Deputies, bystanders caught in a standoff at Critzer Lake

The Linn County Sheriff''s Office used its armored personnel carrier to rescue a deputy and bystanders after a suicidal man began firing randomly at Critzer Lake on Friday, Sept. 8. (File photo)

MOUND CITY – The Linn County Sheriff’s Office deployed its armored transportation vehicle to rescue a deputy and bystanders at Critzer Lake on Friday evening, Sept. 8, after a man threatening suicide fired a gun at random before taking his own life.

In a release, Sheriff Kevin Friend said said the county dispatch center received a call shortly after 8:30 p.m. about a person who was posting suicidal comments on Facebook. In his posts, the man threatened to take his own life or cause law enforcement officials to kill him.

The identity of the man was not released, but the sheriff said the man was not a Linn County resident. However, he was known to visit the county and had friends and relatives in the area.

After pinging the man’s mobile telephone twice, deputies found him at the Critzer Lake parking lot, and they circled the subject. One of the deputies took a position between the man and people who were fishing on the nearby pier.

Friend said deputies tried to talk the man down, however, he indicated that he was “done” and resisted their attempt calm the situation.

“The subject began shooting erratically about the area,” the release said. “Deputies took cover and observed the subject.”

Both the people who were fishing and the deputy took cover on the pier. In addition to deploying one of its drones to observe the situation, deputies brought in the department’s armored personnel carrier to rescue them.

However, when the vehicle entered into the area, the man began shooting and then took his own life, Friend said.

The sheriff was careful to point out that no gunfire was exchanged, and the man was the only shooter in the incident. The case is still under investigation.