LI Man Tased Outside Home After Coming At Cops With A Knife: PD

WANTAGH, NY — A 69-year-old man was tased outside of his Wantagh home after he came at police officers with a knife on Thursday, Nassau County police said.

Detectives said officers were called to a home on Scott Road just after 4 p.m. for reports of an intoxicated man in need of medical assistance. When the officers arrived, they were told that Michael Battah threatened to harm them, but they were able to persuade him to come outside, police said. However, Battah became combative and he left the home with a knife in his hand and he continued to advance toward the officers, “ignoring their verbal commands for him to drop the knife,” police said.

The officers were “forced” to use a taser in order to subdue him and take the knife away, police said. While officers attempted to place him into custody, Battah, “refused to comply with their commands and actively resisted,” police said, adding that after a brief struggle, he was placed under arrest.

Battah was transported to a local hospital for treatment and evaluation, police said.

He is charged with three counts of menacing a police officer or peace officer, a felony, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and resisting arrest, a misdemeanor, police said. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday.

If convicted on the top charge of menacing a police officer, Battah faces up to seven years in a state prison.