STARKVILLE – SWAT officers safely rescued a 4-year-old from the clutches of an alleged kidnapper Thursday morning following a more than two-hour standoff with the suspect, who was barricaded in a Brookville Garden Apartment.
Tyrez Wade, 33, of Hattiesburg, is charged with kidnapping, domestic violence-simple assault, disorderly conduct and failure to comply, authorities reported during a press conference Thursday at Starkville Police Department.
Witnesses called 911 at about 2:22 a.m. to report Wade was fighting with his girlfriend outside Building 5 at the apartment complex at 305 Everglade Ave., according to police. Wade was reportedly armed with a knife and handgun during the altercation.
When officers arrived, Wade fled to a second-floor apartment and barricaded himself inside with his girlfriend’s child.
After more than two hours of negotiations, SPD SWAT officers forced entry into the apartment and found Wade holding the child. Officers successfully rescued the child and arrested Wade “without significant injury,” an SPD press release said. No firearms were found inside the apartment.
The suspect had no relation to the child, Police Chief Mark Ballard said during the press conference.
Ballard said officers evacuated adjacent apartments upon arrival and notified residents in nearby buildings whether they needed to evacuate or shelter-in-place. He said assistance from the fire department and Pafford Medical was key. For example, SWAT used special fire department equipment to access Building 5’s second floor and break through the barricade.
Ballard also noted he was impressed with how his officers performed throughout the ordeal.
“Effective training plays a direct role in a successful conclusion,” he said. “… This is a rarity, but it doesn’t take but one to go bad, and it will scar your department for a really long time.”
He also addressed the seriousness of domestic violence and how common a catalyst it is for tragic conclusions.
“Domestic violence kills,” Ballard said. “In my experience in law enforcement … if it hasn’t been a narcotic-related homicide, it’s been domestic. When you’re in a bad relationship, get out. That message was sent very clearly to the victim. I think her family is on board with this.”
Wade is being held in Oktibbeha County Jail. He was on parole for previous convictions of drug possession and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to the Mississippi Department of Corrections website.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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