A very uncomfortable situation unfolded in Green Bay, Wisconsin, June 7. At 6:40a.m., a 50-year old male resident of Brown County (Green Bay is in Brown County) parked in front of J&W Enterprises, a “contract trucking company” located at 101 Packerland Drive. The man called 911, stating that he was a disgruntled employee. He told police that he was going to cause damage to the business and was going “to shoot.” Packerland Drive is infamous in trucking as being the home address of Schnider National Transportation.
Police quickly cordoned off the immediate area and evacuated homes and businesses. Police blocked off the area around Packerland Drive and Indian Hill Road. When the man began talking to negotiators, the situation quickly changed. They discovered that it was not a hostage situation or a threat to the public, but a plea for the man’s mental health and well-being. Police changed tactics and did not rush the situation.
It’s best to take a minute and get a good understanding of the situation
“Based on information we received, it sounded like potential danger to the community at large, but working with family and some of his close group including the owner of the business, we learned there were no weapons involved; he did not have access to weapons,”
Police Captain Ben Allen to WBAY ABC2
Using a flashbang as a distraction, they were able to use pepper balls, a strong irritant, to subdue the man and get him away from the J&W Enterprises building. No one was injured in the action and the man is being treated by local medical professionals. Public access to the area was returned at noon according to Captain Allen.
This is a fine example of professional police work and taking the time to examine the situation thoroughly. It is true that sometimes police have no choice but to engage a target immediately if the target is an imminent threat to the safety of others. But we all can be glad that this gentleman is getting the help he needs from properly trained professionals.
