LA PORTE COUNTY, Ind. – A deputy who feared the safety of himself and others during an incident with a suicidal subject used less-lethal force to deescalate a dangerous situation Monday.

According to the La Porte County Sheriff’s Department, deputies were called to a home in the 5200 block of County Road 350 North in rural Wills Township regarding a suicidal subject.

It was later learned that the 38-year-old male subject had overdosed on medication and ran from the home.

Deputies report finding the subject in a nearby wooded area. He refused to comply with verbal commands and tried to use a liquor bottle as a weapon.

One of the deputies feared for the safety of everyone on the scene, including the subject, which prompted him to fire a single “bean bag” round from a less-lethal shotgun.

The bean bag hit the subject in the left thigh which caused him to fall to the ground.

LCSO says the subject was detained and transported to a hospital for mental health treatment.

Following the shooting, a Shooting Review Board met and decided the deputy who fired the shot was justified in doing so.

“The deputy acted upon his training and instincts to remedy a very volatile situation by utilizing a less-lethal use of the force option,” said John Boyd, La Porte County Sheriff.