Suspect charged with charging at officers with a knife

Gulfport Police have charged a man with trying to injure police officers by charging them with a knife.

Officers on Thursday arrested 44-year-old Dartanion Jovan Chandler. He has been charged with two counts of attempted aggravated assault on a police officer and one count of attempted aggravated assault. He also faces two misdemeanor charges of malicious mischief. Bond is set at $750,000 on the attempted aggravated assault charges.

About 6 p.m. Thursday, officers were on patrol when they saw Chandler in the road, acting erratically. As they approached, Chandler began yelling and charging the patrol car with a knife in his hand and struck the vehicle with the blade of the knife.

Officers backed up the vehicle and then got out to approach Chandler. Gulfport Police said one officer provided lethal coverage while the other officer used a less lethal gun and struck Chandler, who fell to the ground but failed to comply with officers’ commands.

After taking Chandler into custody, officers were approached by a person who said Chandler also charged him with a knife.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is urged to contact the Gulfport Police Department at 228-868-5959 or Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at 877-787-5898.