Police Department officers responded to University Hospital (600 Highland Avenue, Madison) for a report of an individual who was armed and barricaded in a patient room. When officers arrived, the subject stated he had a gun.

Officers worked to verbally de-escalate the situation using specific mental health crisis training. Eventually, an officer fired a less-lethal beanbag round and the man was safely taken into custody. It was then determined that the individual was not armed, except for a plastic knife. He received only minor injuries from the impact of the less-lethal beanbag for which he was medically evaluated and released.

Officers placed the man under an emergency detention and transported him to Winnebago Mental Health Institute.