The Gainesville Police Department and its mental health clinician team safely resolved a mental health crisis at the downtown North Parking Deck Thursday afternoon involving a male juvenile who had threatened to fall from the top of the facility.
According to Gainesville Police Lt. Kevin Holbrook, authorities began working on the incident at about noon after a student with the Gainesville City School System brought forth the information that the boy was possibly going through a mental health crisis and was possibly going to inflict self-harm.
The boy was eventually found on the top floor of the North Parking Deck.
"The individual was hanging over the parking deck, threatening to fall from the parking deck," Holbrook said. "When negotiations began, officers were able to formulate a plan of action, working with our mental health clinicians as well as negotiators."
Holbrook said they were able to safely bring the boy into custody and take him to the hospital for evaluation.
Holbrook said he was uncertain whether the boy was a student at the Gainesville City School System. However, they were working to determine that information at the time of this story's publication.
"We're all very fortunate that this was a peaceful resolution," Holbrook said. "Hopefully this individual can get the medical help and attention that they need."
