Reports of a man running in the street and threatening to shoot people prompted response from Grants Pass Police officers after being dispatched to Southridge Way in Grants Pass early Friday morning, December 2nd.
Upon arrival, officers located the man, who they quickly assessed as likely suffering from a combination of mental illness and methamphetamine-induced psychosis.
To protect the citizens in the neighborhood, officers isolated the subject and began de-escalation attempts by talking with the subject to gain his compliance.
The man, later identified as 33 year old Joshua C. Wilson of Grants Pass, shouted to officers that he had a gun and was going to shoot them. Officers showed extreme restraint as the man continually reached into his jacket and waistband to simulate drawing a firearm.
Ultimately officers were unable to verbally gain the man’s compliance and a less-lethal Taser device was deployed to take the subject into custody.
The man was found to be in possession of methamphetamines and narcotics smoking pipes, but no gun was found. Neither the officers nor the suspect received serious injuries because of the incident.
After receiving medical clearance at the Three Rivers Medical Center, Wilson was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for two counts of Menacing, Criminal trespass, and a Probation Violation Detainer. He also received a citation for possessing less than a gram of methamphetamines, which is currently a Class E violation in Oregon.
