December 28, 2020 – Town of Wayne, The Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence on Hunter’s Lane in the Town of Wayne on Saturday, December 26 at 3:56 p.m. for a report of a family dispute.
The caller, the suspect’s wife, reported an altercation at the home among family members.
During the altercation, the husband armed himself with a firearm and shot a round off. Several family members then abruptly fled the residence. Three children, two 6-months-old infants and a 3-year-old child, were left in the residence with the armed husband.
When the first deputy arrived, a second round was heard from what appeared to originate from outside the back of the home. Deputies quickly confirmed the suspect was outside of the home and entered the home to check on the status of the children. The 3-year-old child was located under her bed hiding and the infants were also located safe inside the home.
Due to the unknown mental status, and location of the potentially armed suspect, the Washington County SWAT team was activated and utilized the armored rescue vehicle to safely extricate the children to a safe location where they were reunited with the mother.
A search of the area started, and about two hours after the initial call, the suspect was safely taken into custody about 1.7 miles east of the home in a farm field. He will face charges of disorderly conduct while armed.
Sheriff Martin Schulteis said of the incident, “This young man had been under a great deal of external stress and simply lost control. I am thankful he did not hurt himself or any of his loved ones. The deputies and members of the SWAT team demonstrated how a high level of preparedness and tactical proficiency can resolve high-risk situations with the utmost regard for the preservation of life for all involved.