A Lake County sheriff’s deputy was attacked with bear spray as he and others attempted to serve a mental health writ Monday on a Libertyville man, police said.
The deputy was part of a crisis outreach team that went to the man’s residence in the 200 block of Pond Ridge Road at about 7:10 a.m.
The deputies and mental health workers were there to serve court papers ordering the man to be brought for mental health care, police said.
Police said the man was inside a closed bedroom armed with a hatchet when they arrived. Officers were able to convince the man to drop the axe, and police entered the room.
However, the man grabbed a nearby canister of bear spray and discharged it at officers, including the deputy who was sprayed directly in the eyes. Officers used a taser to subdue the man.
He was brought to a hospital, where he kicked a nurse, police said.
Charges have yet to be filed, police said.
“Our staff routinely place themselves in harm’s way while trying to help people during their most difficult moments,” Sheriff John Idleburg said. “Mental health writs are inherently unpredictable, and this incident underscores those risks.
“I’m incredibly proud of the deputies on scene for remaining calm, professional, and focused on safety, and I am hoping for a fast recovery of our hospitalized deputy,” he said.
Other deputies were treated for exposure to the spray.
