TAMA COUNTY, Iowa — A man from Waterloo who was reported to be in crisis and had made suicidal comments was found safe after an extensive search effort in Tama County.

The Tama County Sheriff’s Office was alerted early Saturday afternoon about the situation. The man's vehicle was discovered near S Avenue and Highway V18, in an area he was known to go hunting.

Authorities noted that he had taken steps to make himself difficult to locate.

The search began around 2:00 p.m. and involved several members of the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, the Tama Police Department, and other local emergency services, including Vining Fire, Elberon Fire, Elberon Ambulance, and Clutier First Responders. Local citizens also joined the search, using UTVs to cover more ground. Drones from the Sheriff’s Office and the Meskwaki Nation Police Department were deployed, and the Tama Police Department’s K9 Unit assisted in the search.

Despite several hours of searching, no sign of the man was found in the immediate area. Based on interviews and information gathered, authorities believed he had left the area on foot. They contacted authorities in Waterloo to share their findings.

Sunday morning, around 11:00 a.m., the Sheriff’s Office received word that the man had returned to his residence in Waterloo and was taken to the hospital for evaluation.

I’m extremely proud of how everyone came together," said a representative from the Tama County Sheriff’s Office. "It was a tough situation with difficult terrain, but nobody hesitated to jump in and help. Tama County is lucky to have people like this.