A crisis was averted Thursday afternoon when a potentially suicidal man ultimately climbed down from the top of a three-story building.
The man, whose name is not being released, has been taken into custody for psychiatric evaluation, said Bob Droessler of the Iola Police Department.
The man was spotted shortly after 2 p.m. atop the three-story building housing Hope Unlimited and Community Living Opportunities in the 10 block of North Washington Avenue, on the west side of the courthouse.
Droessler said the man had threatened to jump.
Authorities convinced the man to climb down to the third story fire escape landing, and a short while later to the second-story landing. There, police provided him with a few items he requested, including a can of soda and a pack of cigarettes. Police also brought in a friend of the man’s to help convince him to climb down.
The incident created quite a stir in downtown Iola while the events unfolded. Iola firefighters brought their ladder truck, while an ambulance was on standby.
Droessler said it appeared no charges were going to be filed.
