The wife of President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, Brad Parscale, told police that her husband had made “suicidal comments throughout the week” before he was detained and hospitalized Sunday.
Candice Parscale told Fort Lauderdale police officers she believed her husband had shot himself because he was “ranting and raving” about something and was holding a gun. She left the residence and moments later heard a gun cock and then heard what she thought was a gunshot, police reports obtained by CNN said.
She had fled the home without her cellphone or other belongings, according to the report.
Police on the scene realized Parscale did not shoot himself when they heard him ranting and pacing around the residence and the dog barking frantically, according to the reports. However, they were concerned that he might still try to shoot himself because he was in possession of several firearms and refused to speak to negotiators or to vacate the residence, the report says.
Later Monday afternoon, police released video of their contact with Parscale. The video shows Candice Parscale speaking to officers and telling police her husband was “acting crazy.” An officer spoke to Brad Parscale on the phone and asked him to step outside the home several times. The video then showed Parscale walking out of the home and speaking to an officer, at which point another officer tackled him to the ground and handcuffed him.
Parscale can be heard repeatedly saying, “I didn’t do anything” while on the ground.
Candice Parscale told police that her husband drinks and “suffers from PTSD.”
Several attempts by CNN to reach representatives for Parscale have been unsuccessful.
Parscale was demoted from his position this summer after Trump’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Though he maintained a senior position on the campaign, he was rarely seen inside the headquarters following his demotion.
Tim Murtaugh, the Trump campaign’s communications manager, told CNN in a statement, “Brad Parscale is a member of our family and we all love him. We are ready to support him and his family in any way possible.”
How to get help: Call 1-800-273-8255 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. It provides free and confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week for people in suicidal crisis or distress. You can learn more about its services here, including its guide on what to do if you see suicidal language on social media. You can also call 1-800-273-8255 to talk to someone about how you can help a person in crisis. For crisis support in Spanish, call 1-888-628-9454.
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