Oh man, I love that David Miller! I mean it. He's so awesome, and he has great politics and he's so attractive. I can't think of a single thing I don't like about him. I wonder if he has a fan club or if I could start one. And on top of all that he's brave.
Man armed with knife calmed down by mayor
By OLIVER MOORE AND JEFF GRAY
Friday, June 24, 2005 Updated at 5:29 AM EDT
From Friday's Globe and Mail
A suicidal man armed with a knife was coaxed to safety by Troonto Mayor David Miller yesterday in a frightening incident that called into question security procedures at City Hall.
Carrying a small knife, the man was able to make it to just outside the mayor's office without being searched. The building is open to the public, although there are security officers "watching the front door."
"There's a clear security presence at City Hall, but you don't go through a metal detector," said Patchen Barss, the mayor's spokesman.
Even when council is in session, he added, visitors to the chamber are monitored by security but are not scanned for weapons.
The man appeared at Mr. Miller's second-floor office and asked to speak to someone on his staff.
A spokesman for the mayor said that the incident escalated until the man was straddling the railing of the balcony of City Hall's massive rotunda, holding the knife blade to his own throat.
His yells attracted the attention of people nearby.
"It was quite loud. There was a lot of shouting," Mr. Barss said.
Staff came out to see what was the matter, but backed off when they saw what was going on. The commotion also attracted the attention of the mayor, who came out of his office and began speaking with the man.
Mr. Miller was able to persuade him to get off the railing and surrender the knife. The mayor was giving no interviews about the incident.
"Quite frankly, he doesn't want to talk about it," Mr. Barss said.
In a statement, Mr. Miller said that yesterday's experience gave him an idea of what rescue crews and mental-health workers deal with on a daily basis. "I would like to thank the Toronto Police Service for their speed, professionalism and compassion," he said.
Police with 52 Division, which includes City Hall, said that they had responded to a call about a man threatening suicide.
Under the terms of the Mental Health Act, they can apprehend someone who is believed likely to harm themselves.
Mr. Barss said he saw the tail end of the incident, arriving before police took the man away.
He said the man, who appeared to be in his 40s, did not directly threaten the mayor or anyone else in the area.
Regular police officers and Emergency Task Force members took the man into custody, bound for a mental-health assessment in hospital.
Witnesses in Mr. Miller's office "were a little shaken up" but work, and the mayor's scheduled meetings, resumed.
"I am overwhelmingly relieved that this man is safe and that he is now being cared for," Mr. Miller said in his statement.
Friday, June 24, 2005 Updated at 5:29 AM EDT
From Friday's Globe and Mail
A suicidal man armed with a knife was coaxed to safety by Troonto Mayor David Miller yesterday in a frightening incident that called into question security procedures at City Hall.
Carrying a small knife, the man was able to make it to just outside the mayor's office without being searched. The building is open to the public, although there are security officers "watching the front door."
"There's a clear security presence at City Hall, but you don't go through a metal detector," said Patchen Barss, the mayor's spokesman.
Even when council is in session, he added, visitors to the chamber are monitored by security but are not scanned for weapons.
The man appeared at Mr. Miller's second-floor office and asked to speak to someone on his staff.
A spokesman for the mayor said that the incident escalated until the man was straddling the railing of the balcony of City Hall's massive rotunda, holding the knife blade to his own throat.
His yells attracted the attention of people nearby.
"It was quite loud. There was a lot of shouting," Mr. Barss said.
Staff came out to see what was the matter, but backed off when they saw what was going on. The commotion also attracted the attention of the mayor, who came out of his office and began speaking with the man.
Mr. Miller was able to persuade him to get off the railing and surrender the knife. The mayor was giving no interviews about the incident.
"Quite frankly, he doesn't want to talk about it," Mr. Barss said.
In a statement, Mr. Miller said that yesterday's experience gave him an idea of what rescue crews and mental-health workers deal with on a daily basis. "I would like to thank the Toronto Police Service for their speed, professionalism and compassion," he said.
Police with 52 Division, which includes City Hall, said that they had responded to a call about a man threatening suicide.
Under the terms of the Mental Health Act, they can apprehend someone who is believed likely to harm themselves.
Mr. Barss said he saw the tail end of the incident, arriving before police took the man away.
He said the man, who appeared to be in his 40s, did not directly threaten the mayor or anyone else in the area.
Regular police officers and Emergency Task Force members took the man into custody, bound for a mental-health assessment in hospital.
Witnesses in Mr. Miller's office "were a little shaken up" but work, and the mayor's scheduled meetings, resumed.
"I am overwhelmingly relieved that this man is safe and that he is now being cared for," Mr. Miller said in his statement.
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