NORTHAMPTON — Officers trained their firearms on a Springfield man involved in a “heated” argument with a handful of other men in Pulaski Park after police say he began to walk toward them with a knife early Tuesday night.
Officers were already in the area on a different call when they saw six people engaged in an intense verbal altercation. Multiple witnesses along Main Street waived down and directed the officers toward the men, according to a police report.
As the two officers approached from behind, they noticed one of the men, Alex A. Lesieur, 31, wielding a “large, fixed bladed knife,” the report says. Lesieur turned around and started to walk toward Officer Thomas Briotta.
Briotta dismounted his bike, drew his gun, took at aim at Lesieur, police said, and yelled for him to drop the knife. Shortly after, Lesieur tossed the knife aside as the officer ordered him to lay on the ground, according to the report.
Lesieur stiffened his arms, police said, as Briotta attempted to handcuff him.
Officers helped Lesieur to his feet and was escorted to a police cruiser.
“It was just a duct knife. Got it at Home Depot,” Lesieur said, according to a police report. “It was a dumb idea to have the knife out.”
He added that he’d brandished the knife because he thought he was going to be attacked during the altercation with the other men, police said. Lesieur also had a plastic sheath for the knife on his belt.
Lesieur, of Springfield, was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of carrying a dangerous weapon.
Michael Majchrowicz can be reached at mmajchrowicz@gazettenet.com or 413-585-5234.