WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — It was the 911 call that would help save a teenager's life.
"I'm driving down Nine Mile and there's this young man in a cream-colored hoodie with a backpack on. He's got a water bottle.. and he's got a gun," the caller said. "The first time I saw him he had it up to his head. I'm just kind of concerned for him."
Warren Police officers Chad Rossow and Charles Cobble were first to arrive. They exited their scout car and observed the teen holding a firearm with his finger on the trigger.
"The first thing I wanted to do, the first thing I could do, is just try to make contact," said Officer Rossow.
The interaction between Rossow and the teen, which lasted less than 90 seconds, would lead to a second chance at living for the 17-year-old and save his family from a lifetime of suffering his loss.
"I just want to die," the teen told Officer Rossow through his tears.
"I don't want you to die," Rossow said. "You got a family? You got a mom? You got a brother or sister? What do you think they're going to feel?"
At the same time, Officer Cobble advised other arriving officers to stay back as he positioned himself with a Taser.
"We don't know if (the teen) is going to turn that weapon on us," Cobble said, who added that is why you see Rossow's gun drawn. He, Rossow, didn't really have anything in front of him other than that person. So he had to take his extra precautions.. he's our first line of defense."
To protect the teen's privacy, Warren Police obscured his identity in the video that was captured by Rossow's body-worn camera. And, on the video, you can hear the compassion in Rossow's voice, guiding the teen to focus on him.
"Let me help you. Can I help you? I'm not here to hurt you," he told the teen who was still holding the loaded firearm.
At that point, the teen said, "I told the (expletive) mental health facility I wasn't ready to leave."
Rossow assures him that he will take him to get the treatment he needs. "Let me help you," he said.
The gun clanks as it hits the ground and the teen begins to sob as officers move close to secure him and the firearm.
"You're okay. You're okay, buddy," said an officer.
Officer Rossow walks in front of the teen and puts his hands on the teen's shoulders, much like a father would do to talk to his son, and assures the teen that he's okay.
"I'm sorry," the teen sobbed.
"You made the right choice today," Officer Rossow tells him. "You made the right choice."
Calls for assistance with someone having a mental health crisis have increased, according to police.
Officers Rossow and Cobble said they've noticed that drastic increase.
"It has to do with people either not reaching out for help or if they do get help, it's not long term because a lot of the facilities that were closed," Cobble said. "Hospitals are limited with resources. We're limited with resources. And when you see that, you're going to have more people that are going to be in distress. And, unfortunately, it's the outcome of everything that's been going on lately."
"We do get accelerated training. So we're lucky enough to be able to handle these situations the way we do, even with the influx of calls," Rossow added.
The officers were able to meet the teen's parents at the hospital. We're told they embraced and expressed their gratitude for helping save their son.
Officer Rossow said, "We were more than happy that we were able to help."
