Middletown's police chief says the state's criminal justice system isn't working and it almost cost an officer her life this weekend.
Body camera released by shows police Detective Karli Travis being attacked by a man with a hammer on Aug. 12 before she fires her gun several times.
The suspect in the attack, Winston Tate, has been previously charged with other violent crimes and is currently on probation for robbery, Middletown Police Chief Erik Costa said.
"This incident 鈥� underscores the urgent need for our state leaders to reevaluate and improve our legal processes and programs that ensure safer communities," Costa said Tuesday at a press conference.
Body camera video begins with Travis walking down Liberty Street, on her way to respond to a noise complaint, when she sees a man holding a hammer coming toward her.
鈥淐an you put that down, please?鈥� Travis asks, as Tate continues to approach.
鈥淲hat?鈥� Tate yells, before he speeds up to a run.
Travis repeats herself and calls into her radio for backup.
鈥淐all your [expletive] team!鈥� Tate yells as he brandishes the hammer.
Travis repeatedly tells Tate to stop and the camera falls off Travis as Tate appears to hit her repeatedly with the hammer. She fires several shots, the video shows.
Tate was arrested by responding officers and briefly hospitalized for his injuries. Travis was also hospitalized and later released, officials said.
鈥淭here is no question that Detective Travis displayed an extreme act of heroism that saved her own life, the lives of other Middletown police officers and the citizens of this city,鈥� Costa said.
Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim applauded what he called the good training of the city鈥檚 police force in de-escalating a violent encounter without using lethal force.
Florsheim, a Democrat, said it was a tragic moment, but that if people are going to be released from custody, proper support must be in place to ensure they can return to the community safely.
More than 95% of the people incarcerated in 黑料吃瓜网 have a history of mental illness, substance misuse or both, according to a released this year by the 黑料吃瓜网 Sentencing Commission, . The report says the state鈥檚 efforts to deinstitutionalize people with mental health issues without properly funding community services, effectively funnels people into shelters or prisons.
鈥淲e are undoing the failures of the past,鈥� Florsheim said, 鈥渂ut not replacing them with more effective strategies that can keep communities safer in a more effective way.鈥�
Tate appeared in court on Tuesday and remains in custody. He is facing several assault charges.
