Pepper spray deployed against aggressive drug user in Rapperswil-Jona
A 48-year-old man consumed narcotics in a restaurant and attacked police officers. The officers deployed tear gas and arrested him.
Pepper spray deployed against aggressive drug user in Rapperswil-Jona
Officers of the St. Gallen cantonal police deployed tear gas against a man in Rapperswil-Jona on Thursday evening. The 48-year-old had previously harassed other guests in a restaurant near the railway station.
Shortly before 9 p.m., the emergency call centre received several calls. Witnesses reported that a guest was openly consuming drugs and harassing restaurant visitors. Despite being asked to leave, the man refused to vacate the premises.
When the first patrol arrived, the 48-year-old Swiss man was sitting on the outdoor terrace. On the table in front of him lay substances that were identified as narcotics. As soon as he spotted the uniformed officers, he jumped up and rushed towards them. The officers initially managed to fend him off.
A few moments later, the man attacked the emergency responders again. The police then deployed pepper spray and brought him to the ground. Because he continued to be unruly after his arrest, reinforcements were called.
Police suspect that the arrested man was under the influence of drugs. Paramedics took him to a clinic for medical assessment. He will be reported to the public prosecutor's office for assault on law enforcement officers and for violations of the narcotics law.
Source: SWI swissinfo.ch
Source: Google News CH — Crime (de)