Florida Deputies De-escalate Armed Mental Health Crisis

Flagler County Sheriff's Office deputies successfully de-escalated a multi-day mental health crisis involving Keith McCabe, 55, of Palm Coast, who pointed what appeared to be a handgun at officers before being safely taken into custody without force.

The incident began Saturday, February 7, 2026, when McCabe repeatedly contacted 911 and the non-emergency line making paranoid and erratic statements. McCabe demanded a large law enforcement response to his residence on Clearview Court North but refused to cooperate when deputies arrived at the scene.

Deputies found McCabe in his front yard engaged in a loud verbal altercation with someone who was not present. McCabe displayed extreme paranoia during the encounter, telling deputies they were there to shoot his poodle and would cause him to have a heart attack.

The Flagler County Sheriff's Office has responded to McCabe's residence multiple times in previous years for calls involving neighborhood disputes and reports of erratic behavior. Deputies were familiar with McCabe's history of mental health issues from these prior interactions.

During the February incident, McCabe briefly pointed what appeared to be a handgun at the responding deputies before they were able to safely secure him without using force. The deputies employed de-escalation techniques throughout the multi-day crisis to resolve the situation peacefully.

The case demonstrates law enforcement's approach to handling individuals experiencing severe mental health crises. McCabe was taken into custody following the incident involving the apparent weapon.