Town Square Mall Store Cleared as Police Talk with Bleeding Man

A busy store at a Vestal Parkway shopping center was evacuated after police received reports that people spotted a person bleeding from the neck.

Vestal police said patrol units were sent to the Town Square Mall shortly after 6 p.m. Friday. The first officer on the scene found an injured man in front of the Burlington department store.

Police said the man was bleeding from "his neck and other areas of the body." He would not talk with the officer but walked into the store. The officer noticed the man was holding a razor blade.

The store was evacuated as a precaution and police began to talk with the injured man. After more than three hours of negotiation, the man agreed to put down the razor blade and be evaluated by medics. He then was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Police said the man appeared to have been experiencing a mental health crisis. He requested to speak to a counselor, who was called to the scene to assist officers.

Authorities said the 47-year-old Binghamton man's injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

Three Vestal police officers who were involved in the conversation with the man are state-certified crisis negotiators.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.