Man waits outside Southfield Police Department, attacks officers who walked outside

Man attacks police officers outside of Southfield Police Department

A man who was sitting outside of the Southfield Police Department attacked two officers after asking them for directions.

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - A man attacked two Southfield police officers as they walked out of the department Friday morning.

According to police, the man was sitting on a bench outside the employee entrance. When officers walked out, he first asked for directions to Target, but before an officer could reply, he attacked them.

"It was very quick. He didn't seem like a threat at first," Officer Cole Armil said.

He went for Armil's gun, but the officers stopped him before he could grab it.

"Luckily he didn’t. We were able to subdue him before that happened. He did indicate to our partners up in the jail that he was trying to go for my firearm," Armil said.

Other officers credited training that helped the police stop the attack.

"I knew he could handle it, wasn’t really worried or anything. We've been through situations before," Officer Trevor Elliott said.

Police said the attacker has a record. In 2014 he tried to assault staff at federal court. Three years later, he was facing federal gun charges but was found not mentally competent to serve time.

"This guy did his homework, and he was in a sense lying and waiting for any officer to approach," Chief Elvin Barren said. "Just because they wear a badge and a uniform does not give anybody the right to attack them."