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Subscribe to RSSHarri Anne Smith, a state senator in Alabama, has been in close contact with five-year-old Ethan's family since he was taken hostage last week. She said there are "lots of smiles" now that he's been freed and former FBI hostage negotiator Clint Van Zandt discusses the details of the case.
An Alabama boy is set for the "greatest" birthday of his life after being freed from a week's captivity in an underground bunker, a pastor said Tuesday.
The boy, snatched from a school bus in a fatal shooting, was rescued after a daring raid by FBI agents that left his kidnapper, Jimmy Lee Dykes, dead.
The 5-year-old, who is recovering in hospital, turns 6 on Wednesday.
“I would image it’s going to be the greatest birthday that family and that little boy has ever experienced and probably will ever experience,” local pastor Michael Senn told TODAY.
The boy was reunited with his mother and is "laughing, joking, playing, eating," said Special Agent in Charge Stephen Richardson at a press briefing Monday.
"He's very brave, he's very lucky. His success story is that he got out and he's doing great."
Richardson said the operation began when Dykes was seen holding a gun. "At this point, FBI agents, fearing the child was in imminent danger, entered the bunker and rescued the child.”
The Dothan Eagle newspaper reported that two loud blasts came from the scene shortly before 3:30 p.m. According to the report, an ambulance then drove up the private dirt road where Dykes’ homes is located and then left a short time later.
The blast apparently came from a "diversionary device," an FBI source confirmed to NBC News. FBI officers had lowered a camera into the bunker -- they would not reveal how, saying they may want to use the method in the future -- which allowed them to determine when to throw in the flash-bang to distract Dykes.That's when they entered through a door at the top of the bunker.
At the Monday night press briefing, Dale County Sheriff Wally Olson said that Dykes, 65, was harmed when officers entered the bunker but he would not say how the captor died. A law enforcement official told NBC News they are waiting for the medical examiner's report to determine how he died.
Related: Official says boy is his 'lovely' self after rescue
The ordeal began at 3:30 p.m. CT last Tuesday when Dykes -- described by his neighbors as a paranoid survivalist -- grabbed the boy from a school bus in Midland City, Ala.
Dykes boarded the bus and demanded that the bus driver, Charles Poland, 66, turn over two young children. When Poland refused, Dykes fatally shot him and took the boy.
Dykes, a decorated Vietnam veteran, took Ethan to an underground bunker that neighbors had seen him digging. The bunker is believed to be roughly 8 feet by 6 feet and to be stocked with supplies. The bunker has a ventilation pipe that authorities used to deliver items. Authorities have not said how long they believe Dykes could have lasted underground, or discussed a motive for the kidnapping.
After a six-day standoff, a federal hostage team stormed an underground bunker in Alabama, where Jimmy Lee Dykes, 65, was holding five-year-old Ethan hostage. Ethan was freed safely, while Dykes was found dead. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez reports, and Dale County Sheriff Wally Olson and former FBI hostage negotiator Clint van Zandt discuss the case.
Over the last week, hostage negotiators delivered a red Hot Wheels car, Cheez-Its crackers and other food and medicine to the boy, who has a mild form of autism. The FBI said Sunday that the boy’s captor “continues to make the environment as comfortable as possible for the child.”
The boy has Asperger’s syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a state representative said last week.
Law enforcement officials remained largely mum about the details of the case, possibly because it was believed that Dykes kept a television set in the bunker. Early on in the negotiations, they moved reporters farther from the scene. Throughout the week, they canceled press conferences, saying that nothing had changed.
Many of the law enforcement press conferences appeared to have been directed more at Dykes than at reporters. Sheriff Olson went so far as to thank Dykes “for taking care of our child.”
“That’s very important,” Olson said.
Before the standoff ended on Monday, Olson told reporters that Dykes "feels like he has a story that’s important to him. ... Although it’s very complex, we’re trying to make a safe environment.”
At the Monday night press briefing, Olson would not say what that story was, repeating that the investigation was ongoing and that the crime scene still needed to be processed. But he was passionate -- and willing to discuss -- Ethan.
"This boy is a very special child. He's been through and endured a lot and by the grace of God, he's OK," Olson said. "That was the mission of every man and woman on this compound. Of every law enforcement officer, every first responder, and all of the community who prayed to bring him home safely."
Former FBI hostage negotiator Clint Van Zandt said on the TODAY show that patience is key in hostage situations.
“Eighty-five percent or more of standoff situations like this end nonviolently,” Van Zandt said on Saturday. “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.”
Following the end of the hostage situation, Alabama Gov. Robert J. Bentley released a statement, hailing the efforts to save the boy but mourning the death of the bus driver:
"I am thankful that the child who was abducted is now safe. I am so happy this little boy can now be reunited with his family and friends. We will all continue to pray for the little boy and his family as they recover from the trauma of the last several days."
President Barack Obama also weighed in, calling FBI Director Robert Mueller to compliment his officers.
NBC's Gabe Gutierrez, Erin McClam, Matthew DeLuca, Jeff Black and Pete Williams contributed reporting.
Related:
Son says bus driver in Alabama hostage crisis gave life for 'his children'
Sheriff to Alabama hostage-taker: 'I want to thank him for taking care of our child'
Leave a Comment:
Happy, Happy Birthday, Ethan! I hope you have a glorious day & that soon this whole experience fades for you! You are a brave, brave boy!
I am thrilled that you are home with your parents at last! Best wishes to you and your family!
Kudos to law enforcement officials, whether local, state, or national, who coordinated in this effort. This was well done! Thank you.
welcome to dothan, AL where the FBI shoots and kills a person it does not know without due process of the law.
wait obama will start killing whites he will say i thought they hated the us.It is coming people.that is why he wants to disarm us.
Let them take your kid, pedora, and see if you feel the same about due process. He was a nut. Killed a bus driver. Kidnapped a kid. I think he got his due process.
idiot.
Pedora: Please note that if you shoot someone then take a child hostage in an underground bunker for a week while holding a gun, there is a good chance you will get shot without due process. Just don't ever get yourself in that situation and you should be fine.
@Pedrora, your comment about the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and their
efforts, to prevent further bloodshed and heartache, is not based on your ability
to critique any law enforcement agencies performance.
You are merely an "armchair quarterback" without any law enforcement background,
or any first-hand knowledge of what efforts were made, for 7 days, to have this
5 yr. old child, released. You seem to detest Police officers, in general, so I hope
they are making note of your comments, so that the next time YOU, or one of your
family members are in need of their service, they can refer you to a local plumber
who might have done a better job to gain your approval.
It irks me, that you would smear those who would lay down their lives, to protect you,
and yours. I am offended at how quickly you assess a situation, that
you have no facts about, and then "RAG" online about "due process"?
The perpetrator of murder AND kidnaping, could have added another innocent victim to his
list of crimes, had it not been for the decision, after 7 long and harrowing days, of doing their
best to accomodate this disturbed individual's demands. Their timing was critical, and with
video PROOF, that this man had a gun, and would have used it, again, and again, they did
everything in their power, to help both the child and the perp. The fact that nothing they
said, or did, could change his mind,WAS his due process. Had he cooperated and released the child,
and surrendered, he would still be alive, to face a Jury and to continue seeing his family.
The hostage taker, made his own choice, and the FBI, and Dothan, Al. Law enforcement did
a terrific job, of keeping this individual from harming an innocent child, until they could convince
the killer to surrender. Knowing that he was not about to come out peacefully, they did what
had to be done, to prevent this "terrorist" from harming any other citizens of your area.
Thank God, that you had the excellence, that came to assist your town, in this situation.
If you could have done a better job than they did, why is it you weren't there, trying?
Are you crazy, this guy was a nut case. And had a little child. Get a life please!!
his birthday glad hes safe but use common sense wrong yes but hmmmmm
they should have just dropped a bomb and got it done.
So you would have blown up the little boy, too ? Comments like that should be good for getting you on some kind of "Watch List"
If that was my brother being shot by the FBI, all of the FBI agents involved will be dead when I would not know, soon but they would be dead.
And if that was my kid your brother kidnapped, what the FBI did would be considered humane compared to what I would do to him.
@pedrora, its obvious you are trying to ruffle feathers and get people heated, but I will say this; you touch a child of mine and put them in a hole in the ground for five days then you better hope the cops kill you, because if I could get my hands on someone who did this to my child, they would have a much worse hell to pay.
Amen everyonedisagrees, this one is a nut case. Touch anyone in my family and you will find out what we do in the south. Pedora I think you should just get lost
I think pedrora must be related to this guy. No one but a relative would make that kind of statement. Unless they're as unhinged as Dykes was.
@Everyonedisagrees
Pedrora may be next in line for investigation of threatening law enforcement. Every blog has
trolls like this one. I would not respond to any further blogs from this poster. They are full
of "wind" with their threats. Why weren't they there, at the scene, trying to negotiate with
the perp? Their threat is typical, of those whose elevator doesn't reach the top.
Great job, FBI, you saved another Life in this situation and my prayers are with each of the
Agents, who suffered through this harrowing nightmare. They gave this child many more
Birthdays to celebrate. I'm convinced, that this child's family, is eternally grateful for their expertise
in saving their child.
Thank God that little boy is safe! This is how all situations like this should end. Hope that scumbag, lowlife bastard Dykes suffered.
i have a special child like ethan..they are really resiliant and he will pull through.. special needs children seem to have a tolerance to things that is quite unique... as for using gas or a toxin of any sort...again the child may have a completely different tolerance to substances due to medication or some organic issue so it would have been medically unsafe .wonderful outcome!
A successful ending - boy is safe, nut-job is dead. Perfect. Congrats to the FBI for a job well done when so much was on the line. J. Edgar Hoover is smiling down on the Bureau right now.
Someone needs to tell this writer that in the United States a person is in A hospital, or in THE hospital, not the British form "in hospital". But aside from that this is a great story and I hope Ethan is "buried" in birthday gifts from thousands of people. And think of the story he'll be able to tell his grandchildren 50 years from now.
That is an interesting observation!! Good eye!!
Who cares about that bit of grammar? Obviously you do. But really? Can we not just say we're happy the boy is safe and alive and leave it at that without trying to prove we're smarter than someone else. It really just makes you look pathetic.
No one is trying to prove anything to "one-up" you. Both Richard and I made an observation about the article, as well as commenting on how happy we are that things turned out as they did. It is you that looks pathetic, because you failed to read that part of his post, and so attacked him and me. Take your troll ass somewhere else and start $hit. How is that for grammar JERKMORRON?!!
It is good to see the FBI do something right for a change. It would be another crime to defraud the taxpayers of having to pay for life in prison for DYKES!! Not "Sykes" MSNBC!!! MSNBC is so politically-correct they changed the name on the MSN Homepage photo to "Sykes," so no Dykes would feel offended, another group with emotional disorders. CNN is also trying to put its spin on the kidnapper an "anti-government type" as if anyone who is concern and disgusted with government corruption is anything akin to DYKES.
There definitely needs to be an expansion of the Death Penalty for Murder, Rape, Kidnapping, an even Attempted Murder. I would add also bearing False Witness resulting in a wrongful application of the Death Penalty for all parties involved in such.
Reading how everyone knew how to end this thing faster on this post, but then hearing the explanation from law enforcement makes me realize how lucky we are that law enforcement and the FBI are trained to handle these situations and do not go to blogs to get feedback on what they should do. I am also thankful the abductor was killed and we don't have to spend any money to put him in jail. Death penalty without going through the court system when he is clearly guilty is the best justice there is! All around it ended as best as we could expect. I say the cops and FBI deserve a huge pat on the back for a job well done and for not listening to all the people saying "just do this."
Great work by the FBI!
The boy is safe and that scum is dead and we don't have to read about his rambling manifestos in court and such crap.
Jamie, don't blame this on God. There is God's will and man's will. My God is a God who wants nothing but good for us. Now, He will allow man to do his thing, but there is always consequences. Real the bible through, and it will enlighten you to a lot of misconceptions. I'm so happy that this ended well, and I hope God will continue to bless this little boy, his family and all those involved in his rescue.
Here's the problem I have. He (the boy) was in eminent danger the first day he was snatched off the school bus. So what makes the 5th and 6th day so much worse? They should have taken this guy down the first day. The fact that he wasn't holding the gun for the other 4 days makes not one bit of difference to me. Who's idea was it to negotiate with this idiot in the first place? We can't and should not negotiate with a terrorist. Period!. Yes he's was a terrorist. He terrorized the bus driver and killed him and he terrorized those kids on the bus. He had a weapon, a bunker and was crazy. That equals a terrorist. Kill the bastard sooner next time. And no TV time.
Negotiating with this idiot was probably the idea of someone with a whole lot of experience, who was able to focus on keeping both the idiot and his victim calm while other experts set up video and audio surveillance, verified that the idiot hadn't booby trapped his hole in the ground or otherwise tied Ethan's life to his own, and win the trust of the idiot so that they could get him to come to the "door" for supplies, at which point he died, and Ethan came out intact. I think there is probably more to the timing than "he was holding the gun", but it made a good initial press release.
Another child saved because of a gun and a show of strength.
Another child that was initially put in danger by a gun and not what I'd call a "show of strength" by the man using it to kill an unarmed schoolbus driver,,,,
I say for this little ones Birthday that Walt Disney gives him and his family round trip and passes to the park..hows about it. can I get some votes on that? xo
Take heed to all of this, gun owners, vets, and anyone else:
This man was a veteran of this country, suffering from PTSD.
WHAT HE DID WAS TERRIBLY WRONG.
He needed as much or more medical attention than the child did.
“Eighty-five percent or more of standoff situations like this end nonviolently,” Former FBI Investigator Cliff Van Zandt said on Saturday. “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.”
"The FBI said Sunday that the boy’s captor “continues to make the environment as comfortable as possible for the child.”
Sheriff Olson went so far as to thank Dykes “for taking care of our child. That’s very important,” Olson said.
Before the standoff ended on Monday, Olson told reporters that Dykes "feels like he has a story that’s important to him. ... Although it’s very complex, we’re trying to make a safe environment.”
FBI Special Agent In Charge Stephen Richardson said the operation began when Dykes was seen holding a gun. "At this point, FBI agents, fearing the child was in imminent danger, entered the bunker and rescued the child.”
The Dothan Eagle newspaper reported that two loud blasts came from the scene shortly before 3:30 p.m. According to the report, an ambulance then drove up the private dirt road where Dykes’ homes is located and then left a short time later.
The blast apparently came from a "diversionary device," an FBI source confirmed to NBC News. FBI officers had lowered a camera into the bunker -- they would not reveal how, saying they may want to use the method in the future -- which allowed them to determine when to throw in the flash-bang to distract Dykes.That's when they entered through a door at the top of the bunker.
At the Monday night press briefing, Dale County Sheriff Wally Olson said that Dykes, 65, was harmed when officers entered the bunker but he would not say how the captor died. A law enforcement official told NBC News they are waiting for the medical examiner's report to determine how he died.
During his press conference and in virtually every news conference and video, everyone from the President on down has spoken about how we need to enact and employ better measures in treating and helping our dangerously mentally ill. I guess that includes detonating a flash bang grenade in a 6x8 foot bunker to distract a person suffering from PTSD and scare a kid with ADHD and Aspergers disease to death so you can grab his hostage and shoot the guy, right after you tell the guy you want to hear what he has to say and thank him for caring so well for the hostage. Guess the help thing for the mentally ill sort of went out the window.Hummmmm..............Not much of this seems to add up, does it? If you really believe it does, then you are already a lost cause and a sheep being lead to the slaughter.
Again, what the man did was terribly wrong. I am sincerely thankful that the child was unharmed and returned to his parents, and that this crisis is over. It does, however, sound as if the child was in more danger from the FBI than he ever was from his captor. We will probably never know the whole story, and sadly, this happened in The United States Of America. For your sake and the sake of all your families, remember how and what we have been told about how all of this came down. Especially remember it when they try to force anymore "health care" or anything else we don't want on the american people, or come to register and/or confiscate your or your neighbors guns.
Just sayin'............................
Csquare: Agreed. After he shot the bus driver and took someone's child into an underground bunker for a week, we should have been much more gentle and understanding. He was treating the kid well. I'm sure the kid would have been fine down in that bunker with an insane person for another couple months.
Marc-268990, you're missing the point. Again, what the guy did was terribly wrong. Yes he was a danger, but he needed help long before this. As a decorated veitnam vet he diserved at least that much. Had he had it this whole thing might never have happened, I don't know. But the point is he didn't get it, now or years ago, and once again, he paid the price. Another vietnam vet no one really gives a damn about, especially after he went and created this horrible mess. "Let's just take him out. It's easier that way. No one cares about him anyhow. If they had they would have done something for him long before this, and we can tell the media anything we want. After the newspapers get through with him, the public will believe he was a menace to society and we did a good thing by taking him out, and nobody will be any the wiser. Who really cares abou this creep anyway? The kid will get over it soon enough, too. It's all over. Thats our story and we're sticking to it. So there....."
Don't believe it? Not hearing too much about him in the news anymore are we, and he's been dead now how long? Twenty hours maybe? It's more about the kid and the "Heros"..
Mark it down for future reference, folks. It can and will happen again, this time to any one of us. No, we're not going to kill anyone and take someone hostage and hole up in a bunker. We won't have to. All we'll have to do is tell the "authorities" NO when they come to get our guns.
I don't think the Vietnam service reasoning works here:
It would appear that the closest he got to Vietnam was the Naval Air Facility Atsugi in Japan.
There he may have worked,or at least his unit (he appears to have had an administrative job
classification), on aircraft that were in Vietnam and transported to his base.
This would not appear to be a case of PTSD....at least not caused by his service.
As to medals that he received:
Navy Unit Commendation.............indicates that his unit did good work in their mission.
Meritorious Unit Commendation....same as above....his unit...perhaps not him personally
.
Good Conduct Medal............indicates that he didn't get in too much trouble while he served.
National Defense Service Medal.....all that served in military at that time received this.
Vietnam Service Medal.....was also given to individuals that served within certain areas outside VN.
Does not fit the bill for a "highly decorated " veteran.
I served in Vietnam and one of my duties was to refer
individuals for the type of awards mentioned.
waff.com/story/20937401/navy-confirms-bunker-suspects-military-service
And your point is???????????????????
I don't doubt what you say, and far be it from me to ignore your input or point of view, or history and qualifications. I am a veteran as well. I didn't serve in Vietnam. When I enlisted, I missed the conflict by 17 months. I was eligible for the draft but my number was never called. I enlisted out of a sense of duty. I come from a family of service history, with retired aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, and even a brother, But this is not about me, my or my family's service, or yours. It is about the fact that he did serve, and whether service related or not, he still deserved more from our country that what he got.
I thank you for your service and your input on this. I believe we just disagree.
Being a Viet Nam era veteran (was not in actual combat), in the same age group as both the bus driver and kidnapper (65-66), with a granddaughter turning 6 the day after the hostage, I can relate to all sides of this situation. Some of my classmates and friends came back from 'Nam more messed up mentally than physically. We should be doing more to help our Veterans, instead of spending fortunes trying to buy the "friendship" of counties that would rather see us dead.
I regret the driver died trying to protect his charges. Sounds like he kept another child from being taken. I regret the kidnapper could not get the mental health care he needed, to help prevent inflecting his demons on others. But I mostly I rejoice in the boy being physically unharmed and hope he will have no long term fears or other problems.
Thanks to all involved in the rescue and, above all, keep your secrets. Don't let any other potential kidnappers learn from this guy's mistakes, or your successful strategies.
The Vietnam service reasoning doesn't seem to work here:
It would appear that the closest he got to Vietnam was the Naval Air Facility Atsugi in Japan.
There he may have worked,or at least his unit (he appears to have had an administrative job
classification), on aircraft that were in Vietnam and transported to his base.
This would not appear to be a case of PTSD....at least not caused by his service.
As to medals that he received:
Navy Unit Commendation.............indicates that his unit did good work in their mission.
Meritorious Unit Commendation....same as above....his unit...perhaps not him personally
.
Good Conduct Medal............indicates that he didn't get in too much trouble while he served.
National Defense Service Medal.....all that served in military at that time received this.
Vietnam Service Medal.....was also given to individuals that served within certain areas outside VN.
Does not fit the bill for a "highly decorated " veteran.
I served in Vietnam and one of my duties was to refer
individuals for the type of awards mentioned.
waff.com/story/20937401/navy-confirms-bunker-suspects-military-service
Wish I could buy those FBI agents a few rounds. Scumbag dead, boy OK....just perfect (except for the poor bus driver)!
A few rounds? To replace the ones they used?
Am glad they killed the perp. However, they are lying about the reasons for it. Glossing it over. Saying it was because they saw the guy had a gun. They KNEW he had a gun because he killed a bus driver 5 days earlier. Common sense tells you he had a gun. They knew from the start he had a gun. They were talking to the guy for 5 days and discussed the gun.
"He's very brave, he's very lucky. His success story is that he got out and he's doing great."
Really? He had no choice. What made the child brave? And the success belongs to the law enforcement people on the scene. Had the child been killed, would it not be a success? The definitions applied by people to a tragic situation never ceases to amaze me. The writers and interviewed witnesses take great liberties in their poor judgements in recalling these events.
p.s. I am very happy the child is alive and apparently unharmed.
I think the kid was brave. He didn't sit down there and cry, and sob, and pee his pants. He calmly waited this out. He could have been such a cry baby and nuisance that the guy would have wanted to kill him on day one. He didn't become catatonic either so it was a success story (so far) for him to make it out and appear to still be a normal child. I do think though that he will need some counseling. As a victim of a stranger abduction myself way back in the 1960s, I can tell you that initial appearances are not what they seem. It took years for me to really talk about what happened and to be able to drive past the abductors house without becoming upset.
In addition to training and arming the teachers to protect the students, the same needs to be done for the bus-drivers. Gun safety and respect for such tools not toys should be a part of the curriculum from K-12. That way if someone does go berserk, a quick and decisive response can be made. If a teacher or bus-driver does not want to train and to carry, then I guess they ought to find another line of work, since the protection of the children is not a priority to them. Putting cock-jock cops in schools who turn the places into virtual prisons is not the answer. It is good that the bus-driver made a stand, and should be given a Post-Humous Congressional Medal of Honor. If that bus-driver was armed, I am sure that Dykes would have been dealt with a lot sooner.
"...the right to keep and to bear arms shall not be infringed." We see almost everyday what happens as a result of such infringements. Piers Morgan was always quick last night to take the point of view of the assailant, but obviously could care less about the POV of the victim. Gun Control is victim-disarmament and gives power only to those who think they are above the law, and those who do not obey the law.
www.infowars.com
Why isn't the media actually DOING their job?
As I understand it, the kidnapper shot and killed a bus driver, took a 5 year old boy a hostage, went to a bunker, and had a stand-off with the police/FBI for 5 days. After 5 days, the FBI said they saw the kidnapper with a gun and realized the boy was in danger, so they acted?
ARE YOU KIDDING ME? How does the FBI figure the bus driver got shot? By paperweight? Spitball? The guy had a gun for 5 days. So don't tell us that it was after seeing the guy with a gun when the guy had a gun the entire time.
I am not objecting to them killing this guy. I am objecting to the lie they gave as a reason, and that the media, again, fails to ask any investigative questions.
Of course they knew he had a gun. In the article, it clearly states that the operation begun when he was seen "holding a gun". In other words, during the time spent negotiating, the gun was not in his arms. Once negotiations broke down, and the guy picked up the gun, everything changed. So I don't think they lied. I think they closely watched his movements, and made their decision based on his actions (picking up the gun) and his emotional state (negotiations breaking down).
I have seen a lot of posts about they should have pumped gas in.....
some people like myself have a very high tolerance to that stuff. I have been in surgery 3 times and it takes almost twice the normal dose to put me out. if the kid got that much it would have killed him or the guy would have had time to.
also for one of the comments above, yes, hostage negotiators have to be honest. otherwise the next one won't be believed.
Thank the Lord Jesus Christ for answering the prayers of a mother, a town and a nation, and for the personnel of our FBI.