Mérida, Yucatán — An officer shot a man Tuesday night after the man threatened to kill his wife with a knife and then lunged at police, according to the Yucatán Public Security Secretariat (SSP).
The incident unfolded in the Mercedes Barrera neighborhood after neighbors called 9-1-1 to report hearing a violent argument and seeing a woman in danger inside a home.
When officers arrived, they found the man holding the woman at knifepoint. They tried to calm the situation by talking to him and giving verbal commands, but he refused to comply, officials said.
At one point during the standoff, the man attacked one of the officers with the knife, prompting the officer to open fire to stop the assault and protect the woman and others at the scene, according to the official report.
The woman suffered a wound to her right hand and was taken to a hospital for treatment. Her condition was reported as stable.
The suspected attacker received prehospital care at the scene and was then transported to a hospital under police guard. He will remain under custody until he can be brought before the appropriate authorities, the SSP said.
The SSP said the officers’ actions followed protocol in response to a real and immediate threat, and renewed its call for residents to report violence through the 9-1-1 emergency line, saying a timely call can mean the difference between life and death.
