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A police source confirms to NBC News that this is the suspect in an Alabama hostage-taking, Jimmy Lee Dykes, 65.
The first picture emerged Friday of the Alabama man who authorities say has held a 5-year-old boy in an underground bunker for more than three days after snatching him off a school bus.
A police source confirmed to NBC News that the photo is of Jimmy Lee Dykes, who authorities say took the boy after shooting and killing the bus driver Tuesday afternoon in the small town of Midland City.
Dykes, 65, described by authorities and neighbors as a Vietnam veteran and survivalist with deep mistrust of the government, has communicated with hostage negotiators through a long PVC pipe.
The boy has Asperger’s syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a state representative said Thursday. Authorities have gotten medicine to the boy through the pipe, plus crayons and coloring books.
Bus driver Charles Albert Poland Jr., 66, was shot and killed while trying to stop the abduction. His children told NBC News that he thought of the children on the bus as his own, and took bullets for them as he might have for his son or daughter.
"Every time a child got on my dad's bus, they were no longer (with) their parents,' they were his," son Aaron Poland said in an interview that aired Friday on TODAY.
Police towed the bus away from the scene Friday after processing it for evidence.
The two men had a brief encounter a day before the siege, a neighbor said. Kelly Miller, who lives next door to Dykes, told NBC affiliate WSFA that Dykes boarded Poland’s bus Monday and spoke with him. She did not know what was said.
Then, on Tuesday morning, before the abduction, Poland gave Dykes a gift of eggs and marmalade to thank him for clearing off the driveway where the bus had to turn around, according to Miller.
Miller, whose sons Jessie and Jackson were able to leave the bus before the shooting, told the station that Dykes called her father to the property fence shortly afterward and gave him Poland’s gifts, saying: "Here. I don't want this."
Hours later, Miller heard shots and screams.
"Within seconds of me grasping what was going on, I knew it was Jim," she told WSFA.
Published reports have quoted neighbors as saying Dykes has spent as long as eight days at a time in the bunker.
A U.S. military official confirmed Friday that Dykes served a little more than four years in the Navy before being discharged in January 1969. He received several awards, including a medal for good conduct.
Neighbors have described him as a paranoid menace who killed at least one neighborhood pet and threatened children on his property. On the day of the school bus siege, he was due in court over allegedly shooting at a neighbor’s truck. Police have not said if they believe the planned court appearance was connected to the hostage situation.
RELATED: Son says bus driver in Alabama hostage crisis gave life for 'his children'
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You make alot of assumptions about this mans political affiliations and club memberships. Are we to infer that people who vote for Obama do not kill , kidnap, carry guns, threaten their neighbors or shoot anyone? Ive looked on the internet for any quotes, political affiliations or history of this man and find none. Profiling some?
RH - Well, usually the government hating, gun nuts, frightened, survivalists lean toward the tea party way of thinking. You know the group that frightens and angers people - stirs them up? You know those guys! Stock your basements, get your guns, there will be riots in the streets! People won't be able to eat and they want your food. Please don't pretend you haven't heard this. I have seen these e-mails that get sent to Republicans. I used to be one. Kept myself on the list so I can see what is being spewed. So many frightened, paranoid little people, and so little time!
Im not naive to this, I live in Alabama. lol. I just find the profiling offensive as a southerner and a gun owner. Im also fairly conservative. I hear these things and see people buying up guns and walmart wont sell you more than three boxes of shells now. Its ridiculous, and a little frightening, frankly. Its a mob mentality, and its contagious. But its pigeon holing to say ALL republicans are like this. And ALL gun owners are paranoid freaks. Im not a member of the NRA, or the tea party, or a milita. I dont have a bunker. MY fear is, I live in a rural area, if they ask me to turn in my guns, and my nutso neighbor doesnt comply, the response time in my area is about 30 minutes. Im a sitting duck if my nutso neighbor loses his bean.Thats why people dont want to turn over thier guns, they are afraid of the wackos and criminals who will keep thiers. the average gun owner is being forced to align with the NRA to keep thier source of home protection. And you are right, Fox is NOT helping. Im fairly disgusted with all media.
@AllPeople It is almost funny that you think this way because I work in a union shop [democrats] and almost all the guys I work with are gun owners with CCP. We all go deer hunting every year, some like myself also hunt turkey and ducks. Some of us even like to fish, go figure. We are all outraged at the stories of gun violence, but please leave us union boys alone. We need to put a stop to violence, not outlaw guns.
The guy's anti-government. Trade a federal officer for the kid.
I, personally, do nor care what his political status, his skin color, or anything else. Hostage negotiators need to get him out of the bunker, away from the child, then have SWAT unload on his useless ass. He serves no purpose in this society.
I would guess that is the plan!
My heart just breaks for this little boy and his family who are living through hell right now. I was also very moved by the statement from the bus driver's family. What a sweet thought that he felt as if those kids were his own and went to such lengths to protect them as to lay down his life for them. There is a special place in heaven reserved such selfless people. My condolences to his family.
An earlier post mentioned a list of Black offenders that you never hear about, "and won't". It isn't considered "politically correct" to mention anything other than White offenders--others are excused. But, that's not the issue here.
Why have the GOP not spotted this guy to run for John Kerry's Senate seat seems to me he ticks all the boxes
This is what happens when you watch FOX News.
Don't forget Rush.
You and idiot. That little girl in Chicago was killed because of Obama. Your sick.
Villum: You call me sick? Obama is why she's dead? You sad little person. I feel very sorry for you.
"We've got to stop being the stupid party." - Bobby Jindal.
You would be what he was talking about.
We can thank Faux Noise for His lunatic Nature.
I HAVE Aspergers Sydrome. and all it does is make socialization more difficult, you can't read people's unspoken signals easily. Im not sure why the mention of that is even relevant.
Needs his medications - that's why it is mentioned. Many concerns for this little guy. So far they are getting medication through the pipe for him.
Problem is liberals kept him around. Why he wasn't jailed after beating a dog to death with a pipe is unbelievable. Then he starts walking his property with a gun to protect it. From who? All the warning sighs were there and yet authorities are limited to what they can do because liberal thinking kills.
Villumi.........so its not ok to walk around your own property with a gun? Gun nuts like to show off their guns and fantasize about combat. Cant see why you would have an issue with that.
vilhum1 - Brain in gear? I guess not! Not liberals, but our Bill of Rights, will not allow someone who has not committed a crime to be arrested. I wish some of you right wingers would educate yourselves just a little bit. Neighbors said he killed a dog. Probably, there was not enough evidence to pin it on him.
So, "all the signs" can't be used to bring this guy in because of our Bill of Rights - not because of liberals. Fox News tries to stir all that kind of thinking up in its "followers" and "flocks", much like your religions do. Really work on some reading so you can stop "following" when they are leading you down the garden path.
isn't there any non lethal sleeping gas they can push via that tube? then when he does not respond break in?
Let's think about that. If it is strong enough to put a man down....what would it do to 5 year old? Hmmm.....
Not TV - no easy fixes!
Well, it can be an option to do this and provide emergency treatment to both that the cowboy rescue ending in both dead that is a high possibility.
Why would a war veteran shoot up a bus of kids if he mistrust the Goverment and is a prepper so to speak it seems like to me he would be hiding in his bunker awating Martial Law to me not a bus full of kids this story already sounds like a set up of insanity MSN !!! WAY TO DEMONIZE PEOPLE you got a catergory for everything else
Instead of arguing over political views, race and NRA membership, we should all be praying for the safe return of this poor child.
Hope they get this 5 year old boy out, then kill this POS with fire, bullets whatever it takes!!!
Guy just looks like another member of our well regulated militia to me.
Crazy old, white,redneck , Vietnam vet in a bunker in Alabama with a small special needs child as a hostage. You can't make this stuff up. He has stayed in that bunker for 8 days one time. He could stay in there for months. The court date is not related to the situation. Of course it is. The button that pushed him over the edge. What was that about? How can this end well? One story said he wanted his mother. Poor baby. 3rd story this week where a legal matter sparked a violent backlash. Stories from Texas and Arizona resulted in death. Stressing already stressed people results in dangerous situations. Just an observation. I know there is no solution.
Poor little guy! I am so afraid for him. I am afraid for what might be happening with this man, the poor little guy's trauma, and how this will end.
I knew there was something about Wolf Blitzer... Didn't know he would flip out like this though.
Doomsday Preppers Ye Haw.
Here's an idea... When they drag this worthless person out of his hole, they should shoot him on site... Lets make an example out of people like this!! Obviously gun regulations don't work for people who care less for the law, maybe they have a little more concern for their own lives. Unfortunately that wont happen and we will get stuck footing his prison bill for the rest of his life.
--- Fed up citizen
why are all the nuts religious
Very simple answer...they fear anything and everything that is different from them.
They're also afraid to die....as you can see!
Reno....BINGO!!! You nailed it! LOL! ;)
Gawwwwd....typical mental case whack job....I hope they whack him! We have to start executing these animals one by one....NOW!!
agreed
I think if you join the gun nut club you get a free membership into the religious nut club as well.
This is what 'doomsday' WANTS to get rid of....lot a nerve!
Another sicko with a gun.
I hope the child comes out of this situation alive and unharmed.
death penalty
Militia would indicate he is part of a group, wouldnt it? Looks like a kidnapper holed up in a tornado shelter in south alabama to me. We dont know what kind of gun he has. We dont know his political afiliations. we dont know anything except what his neighbors said, and they cant keep thier dogs or thier kids off thier crazy neighbors yard. And they built a home made speed bump on property that wasnt theirs. Looks like alot of crazy. And one poor child, God help him.
Good Conduct Medal?
Whoop-dee-do... just means you didnt get into trouble for for 3 yrs. Media makes a point about nothing..again.