NAHANT — Police from Nahant and two surrounding communities were able to successfully de-escalate a mental-health incident involving an armed person who had barricaded themselves inside the bathroom of a Sherman Avenue residence on Wednesday night.
“The situation in Bass Point ended with the best-case scenario,” the Nahant Police Department wrote on its Facebook page. “No injuries, subject in custody, and seeking needed assistance. Thank you to the Swampscott Police Department, the Lynn Police Department, and the Massachusetts State Police for their responses and support to this incident. Good job by all. Everyone is safe.”
Nahant Police responded to a mental-health report after 8 p.m. Wednesday, after receiving a 911 call from a Sherman Avenue resident who needed assistance with removing a visiting family member from the home, the department said in a statement released early Thursday morning.
Upon arrival, police learned that the family member had barricaded themselves inside the bathroom, and had threatened self-harm. Nahant police officers escorted the other occupants out of the home safely, and returned to the residence to try to intervene with the barricaded family member, police said.
The Police Department said the family member left the bathroom, but a Nahant officer used their taser and pepper spray, based on statements the person made to police. The action was taken to try to force the person to drop their weapon, police said.
This encounter prompted the person to again lock themselves inside the bathroom, which led police to take a different approach, police said.
“A responding Swampscott police officer with experience in negotiations and high-risk situations spoke with that family member, and through further discussion, successfully convinced them to leave the home at about 10 p.m.,” the Nahant Police statement said.
Police said the person was taken into protective custody, and will be connected to the appropriate social services and mental-health agencies.
While the incident was ongoing, Nahant Police told the community that there was no need to contact the department about an incident that they were dealing with in the Bass Point area. Police assured residents that the incident was isolated and there was no threat to the public.
The Nahant Police Department thanked the Lynn and Swampscott Police departments and the State Police Special Tactical Operations (STOP) Team for “their assistance in bringing this call to a successful conclusion.”
