Westfield Police Officer Nate Osowski was one of more than a dozen law enforcement officers at the at the scene Tuesday morning. (Photo by Chief Photographer Frederick Gore.)
WESTFIELD – A vigorous police response ensured the safety of residents in the West Road neighborhood of the city yesterday morning when a distraught man left his home, armed with a long gun, after making threatening comments.
Residents monitoring the city police radio frequency heard, beginning about 9:30 a.m., chatter about an “angry” man, identified as Christian Lent of West Road, who was at large while in possession of a “long rifle” in the area of West Road.
The police response was triggered by a call from a West Road resident who said that her son had a rifle and had made threats.
Officer John Parish was the first to arrive at the Lent farm located on West Road near the turnpike and was soon joined by officers Luis Morales, Nathan Osowski and Michael Bradley.
Morales reports that the caller said that her son had left the house with a shotgun and her husband and daughter-in-law had gone into the woods searching for him
The shift commander, Sgt. Jeffrey Baillargeon, arrived to take command of the incident and was assisted by detectives Anthony Tsatsos, Roxanne Bradley and Todd Edwards.
The officers established a perimeter around the farm and closed West Road to traffic.
The state police air wing was asked to assist but was unable to comply, although the state police K-9 team was dispatched.
However, before the tracking dog arrived, the subject of the search emerged, unarmed, from the woods with his father and wife.
When asked by police where the shotgun was that he had been reportedly been carrying, Lent said that he had been in possession of a walking stick.
However, after further discussion with Morales, Lent agreed to show him where the shotgun was and it was recovered.
Lent was transported to Noble Hospital to speak with staff there. No charges were filed.
Lent’s two children witnessed the incident and the Department of Children and Families was advised.
