Man claiming to be police officer in Kennewick taken in for mental evaluation

A man claiming to be police officer and carrying a gun Wednesday morning was taken to Trios Health by law enforcement after neighbors reported him.

The 30-year-old man was allegedly telling people in the 7300 block of west Bonnie Avenue that he was an officer and enforcing the law in the area, a release said. When officers arrived on a request for a welfare check, they determined the man was not with law enforcement and was having a mental health crisis.

Officers observed the man while he was checked out by hospital staff. It was not immediately clear what the man’s status was, whether he was released or still in police custody.

This story was originally published May 18, 2016 at 4:29 PM with the headline "Man claiming to be police officer in Kennewick taken in for mental evaluation."