Last Friday Florida Atlantic University campus police shot an armed man on the roof of one of the campus buildings. Reports trickled in that the man was homeless and that he lunged at them with a knife, prompting the FAU cops to open fire.
The man, identified as 22-year-old Nicholas Squire, reportedly lunged at them with a blade because, as Boca police are putting it, he wanted to commit "suicide by cop."
He was shot twice and ended up at Delray Medical Center.
According to police, an air conditioning repairman was working on the roof of the FAU campus when he noticed Squire, wearing a black shirt and black shorts walking towards him.
After giving him a couple of cigarettes, the repairman went back down and reported to campus police of a man wandering the roof.
Dispatch sent Officers Bill Hernandez and Gary Grande to the building around 10 a.m.
The two campus officers found Squire on the roof, and asked him to sit. He refused, and began pacing the roof back and forth.
After several more tries to have Squire sit down, the men became concerned that he was on drugs and might jump off the building.
Hernandez pulled out his Taser, while Grande pulled out his handgun. The two cops walked up to Squire who suddenly produced a black knife from his pocket.
That's when Grande opened fire.
According to the report, while being treated at Delray Medical Center, Squire told Boca police that he wanted to commit suicide. "He wanted the officer to shoot him in the head," the report says.
Squire also told police that he managed to get up on the roof by climbing a tree. He has been charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and the investigation remains open.
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