McAllen police respond to man who threatened ‘suicide by cop’

The McAllen Police Department responded to a call Tuesday afternoon in which a man threatened to kill himself either by his own hands or by police.

Lt. Joel Morales says police responded to a welfare concern at 1:30 p.m. in the area of the 200 block of N. 6th St. for a man in a residence threatening both suicide and suicide by cop.

“We contained him in a residence and tear gas was deployed,” Morales said.

The man, who is in his 30s, was not injured aside from reacting to the tear gas and is currently being medically evaluated.

The man was armed and although he threatened police he did not shoot, police say.

Morales said the department could only release limited information because of the ongoing investigation and declined to identify the man.

Charges are pending.