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News / Northwest

Police: Hospital released man who hoped to be shot

The Columbian
Published: September 18, 2011, 5:00pm

JUNCTION CITY, Ore. (AP) — Police in Junction City say they’re baffled at a hospital’s decision to release a man who pulled a weapon from his waistband and ran from officers, hoping to be shot and killed.

The police sent him to a psychiatric crisis unit, which released him two hours later and told Chief Mark Chase the man wasn’t a danger.

The Eugene Register-Guard (http://bit.ly/pjCFgp ) quotes the chief as saying he doesn’t agree with the decision, or understand it. He’s asked for an explanation.

Officials at Sacred Heart Medical Center, University District, said Monday they’re working on a response.

Junction City police said they caught the 32-year-old man early Sunday after a chase. They say the weapon that appeared to be a semiautomatic pistol turned out to be a BB gun.

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Information from: The Register-Guard, http://www.registerguard.com

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