Police post: 'This has all the classic warning signs we read about after shooting incidents'

Police in Marietta posted a story to their Facebook page on Monday evening outlining an encounter with an individual they made out of compassion and concern.

“COMMUNITY...working together, PREVENTED a potential incident today! Please refrain from any judgment, and join us in being grateful our community worked together today to keep everyone safe!” the post began. “Due to medical concerns we must leave all names out of this.”

The post goes on to describe an encounter Monday morning at a restaurant on Power Springs Street after someone call officers report a man was acting a little “off.”

“After some initial investigation it was determined that he was not breaking any laws, but his behavior DID seem peculiar to the officers... His answers were enough to satisfy basic questions but he seemed withdrawn and remote,” the post read.

Police said officers could not do anything other than document the incident and let the young man go with both handguns.

Later, officers received another phone call, showing a pattern of erratic behavior. They took both handguns from the young man while trying to contact his family.

“They went so far as to have another officer drive to the individual’s home to knock on the door while others remained with him outside the business. The mobile crisis hotline was contacted, and they dispatched staff to the scene to assist the officers,” the post continued. “It took some persistence, but the mom was eventually located and stated her son's behavior seemed ‘off’ to her that morning as well.”

The young man’s mother left work and showed officers even more weapons inside which she asked them to take for safekeeping for now.

“The mobile crisis team arrived and determined that the young man appeared to be in some sort of mental or medical situation that prevented him from thinking rationally,” reads the post. “After some discussion, he reluctantly agreed to be taken for evaluation.”

(Marietta Police Department / Facebook)

“We cannot say thank you enough to everyone involved!” the post read, praising the public, officers, and the crisis team. “This has all the classic warning signs we read about after shooting incidents and then ask ‘why didn't anyone stepped in to help...’ When we work TOGETHER we can create a safer community for everyone!”