Police: Man attempted 'suicide by cop'

CARMEL, N.Y. -- Authorities say a man may have been trying to induce police to shoot him by holing himself in a residence, armed with a large Bowie knife.

Carmel police officers and firefighters from the Mahopac Falls Fire Department responded to a report of an attempted suicide Wednesday afternoon at a residence on Hill Street, authorities said.

When they arrived shortly before 1 p.m., authorities found that the unidentified man, who was apparently distraught because of "personal issues in his life," had barricaded himself inside, according to a Carmel police news release.

Officers managed to coax him out about 20 minutes later; he surrendered after tossing the knife out the front door, police said.

Authorities say that the man was being taken to Putnam Hospital Center to undergo a mental health evaluation when he became combative, shattering the back window of the squad car with his head.

Police said they plan to arrest and charge him with criminal mischief.

Later, during the evaluation, officers found a note stuffed into one of his socks indicating that he intended to "commit suicide by cop," the release said.

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