PB man threatens to harm himself on Facebook live

A multi-hour standoff between an allegedly suicidal man and the Poplar Bluff Police Department ended successfully at about 8:30 a.m. Monday with the man receiving medical help.

A South Poplar Bluff man, 41, allegedly threatened suicide with a sawed-off shotgun on Facebook Live at about 11 p.m. Sunday, said Poplar Bluff Police Chief Danny Whiteley.

Concerned neighbors and citizens notified Poplar Bluff police officers, who responded and barricaded the 1000 block of Ash street, Whiteley said.

Facebook suspended the man’s account, which took away his forum, the chief added.

Officers not only negotiated with the man four or five times during the evening, they were able to locate family and friends who might have been in the house with him or who might have been hostages, Whiteley said.

When officers were confident it was not a hostage situation and no one other than the man was in the house, they realized “it was a fluid situation and no need to call in a SWAT team,” Whiteley said.

Whiteley said, “myself and Deputy Chief Mike McClain about 8:30 a.m. established phone contact. We talked about 45 minutes or so and talked him into throwing the shotgun out. We transported him to the police department and then to a medical facility.”

At one point, the man allegedly fired a shot through the roof of the house, Whiteley said, “The officers’ primary concern was it is a heavy residential area.”

Whiteley said, he is “thanking all of the Poplar Bluff Police Department for their professionalism and for being out in the cold all night.”

He also thanks the “good Lord” for the incident ending successfully.