An officer required stitches after he was headbutted in the face by an “erratic” man walking in and out of traffic in Miami Beach on Saturday morning, police said.
Around 9 a.m., an officer saw a man — later identified as 46-year-old Saliya Siby — dressed in camouflage clothing who was walking in and out of traffic near the 500 block of 41 Street “while acting erratically,” Miami Beach Police said.
The officer tried to make contact with Siby, who advised him that he had “intended to light himself on fire and asked to be shot,” Miami Beach Police said. According to police, Siby was seen holding a knife in his left hand and an unknown container in his other.
Additional officers immediately arrived at the scene and tried to verbally de-escalate the situation in an effort to calm Siby down; however, they were unsuccessful. Miami Beach Police said a perimeter was then established around the area, temporarily blocking traffic for Siby and the public’s safety…