SAFFORD — A Graham County man who claimed to want “suicide by cop” was taken into custody without injury.
The man called dispatch with his threats just after midnight Tuesday, also claiming to have cut his own wrists. Graham County Sheriff’s deputies were able to locate him near the county jail at 8th Avenue and Airport Road.
Refusing to follow the order of deputies to surrender, he reiterated his desire for deputies to shoot him; however deputies advised him they would, instead, use their TASERs if he did not comply.
The man then surrendered, lowered himself to the ground and was handcuffed without further incident.
After he was medically cleared by Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center, he was booked into Graham County Jail on charges of false reporting/misuse of emergency services, and failure to comply with a lawful order.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 2:13 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, to correct the location where the man was located.
