BREAKING: The stand off in Alabama is now over

[nadinbrzezinski]

Last edited Mon Feb 4, 2013, 06:33 PM - Edit history (4)

Developing

FBI is briefing Richardson, special Agent in Charge

The PIO just said five minutes.

Confirmed, Ethan is alive and Dykes is dead.

15:12 FBI safely recovered the child. Over the last 24 hours Dykes was observed holding a firearm.

The child is at the hospital physically unharmed, the subject (Dykes) is deceased.

[snooper2]

1. You're a reporter, we need more data than that..

NOW!

[zappaman]

3. !!!!

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. My beat is way to the west of Alabama

MSNBC has also sad explosion and ambulance. Forty five minutes, official statement expected.

[kestrel91316]

39. What - you want her to just make shit up to satisfy you??

[snooper2]

54. LOL, it was in jest almost real-time

Take a chill pill dude!

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

2. CNN: The little boy is safe....the kidnapper is dead

Developing...

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Oh good

[SidDithers]

6. Wait. Yesterday you told us it is going to take a while...

Sid

[freshwest]

31. It did take a while, IMO. Too long for the boy, but what a nightmare. Still it's good news.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Reporter explaining why you did not have live coverage

Shocking, the same I told you guys...

Good for reporter

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Kidnapper is dead, the boy is ok...reported by Pete Williams

And local abc station.

[HappyMe]

9. The kidnapper dead, little boy is okay.

[spanone]

10. msnbc ...no confirmation yet.

[HappyMe]

12. Yup. Press conference any minute now.

[meow2u3]

11. Kid is alive; kidnapper is dead

Question is, how did the kidnapper die? Did he kill himself?

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. We will know at the presser

From the puzzle, I suspect, this is speculation, during the dynamic entry. I suspect a cop. But this is speculation.

[meow2u3]

14. I'm watching right now

I was only conjecturing.

All speculation aside, we'll find out when they perform the autopsy.

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Too, true

[freshwest]

29. Saw something about a concussion grenade (?) on another thread.

Perhaps Dykes committed suicide by putting himself between the two of them?

Perhaps authorities set one off and it got Dykes and they opened the bunker?

And he shot himself?

No teevee at my place, so I'm not seeing what you are. There will still be terrible trauma for this youngster that will follow him his entire life.

[nadinbrzezinski]

32. Flash bangs are standard in dynamic entries

The authorities told us kid is fine, subject is deceased. Likely he was shot as the flash bang went off. That's standard. This took a minute once they committed, at most.

[freshwest]

33. Nerves of steel whoever got that hatch open and did this...

[nadinbrzezinski]

35. Yup...they also had a SWAT medic go in, most likely.

These people train constantly. I am betting they built a mock up of the bunker, and trained repeatedly over the last two days.

[freshwest]

48. Good grief, what a job to have to train for. But it worked this time.

[sad-cafe]

62. what is a flash bang?

[rdharma]

63. what is a flash bang?

A "flash bang" is a less than lethal stun grenade. Just as the name implies it makes a tremendous flash and bang which disorients the target (in this case the hostage holder). They are especially effective in close quarters and are often used in situations like they had in Alabama.

[obamanut2012]

18. I wonder if via sniper?

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. Doubt it.

Hardened position.

I suspect they had a dynamic entry (the loud explosion was likely a flash bang) followed by a second detonation, gun shot. This was very early on with the field reporter. Since he's talking of a single detonation.

Soon all our speculation will be over with the presser

[nadinbrzezinski]

43. Farcenter posted this

In a brief press conference provided to local media, Alabama and U.S. law-enforcement officials said that officers encountered Sykes, who was holding a gun, after breaching the cavern where Sykes had been keeping the boy. The officials quickly shot and killed Sykes and rescued the boy, who is being returned to his family.

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/02/alabama-hostage-situation-over/61787/

Yup...that is what it sounded like. You can et they trained for this nearby.

[freshwest]

47. Yes, they train. Most of us don't want to think about this, but it's necessary.

They deserve appreciation for saving that boy from this man.

[nadinbrzezinski]

52. Tonight they are all on cloud nine.

[Go Vols]

24. cops killed him per MSNBC

[meow2u3]

16. I just heard on MSNBC

...that the kidnapper felt he was a victim. Sounds as if he were a paranoid, teabagger loser.

Yeah, right--and the little 5-year-old provoked him?

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. Prepper, end of days...

Those precedent the tea party types.

They are, and have been, a very real segment of society.

[HappyMe]

19. They said that he felt alienated from society.

Easier for people to feel this way, then they take themselves out of society.

[meow2u3]

21. They can take themselves out of society, but leave innocent people alone nt

[HappyMe]

23. I'm sure some of them do.

There's always going to be a few that don't leave people alone.

[kestrel91316]

42. Well, there's one fewer today.

[HappyMe]

50. That's good.

Those survival people kind of freak me out.

[WillyT]

20. K & R !!!

[Buns_of_Fire]

25. MSNBC reports that there was "growing concern" about the kidnapper's mental state... nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

27. Yup, listening.

This does not surprise me.

Oh presser.

[HappyMe]

26. The people that had been

talking to him were concerned because the guy's mental condition was deteriorating rapidly.

[malaise]

28. Too sad all around

The destroyed destroy and are destroyed

[TeamPooka]

30. Glad the child is safe and no one else but the criminal hurt or killed.

[ananda]

34. Thank God!

Oh my God! Thank you!

That was such an ordeal.

[nadinbrzezinski]

36. I would thank the FBI hostage rescue team.

But that is just me.

[ananda]

40. Sure.

..

[freshwest]

51. Me, too. They get bad press, but this is part of their world and explains their mindset.

Like the Secret Service. You wonder why they can't crack a smile once in a while.

Someone commented that is because, 'They know too many things.'

What a world. So relieved for this little one.

[FarCenter]

37. "breaching the cavern"?

In a brief press conference provided to local media, Alabama and U.S. law-enforcement officials said that officers encountered Sykes, who was holding a gun, after breaching the cavern where Sykes had been keeping the boy. The officials quickly shot and killed Sykes and rescued the boy, who is being returned to his family.

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/02/alabama-hostage-situation-over/61787/

[nadinbrzezinski]

38. Translation, they opened the bunker

And engaged in a dynamic entry. The shocking part is how confined the area was.

[ananda]

41. They used a stun or flash grenade.

I don't understand why they didn't do this sooner.

Anybody know?

[nadinbrzezinski]

44. Breaching and dynamic entries are the last choice

Since they got a high probability of hostage death, even if the hostage is already assumed dead and getting them out is gravy. Trying to talk this down to a peaceful end is the best outcome for all involved.

Also, they had to train for the actual entry...and I can bet on a mock up nearby where multiple teams practiced.

[zappaman]

45. Is this the procedure when you did it?

Likely still the same, but I wonder if it has changed over the years...

[kestrel91316]

46. Life does not proceed at TV show pace. Things take more than an hour or two.

People sometimes want to know why it takes "so long" for me to find out what's wrong with their cat and why treatment can't be completed and the cat, with 6 different chronic health problems, can't be cured during a single office visit. They think life is a TV show.

I really hope you are not taking that attitude toward this thing. Unless you are a LEO hostage expert and were on scene, you might want to ease up on the second-guessing and criticizing.

[nadinbrzezinski]

49. My apologies

Misread the thread.

Oh and taking my kids to the vet in the afternoon. I expect a clean bill of health....squawk.

[kestrel91316]

55. I was responding to ananda. "Why didn't they do this sooner??" is

the sort of comment that really ticks me off in these situations.

Instant effing gratification, blaming the cops for not being superheroes with instantaneous solutions to crime. Sheesh.

[nadinbrzezinski]

56. I know, I realized this.

But csi is resolved within 45 minutes. Per formula by minute 40 you know. The other 15 are the commercial spots.

Now, will have two pissed off birds, taking them for physical in an hour, they are already in bed.

[freshwest]

53. The boy was in arm's reach of Sykes - it was tricky, no doubt.

[SummerSnow]

57. This guy was a Bagger ...

Huffington Post wrote : according to his neighbors, conservative radio filled his home and fed his anti government thinking....Bagger indeed.

[farminator3000]

58. sweet jesus, that's good news!

thanks!

http://www.abc3340.com/story/20960350/loud-bang-heard-at-hostage-site-in-midland

live video ^^^

edit:
"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.
http://www.abc3340.com/story/20961271/governor-bentleys-statement-on-resolution-of-hostage-situation-in-midland-city

[ljm2002]

59. Thank goodness!!!

I hope the child is not too traumatized...

The team that handled this deserves a lot of credit.

[nadinbrzezinski]

60. At almost six he should be ok

Kids are very resilient. Of course should and will are two different things.

[rdharma]

61. One down.......many more to go

I've been monitoring some of these racist gun nut sites. This krazy killer kracker is not alone. There are many others out there with visions of flying monkeys and "gubmint gun grabbers" in their addled conspiracy filled noggins.

I hate to say it....... but this won't be the last time something like this happens.

And I blame the righty talk haters like Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck, etc.

[nadinbrzezinski]

64. Local nooz reports the FBI team used a mock bunker

To train....

Yup, not surprising.