Police chased a suspect through a neighborhood after getting a 911 call of a fight involving a knife at a city park Friday evening in Monroe, Michigan. 

The suspect also briefly escaped from custody after getting checked at an area hospital, the Monroe Public Safety Department said. 

The altercation erupted about 5:58 p.m. Friday at Father Cairns Park, which is at the corner of West Eighth and Union Streets in Monroe. A police officer was already at the park for the Harvest in the Park children's party at a picnic pavilion when the 911 call was made and shouts could be heard near the basketball court area. 

After finding the person believed to be responsible for the commotion, police said, the officer at the park ordered the 19-year-old man to stop. But the suspect ran off, with the foot pursuit winding through nearby railroad tracks, homes and businesses. 

Additional officers then came to the area, including those from Michigan State Police and Monroe County Sheriff's Office, as the suspect continued to evade capture. 

The suspect was eventually caught and apprehended with the use of a taser a few blocks away, in the 1200 block of Union Street. Officers took the man to a local hospital for medical evaluation. Once the medical checkup was completed, officers walked him out of the hospital building in handcuffs. But he broke free and ran off before being re-apprehended, police said. 

The suspect was then taken to Monroe County Jail. Charges are pending that include creating a disturbance, resisting and obstructing, and assaulting a police officer. 

There were no reports of injuries to other people. 

Father Cairns Park, a 4.2-acre site that is part of the City of Monroe parks system, was renovated and updated in 2024. The amenities include a playground, pickleball courts and a summer splash pad. The park's namesake, the Rev. George J. Cairns, had served as a priest in Monroe and Royal Oak. 

The Harvest in the Park children's party, which began at 6 p.m. that evening, was hosted by the city park department with support from Monroe County Intermediate School District Early Childhood Programs, the Great Start Collaborative and other agencies.