A Lucasville man’s frantic 911 calls turned into a long evening for Scioto County deputies who say they were dispatched to his home multiple times without ever finding evidence of his claims.
The caller told dispatchers he had phoned 17 times and accused deputies of ignoring him. He insisted there were “30 people in his yard with weapons wanting to kill him” and even claimed to have video proof. When deputies urged him to bring the footage to their office, he said he couldn’t leave the house.
Officers say they knocked at his door on several occasions, but no one ever answered. They added the man had called repeatedly throughout the night with similar complaints.
Officers on the Front Line of Mental Health
Law enforcement officials say calls like this are becoming increasingly common. Deputies are often the first — and sometimes the only — responders available when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis. That can mean returning to the same home multiple times in a single evening, tying up resources while officers also respond to other emergencies.
Advocates say the situation underscores the need for more accessible mental health services and crisis intervention resources. For now, deputies remain the ones fielding the calls, even when the problem is less about crime and more about care.
