DOTHAN, Ala. (WDNews) – A tense situation unfolded Wednesday morning in Dothan when officers responded to a call involving a man suffering from a mental health crisis who claimed to be surrounded by federal agents and in possession of explosives.
According to the Dothan Police Department, the incident began shortly after 10:30 a.m. on September 10, when the Dothan Communications Center received a call from a man in the 400 block of East Cottonwood Road. Officers arriving on scene made contact with the individual, who “was clearly suffering from a mental health crisis.”
Police say the suspect initially claimed to have “explosives that were active,” which was confirmed by officers. The Special Response Team, Crisis Negotiation Team, and Bomb Squad were deployed to the scene. A crisis negotiator began communicating with the man in an effort to deescalate.
After some time, the suspect exited the home and was subdued with a bean-bag shotgun. As he was taken into custody, police discovered a homemade explosive device—a makeshift grenade—close to where he fell. Officers immediately evacuated the immediate area while members of the Bomb Team secured the device.
Due to statements made by the suspect, investigators obtained a search warrant to sweep his residence for additional explosives. None were found. Police confirmed the man was transported to a local hospital, where he was admitted for treatment. Criminal charges are expected.
Officials emphasized that businesses nearby were not within range of danger, but Dothan Prep Academy and a daycare facility were placed on lockdown “out of an abundance of caution because of the high level of police presence.”
“The safety of our citizens is the utmost importance. The decision to evacuate residents or have them shelter in place comes after consultation with certified explosives technicians on our Bomb Team trained in blast radius estimation,” said Chief William E. Benny. “We want to thank all the residents in the area for their cooperation while the incident unfolded. We are thankful there were no serious injuries to officers or residents in the area.”
