An Ithaca woman was taken into custody last week after allegedly attempting to seize a police officer’s duty weapon during a welfare check, according to the Ithaca Police Department.
The incident occurred around 8:20 a.m. on July 3 at the intersection of Pearsall Place and Hawthorne Place. Officers had been dispatched to check on a woman who appeared to be sleeping near the sidewalk.
After being awakened by an officer, the 28-year-old woman reportedly demanded the officer’s weapon and then physically attempted to remove it from the holster. Police say the officer used force to prevent the subject from taking control of the firearm and to de-escalate the situation.
The woman was taken into custody and transported to a hospital for an emergency mental health evaluation. Charges are pending for attempted criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, a Class D felony.
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