Officers use stun gun on man with knife in Wantagh, Nassau police say

A 911 call reporting an intoxicated male in need of medical assistance ended with police officers using a stun gun on a Wantagh man who they said approached them with a knife and ignored their "verbal commands" to drop the weapon.

Nassau County police said the incident happened just after 4 p.m. Thursday at a home on Scott Road in Wantagh and ended in the arrest of Michael Battah, 69.

Battah was charged with three counts of menacing a police or peace officer, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and resisting arrest.

Police said officers who first responded to the scene were told Battah "had made threats to harm the officers responding."

Officers had Battah exit the home but, police said, Battah soon became "combative," approaching the officers with the knife in hand as he ignored their orders to drop it.

Officers then used a stun gun on Battah to "subdue him and safely secure the knife," according to the account released by police. Police said that after officers secured the knife, Battah still refused to comply with their commands and resisted arrest, resulting in a brief struggle. He was then taken to a hospital for treatment and evaluation.

Battah was arraigned Friday in First District Court in Mineola, where he was being held on bail of $10,000 bond or $5,000 cash. No defense attorney information was listed for him in online court records.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”