E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSAn Alabama state senator and a representative who have been in touch with the family of the 5-year-old boy being held hostage in a bunker discuss the case.
The family of an Alabama boy abducted from his school bus and being held in an underground bunker is "holding on by a thread," a state representative said Thursday as the hostage drama stretched into a third day.
The boy, a 5-year-old named Ethan, is receiving necessary medication and appears to be calm and doing well, a state senator said.
A source close to the investigation told NBC News on Thursday that authorities had also managed to get crayons and coloring books to the boy.
The child was kidnapped Tuesday after school when a man stormed the bus and presented a note demanding that two children be handed over to him, the source said. When the driver refused, the man shot and killed him and grabbed the boy, authorities said. Twenty-one other children on the bus were able to escape.
On Wednesday, a source close to the investigation identified the suspected gunman to NBC News as Jimmy Lee Dykes, 65, of Midland City, describing him as a loner and a survivalist who "does not trust the government" and holds "anti-American views."
Hostage negotiators were still talking to the man in his bunker through a PVC pipe, but after a second night ended with no sign of progress in negotiations, Alabama state Rep. Steve Clouse told the TODAY show: "We are all just hoping this can come to a safe end."
He said the boy's family was "holding on by a thread."
The Dothan Eagle quoted a neighbor, Michael Creel, as describing the bunker as a "homemade bomb shelter," roughly 4 feet wide, 6 feet long and 8 feet deep and covered by several feet of sand. James Arrington, police chief in neighboring Pinckard, where the bus was assaulted, told reporters Thursday that Dykes had been known to stay in it for as long as eight days.
Alabama state Sen. Harri Anne Smith told TODAY that negotiators had delivered medication that the boy needed, provided by his mother, and that he was believed to be calm and doing well. His mother has "taken comfort in that," she said.
In the remote town of Midland City, just north of the Alabama-Florida state line, people prayed for the boy's safe release.
"Right now, the whole town seems like they're just in a mourning stage," convenience store manager Carl McKenzie told NBC station WSFA of Montgomery. "I would go take that child's place if I could, just to get him out of danger."
Bus driver praised
Authorities offered no hints to the gunman's motive. Clouse said the kidnapping appeared random.
Hostage negotiators have been talking to Jimmy Lee Dykes, 65, who is alleged to have abducted a kindergartner from his school bus Tuesday. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez reports.
Read more: Hostage suspect was loner, missed court appearance
The gunman burst onto the yellow school bus about 3:40 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said. When the driver, Charles Albert Poland Jr., 66, tried to stop him from taking children off the bus, he was shot and killed. The source close to the investigation told NBC News that four spent bullets were found at the scene.
Read more: Slain bus driver remembered as hero
The county school system said 21 students had made it off the bus safely and praised Poland as a fallen hero. But the gunman made off with the one child, possibly because the boy fainted during the siege, according to WSFA.
Clouse said gratitude was being expressed for Poland's actions, telling TODAY: "He started the day as a bus driver and ended it a hero."
Linda Williams, a county tax clerk whose cousin was married to Poland, described him to NBC News as "a good Christian man" who was active in church.
"It says in the Bible the meek will inherit the Earth," brother-in-law Melvin Skipper told the Eagle. "He was the meekest man I knew."
Poland's neighbor Hilburn Benton told the newspaper that Poland refused to accept payment for work on his yard two years ago. "He told me, "You're my friend and you're my neighbor. I'm not charging you a dime,'" Benton recalled.
Suspect faced previous charges
Dykes had been due in court Wednesday morning to face a misdemeanor charge of menacing James E. Davis Jr., a neighbor who accused him of firing a pistol at his truck Dec. 10. The Montgomery Advertiser reported that the dispute was over a makeshift speed bump.
Dale County Board of Education
Charles Albert Poland Jr., who had driven a school bus for Dale County, Ala., since 2009, was shot and killed.
Rhonda Wilbur told WSFA that Dykes was a longtime source of concern in the neighborhood because "he has been like a time bomb waiting for him to go off." Wilbur told reporters that Dykes had beaten her dog to death with a lead pipe.
In addition to the county sheriff's department, the FBI and a SWAT team were on the scene. A woman answering the phone at the Midland City Police Department said the FBI had taken over and that local police were no longer involved. Authorities ordered people living nearby to leave during the standoff.
Schools in Dale County and the nearby city of Ozark were closed for the rest of the week. Dale County schools said counselors would be available to help students, including those who were on the bus.
M. Alex Johnson, Gabe Gutierrez, Isolde Raftery and Alastair Jamieson of NBC News contributed to this report.
The Dothan Eagle via AP
A man boarded this stopped school bus in the town of Midland City, Ala., on Tuesday afternoon and shot the driver when he refused to let a child off the bus. The bus driver died.
Leave a Comment:
If someone gives the order to kick in my door to take my weapons, they will be leaving in a body bag, just sayin!!!
You shoot a law enforcement officer and he won't be the only one leaving in a body bag. So you might want to rethink that statement. Just sayin!!!
There are 794,300 LEO's in the US. There are at least 85 Million gunowners. Most every LEO has taken an oath to protect the Constitution against all enemies, foreign or demestic.
Don't really think we are worried about a wholesale door kickin'!
We do need to worry about the crooks and power-grabbers in DC.
It terrifies me what this person is doing storming a bus to take a child in such a fashion when they could just of easily waited at the stop, or picked them up at the school. Obviously we are talking about an emotionally/ mentally disturbed individual. I worry for the sake of the child and am saddened that the child may be in harms way due to some stupid dispute between parents and their own squabble.
All the gun talk is interesting, and the name calling really adds to the credible nature of all involved. But to play "devil's advocate" I have a question to ponder. All the recent gun control talks have centered around "Assault rifles" or semi-auto rifles that mimic assault rifles, and large magazine and clip capacities... So does the discussion change if this incident was performed with the use of a single action revolver with a 6 shot capacity? Just wondering.
Won't change the political dialogue at all. There has already been an assault weapons ban (AWB). It was allowed to expire when it proved ineffectual.
But it is easier to ram something down the throats of the electorate if it is not something new.
It is all about the agenda - increasing federal power.
People have totally lost their minds in this country. Why would any immigrant want to come to this country anymore with all of the gun violence? This is no longer the land of the free, it is the land of the innocent taken hostage. It use to be all of the really bad news I read about was overseas in certain countries for really off the wall crap. Now the real crap has come home to roost here. I find myself thankful everyday that I do not have grandchildren yet and I also find myself wishing that they are born in another country when it does happen. This country is dispicible for the gun violence and values towards our own citizens and humanity in general. Why anyone would want to knowingly come to live here anymore is beyond me.
If you think that is bad then check this out.
The International Crime Victims Survey, conducted by Leiden University in Holland, found that England and Wales ranked second overall in violent crime among industrialized nations. Twenty-six percent of English citizens — roughly one-quarter of the population — have been victimized by violent crime. Australia led the list with more than 30 percent of its population victimized. The United States didn’t even make the “top 10″ list of industrialized nations whose citizens were victimized by crime.
If you do not think you are safe here because Americans own guns than try living in GB, AUS, Mexico or Brazil.
Because they banned guns in Mexico a long time ago, and now the country is ruled by drug cartels and corruption. All of the good people in Mexico have become disarmed potential victims thanks to their gun ban and those poor people are paying for it with their lives.
That's why people want to come here, because it's safer. Or at least it will be as long as our Constitutional right to bear arms remains intact.
By the way...Mom In Illinois...you may want to look up the real statistics. Gun violence is DECREASING in the United States and has been for years, it's just that the propoganda machine behind the gun-control groups are using every story around the country as publicity events.
You're from Illinois, so I assume you know that Illinois is a very safe place to live...EXCEPT for Chicago, home of the street gangs and strictest gun laws in the country. Chicago is a prime example that controlling the guns does not work, you must control the criminals.
Dowhatis right,
You're cherry picking that statistic. Because we top the list for those killed by guns. In fact, our soldiers are safer in Afghanistan than they would be right here. Great Britain may have more violence, but they have far fewer deaths, and almost no deaths by guns. It's all in how you look at the numbers.
Mind you, that doesn't mean that this is necessarily a good thing for Great Britain. Since they banned guns, the incidence of home invasion and rape has gone up. So there is definitely a down side to banning guns. But you might want to keep in mind that gun ownership in Great Britain has always been restricted. They have nowhere near the number of firearms that we do, never did. And I'm talking about a per capita basis, not an actual count.
The other thing to keep in mind is that their laws are not nearly as harsh as ours. You can kill someone, with premeditation, and still get out in fifteen or twenty years. Their sentences are much more lenient and there is no death penalty.
Gotta call you on your comment about soldiers in Afghanistan. There is a .04% (don't miss the decimal!) that you will be harmed by a firearm in the US (That statistic includes suicides and police/self defense numbers).
Pretty sure the risk in Afghanistan is higher.
Well, All I have to say is if the bus driver had a gun the bus for protection purposes then he would not be injured and the child would not have been taken. I will keep the child in my prayers for her/his safe return home and justice for the one who took her/him. Being protected means being able to protect others as well. It is alot better than banning the busses for the child going missing or the wheels fault for driving to that spot. I do not think that the dumi'crats and lie'brals think before they think and or act much less speak. This child will be in my prayers as well as the childs parents.I think the gun control ban has gone far enough and we need to be armed to protect ourselves and others so things like this along with other crimes does not happen again. Being protected does not mean that you are small or little and does not belittle anyone. Being armed protects our lives and our little ones lives. This is what means the most is to protect our little ones and not our dumicrat president. I can not and will not choose obama over anyones child no matter what color or religion their are, mine or someone elses. I will do my best as so many others will also do to protect our children. I would say a small prayer now but I am sure it will not sit well with the non beleivers but I don't care. I pray to God that he brings this child home and safely. I hope that God brings justice to the person who took this child and swiftly. I hope and pray that God holds this family in his arms warmly until this child is returned safely and unharmed. Amen. Rev. Carter
Lots of people mention that a criminal could use a knife or a hammer, but its pretty difficult to attack and kill a large group of people with a knife or hammer, but you can spray out death at a distance with your aussalt rifle and 30 cartridge magazine. Some think a knife or hammer can do the same. Some pretty lame thinking going on!!
Believe it was 2000 or 2001, 20 plus kids killed in Japan by a crazy with a knife.
Not with a knife or hammer, but you could kill a lot of people with some homemade explosives or even a mid-sized SUV. Look up the Bath, Michigan school bombing. Think about what a psychopath in a Chevy Equinox could do at a crowded school bus stop or playground. Think about what a lunatic with a chain, padlock, and a few molotov cocktails could do to a crowded movie theater.
Pretty lame thinking going on if you think the problem is guns rather than the behavior.
too bad the driver wasn't armed - my guess (because MSNBC won't tell you all the facts if they don't support their anti gun crusade) is the guy kidnapped his kids or had some connection to them and he wasn't legally allowed to have a gun - I'm bettin he had a record for domestic violence already but we'll never know with the fine reporting by Barry's special "news" organization - they love to publish shooting stories and then never follow-up because when the facts come out the person doing the shooting broke some law to have a gun
Please note that they said this was a breaking story and readers should check back for further details.
This is what happen when society has no standards, no right or wrong, exceptions to law, No fathers and mothers and anybody can marry and anybody. The end is near.
Enoch- your right the end is near!
Can't even have your son in boy scouts without getting gay lessons.
So sad!
Yeah... You should keep your kid at home with you, so he can continue to get dumbass lessons.
Lee-3485824, You sound upset that someone wants to protect their kids from homosexuals. Now you will have to look some where else for your molesting behavior. I rather see a child get a dumbass lesson than some pervert Homo trying to stick it you now where.
We've got some really nutty people running around loose. Some check in with their Dr. and take their meds, some don't. I wish we had more funding to build hospitals for them. Get them off the streets, and make sure they take medication.
Terrible situation. Too bad that bus driver was not armed (which was probably against the law) He could have dispatched (killed) this turd and the child would have been safe. More instances of lawmakers with warm turds for brains making liberal laws.
2conservative, You are so right, it is so SAD!!!
man this is getting bad , we all need s guns , the crazy people are out in force now, you all open a can of nuts and there running with it, i think ill go get my right to carry , and or become a police officer, what is going on here , you cant call it cowboys and Indians , we need the duke , or cops and robbers , its cops and nut jobs,
I'm a school bus driver. Bus drivers should not be armed! You don't want a loaded weapon on a bus full of kids. I will. say tho I will die protection my kids on that bus and if someone tries to get on the bus that doesn't belong the crow bar at the side of my seat will come out faster then he/she can pull a gun!!!!!!
I see a lot of ignorant people posting commits here about the NRA and their demands to confiscate all the firearms in America from the Law Abiding people, this is just plain ignorant and stupid... You all should be concern about the child that was taken and for his safe return.
another responsible Gun owner im sure...this is whats wrong with this country...time to fix it
Please explain how. And provide actual facts, statistics, and evidence on how your plan will work. I'm not interested in misinformed hysterics, I want proof.
I don't think he was just another responsible Gun owner, sound like he had mental problems and used a gun to carry out his crime... You know the automobile are used more as a weapon then handguns, but liberals refused to see that.
He boarded the bus driver? And this was updated 45 minutes in the future???
msn you.r full @!$%# and never tell the truth. you only tell half the story.
All the rabid left-wingers refer to gun ownership as a redneck white male thing. I am not white, I am a law-abiding citizen, and own a gun which has never been used. My sister is a doctor, also not white, and has a gun for protection as she is a woman living near an area where several rapes have occurred. Please tell me, you BRILLIANT lefties, why a woman should not have a right to defend herself the only way she can?
You own a gun that has never been used? I hope you don't mean that. As that would mean you do not practice with it. Does 5that also mean you are untrained? I hope not. I am a gun owner and the only responsible one is one who practices regularly to know exactly how to use it.
I'm not advocating a gun ban. Unless we could get every single gun off the streets, a ban is just non-functional. I am advocating better screening for background checks, closing any loopholes in the purchasing laws, and making the laws nationwise so that we can actually assess the efficacy of the new rules. The patchwork approach now in use is ridiculous. You can ban guns in Chicago, but that won't do any good at all if a criminal can go to an adjoining city or state and purchase any gun he chooses. The rules have to be uniform across the country. Every sale should be recorded, be it a store, a gun show or a private party.
My son sold a car and failed to file a notice of non-responsibility and sale. When the car was impounded for not being registered (by the new owner) my son was responsible for the towing and impound costs. They totaled $3000. We need to have the same sort of thing for guns. Then we would at least be able to demand that all gun owners behave responsibly.
Terrible thing. But at least local authorities stayed calm and didn't lock down every school in the time zone.
It has been reported on other sitesthat they have canceled schools in the area for tomorrow.
Geez, people use your computer to find information from more than just this NBCLite site.
SO.. time to arm the school buses too and every other place where the public congregates..... and turn the US into a virtual police state...... yeah, freedom
Man you damn news media. You just love to skew things to fit with your mission of gun control don't you? Your post every news item having to do with guns. There are 349 million people in this country. You could post a gun violence story every day for a year and you still would only be talking about a tiny percentage of crime. You even posted a story about cops who apparently had to shoot a dog. BFD. You also poasted that story gloing along with the assumption that it was against procedure. If an innocent dog is being attacked, and severely at that. And suppose the cops don't want to get injured. Then yes its a good shoot. This story about the kids in the school bus is not good at all. Gun violence is NOT in epidemic proportions nation wide. Perhaps in some cities. But nationwide its really not that bad.
It's the liberal agenda and the media is buying into it hook, line and sinker, but do they realize if they can tamper with the 2nd Amendment, they can also tamper with the 1st Amendment. The DNC is the new communist party and their minions just can't see it.
They killed both dogs. If the point was to protect the dog that was losing, then they failed. I used to raise and train dogs. I broke up plenty of dog fights, and these were big dogs. I never once got bitten. It's a matter of knowing how to do it. If cops are going to go to a dog fight, then they need to learn how to handle dogs. Shooting them isn't the answer unless they are attacking a person. I suspect the cops just freaked when they saw one of the dogs was a pit bull. People tend to do that.
Wrong thread there, Under.
More guns is always the answer, and we should welcome N. Korea & Iran having nukes so we all will be safer.
It's true that guns don't kill people, people do, but how do you keep the gun out of the hands of the killer if any attempt to restrict access to guns in any way is viewed by most gun fanatics as an infringement of everyone's "rights." You say the country should instead focus attention on the mental health problems, then put up just as much of a stink if that is to be done in a way that might involve raising tax revenue to pay for it. Just keep screaming "Freedom!" without bringing any constructive ideas to the table.
Now, get back to playing your violent video games before the fascists at the NRA come to take them away.
Average- Please read the 20,000+ gun laws currently on the books an tell me what we are missing.
dowhat
What's missing is a nationwide, uniform set of rules that everyone has to follow. Patchwork rules and enforcement make any rules easy to violate.
Nice rant, but if you had read all these posts, you would see some sensible ideas.
Banning "assault weapons" is recongnized as ineffectual, but the progressives will argue "well, we must do something!.
How about tightening the laws on transfer of guns. Maximum jail time, loss of license to sell firearms, loss of right to own or use firearms, for selling any gun without following strict background,criminal, and psychological checks. Don't cry about costing too much and raising the cost. It's already been added in. Look at how much gun prices have gone up.
White male?
I don't know. But there was one of another color in Delaware today.
It won't let me post a link. But they were 4 and 6 year old girls.
Obama wants the victims to be very young and helpless, this advances his agenda. How many times have solders been motivated by saving women and children. And clearly obama will stop at nothing to disarm the American people so that he can abolish congress and declare himself king.
Mitzy, go stick your head back into the hash pipe. More like, if the election went the other way,"King Mitt".
Love that all you people are so wrapped up in progun/antigun bullcrap but not one of you says a damn thing like "Hope the child makes it out of this unharmed" or what a sick freak this man is for shooting a man in front of a bunch of kids. you people really need a moral compass.
I agree. I hope nothing is going on down there bad and pray she heals.
"Abortion on demand and without Apology", that's one of Pro-Choice's Logos.
114,000 unborn children are aborted every Month in the United States, 1.37 Million a year, 55 Million in the last 40 years. Only 7% of those abortions were performed because of Rape, Incest and Medical reasons, the other 93%, 51 million abortions, were for Birth Control.
Do you really want to get into a discussion about Moral Compass?
I have an excellent post about that very subject if you do?