A US gunman and murder suspect who snatched a five-year-old boy and held him for a week underground in a bunker besieged by police has been killed and the child is safe, the FBI said Monday.
Police had earlier identified the abductor as Jimmy Lee Dykes, a 65-year-old retired trucker. The motive of the January 29 abduction in the town of Midland City in the southern state of Alabama remained unclear.
Police had earlier identified the abductor as Jimmy Lee Dykes, a 65-year-old retired trucker. The motive of the January 29 abduction in the town of Midland City in the southern state of Alabama remained unclear.
"At approximately 3:12 this afternoon, FBI agents safely recovered the child who's been held hostage for nearly a week," said FBI Special Agent Steve Richardson, who is in charge of the Mobile, Alabama division.
"Within the past 24 hours, negotiations deteriorated and Mr Dykes was observed holding a gun. At this point, FBI agents, fearing the child was in imminent danger, entered the bunker and rescued the child."
The five-year-old boy hostage, known only as Ethan, was taken from the scene to the hospital and is believed to be in fine condition. The child was reportedly taken to nearby Flowers Hospital but is not believed to be injured.
"Within the past 24 hours, negotiations deteriorated and Mr Dykes was observed holding a gun. At this point, FBI agents, fearing the child was in imminent danger, entered the bunker and rescued the child."
The five-year-old boy hostage, known only as Ethan, was taken from the scene to the hospital and is believed to be in fine condition. The child was reportedly taken to nearby Flowers Hospital but is not believed to be injured.
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| FBI Special Agent in Charge Steve Richardson addresses the media near Alabama |
said Richardson, ". Sykes had continued to demand “4 minutes on all major networks” to tell his story.
Dykes’s believed that the government was harboring and hiding aliens that threatened to take America’s weapons.
During a televised news conference, Stephen E. Richardson, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Mobile, Ala. division, said that during the last 24 hours, negotiations deteriorated and Dykes “was observed holding a gun.”
That’s when authorities decided that the boy was in eminent danger, so they made a move to rescue the boy.
The subject is deceased."
Dykes is thought to have shot dead the driver of a school bus when he seized his young hostage, retreating to an underground room on his property and defying calls for his surrender.
Ala. Gov. Robert Bentley said in a statement that he was “thankful that the child who was abducted is now safe.”
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| Gov. Robert Bentley |
He continued: “At the same time, we also want to remember the family and friends of the bus driver – Charles Poland, Junior. This man was a true hero who was willing to give up his life so others might live. We are all inspired by his courage and bravery.”
Dykes, a retired Alabama trucker, was a decorated Vietnam-era veteran described as a loner who railed against the government.
Word for theDay: “God will not look you over for medals, degrees or diplomas; but for scars.” -― Elbert Hubbard
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