The Poplarville Police Department responded to a call last week about an individual who barricaded himself inside a home on S. Haynes Street.

After sending away his girlfriend and kids, the man locked himself inside his mother’s home and threatened to harm himself, Poplarville Police Chief Butch Raby said.

When officers arrived around 6:30 that night, they saw the man inside the home holding a knife, at which time they verbally commanded him to surrender, Raby said.

The man refused, and officers made entry into the home where they found the subject unclothed and doused in flammable liquid, while telling officers to kill him, Raby said.

Raby said officers subdued the man after he set fire to his clothes, which were lying next to him, also doused in the flammable liquid.

Officers were able to handcuff him and evacuate him from the house, Raby said.

The fire department was called to handle the small fire, which was quickly extinguished.

Raby said the department will not pursue charges against the subject, who is now receiving mental health therapy.

“It could have been a bad situation,” Raby said, commending the officers for their handling of the situation.