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Subscribe to RSSA survivalist and his 5-year-old captive remained in a bunker in southern Alabama on Saturday as top hostage negotiators continued to communicate with the man. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez reports.
A young Alabama boy entered his fifth day Saturday in a bunker with the man accused of snatching him off a school bus.
Police said Saturday that the boy, aged 5, has toys, coloring books, and medication in the underground bunker where he is being held by Jimmy Lee Dykes, the Associated Press reported.
The boy has Asperger’s syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a state representative said earlier this week.
Dale County Sheriff Wally Olson said that Dykes, 65, told police he has an electric heater and blankets in the underground bunker on his property in Midland City, Ala. Olson would not say whether Dykes has made any demands, according to the AP.
“I want to thank him for taking care of our child,” Olson said. “That’s very important.”
While little has changed in the standoff since Tuesday afternoon and authorities are keeping tight-lipped, former FBI hostage negotiator Clint Van Zandt said on the TODAY show that patience may pay off.
First picture emerges of man believed to have taken 5-year-old hostage in Alabama
“85 percent or more of standoff situations like this end nonviolently,” Van Zandt said on Saturday. Police have said that they are communicating with Dykes in the bunker through a PVC ventilation pipe.
“The reality is he hasn’t been hurt,” Van Zandt said of the young hostage. “Law enforcement doesn’t want to do anything precipitously that could cause anybody to be hurt at this time when the talking cure will likely work in this situation.”
A police source confirms to NBC News that this is the suspect, Jimmy Lee Dykes, 65.
Dykes’ neighbor Michael Creel told the AP that the man, who has been described as a paranoid Navy veteran, showed off the ventilation pipe after installing it about a year ago.
“He was bragging about it,” Creel told the AP. “He said, ‘Come check it out.’”
The first picture of Dykes emerged Friday. The man served just over four years in the Navy, a U.S. military official confirmed on Friday, and received several awards including a good conduct medal.
Meanwhile, the Dale County community mourned school bus driver Charles Albert Poland, Jr., 66, this weekend. Police say Poland was shot and killed while trying to stop the child from being taken off his bus on Tuesday.
Son says bus driver in Alabama hostage crisis gave life for ‘his children’
Aaron Poland, the son of the slain bus driver, told TODAY that his dad died a hero.
“Every time a child got on my dad’s bus, they were no longer their parents’, they were his. He considered them his children,” Poland said, his voice quavering with emotion. “I know that’s the reason why my dad took those shots, for his children, just like he would do for me and my sister.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Mourners lined up to pay their respects to bus driver Charles Poland, who died on the job last week, protecting the kids on his bus after it was boarded by Jimmy Lee Dykes. Dykes continues to hold Ethan, 5, hostage in an underground bunker after snatching him from the bus. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez reports.
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Some of the posts here only serve to re-enforce the need for Guns.
If only the child was armed.
Something should have been done when this man killed the dog with a lead pipe[ was reading about this in a news article]. He should right then been in jail, but No, let's do nothing and wait and see what happens or give him a slap on the hand. This man from what i am reading has been nothing but problems.
basically put, the society that the guy was raised in and lived through was quite different from 'today'. He's a decorated vet. I realise that doesn't justify jack @!$%#, but when dinosaurs deal with dinosaurs things tend to backpeddle into the 60's in terms of what is acceptable and if/ where punishment should be layed. It has alot to do with an amendment in a constitution that predates all of us and our grandparents, and also has alot to do with the fact that we all go through some @!$%# in life, some worse than others, but none the less... Whether he should or shouldn't have been allowed to have guns seems terribly obvious right now, but asking lawmakers and politicians to pick and choose who should and shouldn't be allowed to own a weapon , and further, just HOW those people should be allowed to own their weapons... Is a typical political redline. And while I truly hate to say it, its alot easier to casually balance a grey line than a risk walking a red one. Politics are powerless. They fear guns but they fear a revolution worse. Violent or not.
Some articles have stated that this man beat his neighbor's dog to death. Exactly how was a man like this on the streets to begin with after that kind of cruelty?
Recently a dog was shot to death for running on someone else's property, as this dog did. It was ruled acceptable .
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/08/01/nh-man-shoots-dog-that-wandered-into-his-yard/
Are you serious? We have thugs that do this every day....they are called GANGS, MAFIA. Oh wait a minute I think the MAFIA got WISE and went into the movie business. Alas, I forgot all the pharmaceutical companies that cause DEATH from their MEDS and they want to MEDICATE EVERYONE, man, woman, child and animal.
Attention Deficit Disorder, hmmm (probably a result from ASPARTAME, which is in all kinds of foods and drink). WAKE UP!! Try and FOCUS here. These monsters, like DONALD RUMSFIELD, who made a deal to have ASPARTAME approved by the FDA, knowing it could cause all kinds of DISEASE...and made a cool 12 Million, CREATE disease, calling for the PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES to CREATE medicine that will NEVER CURE but will keep you coming back for more.
Most of you do not have a clue what is really going on. How do you know that this person even has a young boy being held hostage. I'm telling you, you guys will believe a lie before you believe the truth.
And because you keep on that same treadmill, our personal weapons that are in the constitution for our protection AGAINST a TYRANNICAL government will be CONFISCATED so that a foreign government can come in and ravage this land that once was called, "THE LAND OF MILK AND HONEY".
Someone has talked to the child, right?
They are not just taking the man's word that the child is all right?
And, this guy is a survivalist. Are they positive that there is only one entrance and exit to that bunker? Who is to say he isn't steadily digging another way out while they are waiting for him to give up? Maybe he already had another exit halfway dug before this whole thing started.
But the main thing is... has anyone talked to that child lately?
Guess the guy couldn't do the job in Vietnam, so he decides to "do" it here. Nice.
He did his job nicely in Vietnam. If you read the article you will see he was awarded several medals for doing his job.
Vietnam could very well be the main reason he's so unbalanced.
Again, the articles about the guy have stated that he is a Vietnam veteran, awarded several medals, who suffers from PTSD.
The only people who didn't suffer from that war were the armchair generals who called the shots, the CIA shadow kings, and the president who brokered it all.
He has already sent a 3 page letter to the media, the Governor and a neighbor Greg Creel in the article, but it is being held secret by all, likely by the police, just like the foolish secrecy at Sandy Hook. Publish this letter. He obviously wanted it published. It would likely shed light on why he is acting in a totally absurd manner by kidnapping an innocent child. It would likely indicate his motivations and reasons why he is so unhappy. Publishing it might even lead to release of the innocent boy. There is absolutely no reason to continue to hide this letter, the existence of which was censored from the above propaganda article. If you read other articles by the AP and Huffington Post you can find documentation of the letter. Here is an example:
“Creel said his
father and Dykes are friends. Creel said that after Dykes' arrest, Dykes wrote
a 2- to 3-page letter that at least in part addressed the menacing case and
that he shared with Greg Creel.
Michael Creel
said he hasn't seen the letter but that his father has. The younger Creel said
his father told him that Dykes said he had sent the letter to the local media,
politicians and Alabama's governor.
Michael Creel
said police on Friday took the copy of the letter from the Creels' home.
Reached for comment, Greg Creel confirmed the existence of the letter but
declined further comment and said he was cooperating with police.”
Why? He won't know either way.
Well the big problem here is he's crazy but not stupid. He set it up just like a pro and just like most terrorist. He is most likely not planning to get out alive. Agent orange took a friend of mine last year. He may not be expected to live much longer anyway. That could be what made him crazy. If they can get the child out let the man say his piece.
Is that what he wants, just to say his piece? What exactly DOES he want?
Yes, we always thank terrorists. Gotta love Alabama.
I would hope any parent would feel the same way. That's only to say my child's safety comes before anything else to me.
So you piss him off to make yourself feel better? you tell him whatever he wants to hear and what makes the situation better, not worse.
"Terrorist" is a term that is being applied to every unlawful act now...very dangerous concept in my opinion. I rather believe state sanctioned torture and drone warfare is terrorism, but what do I know?
I don't see the problem! He looks like a very kindly gentleman. I would let him watch my 5 year old son anytime and sleep like a baby!! It's heartwarming that they are playing with toys, awwww....
As far as pumping gas into the bunker? How fantastically insane some of you are. The gas isn't going to just knock the old man out like in the movies. He'll notice the effects before he is out and at that point, may decide to waste the boy.
But back to the conditions inside the bunker. It sounds as if the boy is settled in and happy; just wish the damn cops would leave them alone. Isn't that the way it always is? Just like Waco, the coppers always have to stick their big noses into everyone else's business.
And you really think he isn't going to waste the boy anyway? What was the purpose of taking him?
I don't think he WILL hurt the boy Harold, not kill him anyway. Care to place a wager on it?
Yes, let's start a betting pool on the life of the child.
I have learned that Vegas and London are putting the kids survival rate at 10 to 1....
Yes R, I think we've got it at 5-2 the kid makes it.
Dave: The ATF would have showed up at waco with warrants sooner or later, that part was basically justified by the suspicion of automatic weapons fire emanating from the compound and surrounding area, even though local enforcement had already investigated and found the source of the noise to be hellfire trigger systems attached to semi automatic rifles being bump fired in a legal fashion... The big cluster fark on behalf of the ATF was shooting at the davidians, or it may or may not have been vice versa. Whatever happened in the end, it was a shootout at the front door that started the siege. When you have a large force of federal agents raiding a heavily fortified compound it's a little more complicated than just a roll or two of the dice. @!$%# happened and alot of people died. Whoever lit the compound up, and whether it was intentional or just a result of compounding factors like flammable CS , ... Or gasoline in the case of "the davidians did it" theories.... Those are the real questions that won't be answered for most
The boy has been deprived of his liberty and pursuit of happiness. Deprived of his loving family. Deprived of enough space to exercise his developing muscles. The child needs space, light, air, freedom and love.
The man who kidpnapped him apparently wants to re-live his glory days in Vietnam. Aint' gonna happen. The police need to get the child out without any more delay.
Really N. Texas. how you you suggest they do that? Divert his attention while they enter through a back door??? Oh wait, their isn't a back door or window. This is a nightmare scenario that has little means is access. The only hope is his releasing the boy himself.
Reader, you and "Harold" sound like you want to push this guy into doing something just so you will have some action and excitement.
You seem to see the child as collateral damage and not the main object of the negotiation.
The media withholds the names of victims..... WHY NOT THE PSYCHO PERPS??? Why give them EXACTLY what they want?
Does anyone believe that the recent horrific events would have occurred if the only ones that would have known of their acts were family and neighbors? WITHHOLD the identity of these freaks. STOP stroking their egos and let them ROT.
A bit of trivia for those interested. Jimmy Lee Dykes is better known to friends and family as Beau Dyke, it's an Alabama thing.
Bull.... The nickname is Bull.
Thank him for kidnapping the boy?
This reminds of an episode of NBC's Grimm this past fall where a man took his daughter and hid her in an underground bunker hidden in the woods.
I think I see the problem. Many folks can not tell the difference between reality and a TV show. (not directing this comment to you personally)
You mean this is real? I thought it was the new series "Bunker Survivor!"
Please tell me.... How is the media attention to these dastardly acts any different than screaming FIRE in a crowded theater? Time for the media to censor itself of sensationalism or civil order must be restored. I don't like gov't stepping on the first amendment..... BUT.... COME ON people. The media is exploiting freaks and psychos for their own benefit.... NEWS AT 11.....
You think the media coverage will inspire copycat bunker kidnappers?
You seriously think the media attention is what's driving this guy? People like this want the attention and to go out in a blaze of glory invoking a big splash. Hopefully he does so after releasing the child.
Too many seem to think they know the solution based on what a reasonable person would do. It DOESN'T WORK when the mind of the subject is radically altered for some reason, be it medical or drugs.
How about we restrict his access to his mother and the media agrees to NOT publish his world shaking acts of violence? You really think theses megalomaniacs only want to be the COOL kid on the block?
He needs to give up and quit hiding behind a child. If he wants a fight, do it without the kid, and get it over with.
Some interesting additional info on other websites including local Alabama TV stations and the Daily Mail website out of the UK (DM seems to do an exceptional job of getting background info on many U.S. stories).
Earlier reports said he wasn't " in country" during Nam, but served in the Navy stateside.
Wonder how/where he learned about explosives?
Haven't seen anything about any family, friends or former coworkers of this man, nor anything about where he lived before he moved to that area in the last 5 years or so. Wonder if that's part of the info the FBI is keeping closely held while they try to talk him out. Just hoping the situation is able to be resolved without further loss of life or injury.
find his perfect food and drug it.. tell him u will start new re negotiations in the morning.. and the go in at nighfall.
Honestly can't say I would be grateful for the fact that the hostage is being taken care off by a lunatic. No matter how well it seems, there is no way of knowing how bad this kid is being traumatized inside that bunker. The worst thing you could do is to instill hate and violence into a child and this man's pretty much done that. I hope they put him in jail for life and death penalty if something happens to the kid.
OK,,,, this is kinda weird.....
There are a few Vietnam tunnel rats that could take him out.... just sayin
Now I've heard everything! Why doesn't he just thank this scum for killing the bus driver too?
jpooch00-1527514
They are just appealing to his family or Fatherly instincts . Maybe if they can soften him up a little, he will let the kid go.
If he would believe it, Jpoo, that is exactly what they should do, get him to think he isn't in trouble at all.
The boy has ADHD? So sounds like his parents are as delusional as the captor, giving him a made up disease.
Heard it's as contagious as catching the "gay" bug, that sounds like it's a pain in the ass to get. Pun Intended.
Wait a minute.... you mean this dude couldn't have been diagnosed with ADHD and been medicated while in his formative years? I guess the pharmaceutical industry missed the boat with this guy. If only we had been more intent on medicating his cereal when he was growing up... he might be a better person.
No @!$%#. But if he's already got that faggot gene(forgot the medical term, this it's penisitis, but don't quote me on that) he is a lost cause. Should have hit him hard with a medicated diet of porno's, and tit mags.
Lost cause now though, he's as good as dead to society.
I think it has become quite obvious that AMERICAN VETS can not be trusted anymore for employment. Vietnam dudes were ALL on heroin and Agent Orange... Gulf war.... uranium bullets and artillery shells. Now.... of course.... Walmart will hire them as associates. After all.... they can work for food stamp wages and be VERY happy they aren't homeless anymore.....
AMERICA TODAY.... not what I grew up loving....
That's why they don't get the kid back, they are thanking the moron for "taking care of our boy." This group needs some professional help from negotiators and people who can get into the bunker. Something very wrong here.
How do you stop gun violence when the guns in hands were not legit in the first place. You cant go into the housing developments without racial claims of discrimination and claim marshall war the obama voters will cry foul. Legalize drugs the idiots that want to buy them so let them do so legally with tax incurred. Take over drugs ...own it.. control it and ...tax it. Free marijuana we might actually get more air space for farming for the farmer that make tobacco.
One way to slow it down would be to immediately execute every criminal who was or is found guilty of using a gun or any other deadly weapon to commit a crime. No appeal, no mercy. Give them a little payback for what they gave their victims.
They want to terrorize their victims? Give them some REAL terror in return!
After a few years and many thousands of violent criminals permanently eliminated from society, there would be a marked decrease in gun violence.
Gun violence conviction = an instant, mandatory death sentence within 24 hours. That would eventually fix it.
jpoo...Sounds like you could get a job as "Minister of Justice" in some Third World dictatorship, or maybe even the top job. You are some great American!
jksb,
Does your down syndrom make you drool uncontrollably between sentences? Shut your little pussy liberal ignorant retarded mouth. You only have a problem because this idea(although radical) would kill off the scabs of society, and would result in an disproportionately high amount of minorities "targeted". Truth hurts, there is no more room left in this world for "political correctness".
Also, JKSB you may call the OP "one great american" sarcastically, but this country would be a much better place without you and the similar scum. So essentially, it's a damn shame you got the privilege to be born into this country, because you're too ignorant to see what you have and what made this country great. Let me assure you, it's none of the things you believe in. You deserve to be at the mercy of one of those dictators you described, oh so uneloquently.