ABERDEEN, S.D.(Press Release)- On 11-16-23, at 1448 hrs, law enforcement was dispatched to the 500 block of S State St in reference to a male swinging a machete in public. The reporting party relayed to dispatch that the male was swinging the machete towards innocent bystanders. As law enforcement was responding to the area, we were advised that the individual began running to the north and the east. As soon as this information was relayed, it was requested that a number of nearby businesses and school be notified to lock down. They included the Avera St. Lukes Hospital, the Aberdeen YMCA, and Roncalli Elementary School.

As law enforcement searched the area, the individual was located near the intersection of S State St & 4th Ave. Law enforcement gave the individual commands to surrender, he refused and attempted to walk away. An APD officer deployed a less-lethal bean bag shotgun to gain compliance. After multiple deployments, the individual complied and was taken into custody.

The individual was charged with Aggravated Assault, Obstructing Law Enforcement, and Open Container in Public. The individual was taken to an Aberdeen hospital for medical clearance and will be transported to the Brown County Jail.

The agencies that responded to this call include the Aberdeen Police Department, the Brown County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol.