FORT SMITH, Ark — Editor's Note: Parts of the video attached could be disturbing for some viewers.
The Fort Smith Police Department is commemorating Officers Colby Edwards and Clinton Shown for de-escalating a situation where a man was threatening to kill himself and a toddler with a knife.
Officers responded to a domestic disturbance call at the Timberlane Apartments on Kinkead Ave on April 10th. When they arrived, they saw a man inside acting hysterically, waving around a large knife.
“It could have been a nightmare for those officers,” says Officer Dillon Harris, who nominated the two men for the award.
Officer Edwards was the first to begin reasoning with the man, then Officer Shown, a senior officer, took over the conversation.
The man was screaming at officers to kill him for several minutes. Then the man said he would give officers three seconds to kill him, or he would harm a toddler who was in the back bedroom.
Officer Shown managed to keep the man's attention by speaking to and trying to reason with him, eventually convincing him to put down the knife. The man was put in handcuffs for his own safety and then taken to a nearby hospital for necessary treatments.
The child was rescued by police and given back to the mother.
“Even once he places the knife on the ground, it was still within arms reach. They were really brave for going in there,” says Officer Harris.
“These officers were calm, they did their job, and they saved the life of a man who otherwise didn’t want to live,” says Officer Cobb.
The two men were presented with awards for their work on Friday (April 23).
Fort Smith Police Cheif Danny Baker said this situation is a prime example of how officers should conduct themselves when responding to similar calls.