Police: Somersworth transient arrested after threatening officer with knife

Bruce Cormier (Somersworth Police photo)

SOMERSWORTH - Police say a suspect being chased after he threatened a Somersworth business employee with a knife brandished the same weapon on a pursuing officer who used de-escalation strategies and then backup to safely take the man into custody.

The incident unfolded around 10 a.m. on Thursday as police received reports of a male who had allegedly threatened an employee at a Lilac Lane business with a knife.

Upon arrival officers were given a description of the male suspect and were told he had run off into a large wooded area off Blackwater Road.

An extensive search of the area was conducted however the males was not located.

Then around 12:30 p.m. an officer located a male matching the description in the area of the "old landfill" off Blackwater Road.

When confronted the male fled with the officer pursuing him about a quarter mile until he caught up with him in the area of the Forest Glade Cemetery, according to Somersworth Police.

Then police say the man brandished the knife on the officer, who was able to keep his distance while seeking to de-escalate the situation.

Soon more officers arrived and were able to use a less lethal weapon to convince the suspect to drop the knife.

He was then taken into custody with no further incident.

An 11-inch hunting knife was taken as evidence.

Bruce P Cormer, 57, a local transient, was charged with two counts of criminal threatening with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest or detention.