'I had it in my hands by my side to protect myself and just chilling.'

BELLEVIEW – A man who pointed a shotgun at Belleview police officers on Tuesday surrendered peacefully in front of his home and was taken into custody when he dropped the weapon.

Akil Rashad Todd was taken to the Marion County Jail and booked on charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement official and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Todd, 22, of Belleview, had a pistol-gripped Mossberg 600, officials said. State records show Todd is on drug offender probation that began Jan. 20, 2015, and is scheduled to end Jan. 19, 2018.

“I had it in my hands by my side to protect myself and just chilling,” Todd said in an interview with a Star-Banner reporter at the jail several hours after his arrest.

Belleview police received a call about a man walking down the road armed with a shotgun who appeared agitated. Chief Terry Holland spotted the man, later identified as Todd, in the 5400 block of Southeast 113th Street and ordered him to drop the firearm. Holland was behind the door of his department-issued vehicle, officials said.

Lt. Larry Bryan then arrived and Todd turned his attention from Holland to Bryan. Authorities said Todd first pointed the weapon at the two officers and later pointed the gun in the air. The officers had their guns drawn, officials said.

Joined by a third officer, the police told Todd to drop the shotgun, which he later did. Officials said the weapon had a round ready to fire.

Todd refused to answer any questions posed by the officers and he was taken to the jail.

Holland told the Star-Banner he was glad that he and his officers were able to use “calm thinking” before reacting. He said when he drove up to the scene, Todd was walking to his residence. When told to drop the weapon, Todd, who had the shotgun in the air, turned around and pointed it at him. He said when Bryan showed up, Todd pointed the shotgun at Bryan.

Todd is being held on suicide watch at the jail. He told the Star-Banner that he’s bipolar and schizophrenic and has been “for a long time.” He denied pointing the weapon at police and said he found the shotgun while “dumpster diving.”

Todd said he and his girlfriend argued in the morning because he was supposed to take her to work. He said she left and he went out. While he was out, he said, he found the shotgun and “it was empty.”

He called Tuesday’s confrontation with officers a “publicity stunt,” and said he is “trying to get treatment” for his medical condition.

Holland said they received a call about Todd on Monday night and Todd voluntarily wanted to go a facility for evaluation. However when Todd got there, he later left.

Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118, austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb