New Paltz – Town Police took a Montgomery man into custody late Friday night after he raised his hand while holding a meat cleaver and telling officers “you’re going to have to shoot me.”

The man, identified as James Lally, 29, was at a residence at Tantillo Lane in New Paltz when police responded to a 911 call of a possible overdose at 11 p.m.

Lally locked himself if a bathroom, but came out telling officers he would cut them. He had the meat cleaver in his hand and when they pulled their guns and ordered him to drop the weapon, which he refused to do, they pepper sprayed him, disarming and taking him to the ground.

Police later said alcohol and/or drugs may have been a precipitating factor to the incident.

Lally was placed into custody and transported to Sr. Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie for a psychiatric evaluation.