Sheriff Ken Mascara announced that a standoff with a suicidal male has ended peacefully.
According to the Sheriff, at approximately 6:39 p.m., the Fort Pierce Police Department was called to an apartment in the Whispering Pines Apartment Complex at 4594 Whispering Pines Lane off Tumbling Kling Road. A resident stated that a male subject with a known mental health condition was in the middle of the road asking people to kill him and making other threats of suicide. When they arrived, the male, identified as Jason Daniel Fortin, 30, barricaded himself inside an apartment.
“After two hours of attempted negotiations with the individual by the police department, our agency was called to assist by providing our SWAT Team,” said Sheriff Ken J. Mascara. “Whenever our SWAT Team is called, our Crisis Negotiation Team also responds as a first step to facilitating a peaceful resolution.”
The Crisis Negotiation Team attempted several methods of communicating with the man, Sheriff Mascara said. In the end, the SWAT Team then approached the house, breached the door and made contact with him, safely removing him from the home.
According to the Sheriff, Fortin was taken to a local mental health facility for evaluation under the provisions of a Baker Act.
“Tonight’s events ended calmly and safely thanks to the hard work of all involved,” said Sheriff Mascara.
