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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:
How is MORE time in the bunker better for the kidnapped child than LESS time in the bunker?
How much longer is the FBI going to tolerate this BS? Get this psycho gassed, dug up and executed, and let the parents get their son back. What possible advantage could there be in letting this drag on and on?
How much mental stability is this poor child going to be able to muster after this long?
Gassed? You want to gas the boy as well? And what happens when they open the door and set off explosives and the child dies?
@Steve the dog man
Glad you're not in charge there. Figure it out. The cops don't like the waiting any more than you do. Cops aren't known for their patience, in case you haven't noticed. If they're letting it drag on it's because that's the only chance of getting the kid out alive!
FOOLS rush in.....
the "possible advantage" is bringing everyone out alive, or at least the kid. If Dykes decides to end it....I sure hope
if he does a murder/suicide ending...I hope he does the suicide part first.
7 days in a 6x8 foot bunker. That must be hell. I hope Ethan releases the guy soon. I can't imagine spending that much time in a confined space with a five year old. Seriously, I really hope this thing ends peacefully soon. Poor kid. I hope he takes away from this experience the ability to remain calm in stressful situations. Life is not lived without them.
The best solution is just to wait it out.
I hope you're right, but after this long your solution is becoming less viable. I agree that the life of the kid is the #1 priority, but the longer this goes on, the less chance the boy has for a quality of life better than the bunker builder.
"over 85% of these situations end peacefully" (referring to waiting it out, and 'time is on our side'.
I think I go with the FBI's statistics rather than your errant assumptions.....
and I bet the kid's parents are on board with that, too.
It is the parents I feel for......5 year olds are so resilient. In a loving environment, he might remember this, but will just be a 5 year old memory in time.
I agree, tom. People, and especially children, are incrdibly resilient.
To those of you thinking this child will never recover from this ordeal, children have recovered from far greater evil perpetrated by thier own parents.
This guy is obvioulsly a sicko and knows his days are numbered regardless of the child he has in there. You would hope he is speaking to the child and letting him know he has no intentions of hurting him. When he gets to the point of no return, just pray he lets the child go before he shoots himself.
I truly believe this is yet another consequence that America will suffer due to the Reagan era. This is not a gun problem, this is reprocussions of cutting the funding to the mentally ill. They are simply thrown to the streets and left to their own recognisances. The mentally ill do not have the ability to think or act rationally and need to be closely monitored by professionals 24/7. My prayers are for this little boy at this time and for a fast and safe rescue.
Exactly!
Glad you indicated "Reagan era." Don't forget to thank the ACLU.
Why don't they just put them to sleep and then go in and get him? I am sure they can get some sleeping gas that don't smell cap the tube put sleeping gas hose in and say nighty night.
Why not just throw a hand grenade and kill both of them. Gas them??? So you guess them and the child has some reaction and dies,or the open the door and the booby trap strapped to the child goes off. At some point you hope the nut job feels at least a little empathy for the child and knows he's going to die no matter what so he lets him go before he shoots himself.
Jack back off it was an idea now you did bring up points I did not think of but there is no need for you to get all hostile..
You could have said
" I am sure they thought of that but was worried if the kid would have an reaction to the gas and the Bunker may be booby trapped."
That's all that needed to be said..
Laser: I have the same frustration that Jack does. Over and over, people saying "gas-em, shoot-em, etc..."
At least you are intelligent enough to say, "oh yeah, never thought of that before I posted".
Some of these yahoos think they are smarter than all law enforcement and FBI professionals combined.
This guy must of never had a life. Cuz I would of been bored sitting in asmall bunker. He obviously like its. He will do great in the hole. Because when he gets out that's where they going to put him. no telling what he is doing to that kid.
This is not your typical hostage situation as there is a child involved and it is underground. No daylight, no windows, no room. Lack of daylight throws off a person's body clock. If Dykes was a sicko when he went into the bunker, by now he is even more so. The police are spinning their wheels. No easy solutions to this situation but I think it is time to act. If the boy has to be there on his birthday, blame the experts.
Why not find out who his favorite radio hosts and talkers are and ask them to directly appeal to him. (He's supposed to have a radio and maybe a TV>)
Does he not have any family at all?
Fox and Rush and Hannity and Beck are probably his idols, you know how they speak the truth about everything. Too bad simpletons can't tell the difference between fact and fiction from these haters who are only in it to make millions and really don't give a flying fig about anyone but themselves and their wallet.
GRAM:
I have seen enough of your "agenda type posts" to know that you must troll the pages looking for an opportunity to post your no value nonsense.
In a way, you extremists on both sides belong in there with Dykes. Do you realize you have more in common with those you spew about even though you have opposite views? Y'all are crazier than Dykes.
My sympathies to the parents, I had someone nearly snatch a child of mine several years ago and I still don't feel comfortable when they are out of sight now.
I do wonder why we need a UAV overflight though? There are people onsite 24/7, what is a UAV going to tell you.
Chuckles.....just curious.....how'd ya stop him? Defending kids is one situation I believe whatever force used is appropriate...even deadly force.
dykes self medicates with pop. get him stoned and get Ethan out. Tell him that the prez will legalize pot, repeal all gun laws, whatever dykes mental twist up is about- if he lets ethan go now. tell him if he lets ethan go, the whole of america is behind dykes for the gun repeal or the pot legalization and he's gonna be a hero. play his mental illness fbi. this guy has never been a hero for anything, so make him one in his own fetile mind so hehas some incentive for letting ethan go.right now, hes keeping him to save his own ass so alter that. give him an image of himself as a hero to the american people if he lets ethan go, because when he lets ethan go, hes gonna make a new law called the jimmie dykes law and everybodys gonna be heroing him. get ethan out and give dykes all the bullets he deserves. use reverse psych on this guy and get this little boy out of there. the longer he is in there,the more likley dykes is to kill him.
So we know what your motivational drivers are. Maybe the FBI and local LEO is trying to figure that for this case?
My suggestion would be to send some pills for the child allegedly for his condition noting that they will make the child lethargic as a side effect. Then gradually introduce Nitrous Oxide or comparable gas into the chamber to calm and slow the thought processes down on the kidnapper. After a period of time, introduce something a little stonger that will induce a quick unconciousness. Then, open the tomb and rescue the child. Not high tech, of course always high risk, but worth a try. Perhaps the Nitrous Oxide would calm the perpetrator to the point where he could be persuaded to surrender, his captive, if not himself. Best.
Lot of experience with sedation, nez pa?
So you think INCREASE the chance of killing the kid....give him a little sumpum sumpum to depress the CNS.
Then give him ADDITIONAL sedation with Nitrous. Congratulations....you killed a kid.
Another newsvine pharmacolgist. Thanks. (Not)
The kidnapper has nothing to lose - he's already killed in cold blood. What could possibly persuade him to come out? The poor little boy will most likely become victim #2.
If brains were dynamite, many on this board couldn't blow their nose.
The people running the show....it's what they do. I can't decide if it's just impatience or a desire to see blood that makes posters say the cops "need to go in with guns blazing"....and other stupidity.
They DO have FBI negotiators and profilers on board.
I consider it MEGA-stupidity that so many think "pumping gas" is the answer. Here is a basic medication principle:
The amount of gas to render Dykes ineffective would cause the 5 year old to go into respiratory arrest long before they could get to him....if Dykes wouldn't kill him first.
Never do anything to make a whacko more unpredictable.
If I were the boys parents, they'd have to be ...feeding me Valium q15 minutes.
One of the principles of hostage survival is to make the captor see you as a person. I got the feeling that since they have Dykes actually caring for this boy....things are gonna end well.
But I'm an eternal optimist, which I don't guess I have in common with most who post.
Rotten @!$%#ing bastard....grrrrrr!
Couldn't they drop something through that air valve that would knock both of them out but not kill them, drill through and rescue the boy and put this nut behind bars for the rest of his useless life? Seems like there must be something they could use to temporarily immobilize them but not harm them in order to give them time to get the boy out safely. I'm not an expert - maybe that's not an option.
Do you know the right dose to knock out a man but not kill a child, in a small enclosed environment with no ventilation? Neither do the Russians, who tried that strategy when terrorists seized a theater. The gas killed over 100 hostages.
Also, if he realizes gas is being pumped in, he might shoot the child.
Also, there are probably booby traps. That would be why they haven't tried to get in while the suspect was asleep. If the place is rigged with explosives, any wrong move will result in the child's death.
They need him awake, and they need him willing to cooperate, in order to get the kid out alive.
They shoud just Tazer him. They should have just shot him in the hand. Just slip a little gas in there. Pepper spray anyone?
People watch far too much TV and movies.
I am very concerned about this child. This scumbag should have been in jail already for beating a dog to death, and shooting at a vehicle with a child in the car. Only hope that somebody puts a bullet in his head. My heart goes to the parents, I cannot imagine the thoughts that are going thu thier minds. Our society has become too tolerate for this type of evil minded scum until an unspeakable crime occurs with a child or someone.
He is a veteran. Can we find his primary doctor, councelor, case manager, or his family members, to talk to him out of this situation, or just releasing the kid?
You know, I bet that has never occurred to all those experts in Hostage Recovery!
Authorities have had six days to learn what they can about this guy. I wonder if he has given any clues as to someone that he respects and would listen to. If so, maybe that person could be brought in to talk to the nut case and perhaps convince him that surrenduring and letting the little boy go safely is the best course of action. There was another comment about taking the death penalty off the table and other considerations. That should probably be part of the negotiations too (and not a lie) - even a lawyer who would defend the nut job - could possibly convince him that coming out of the bunker is the best solution. If he harms the child physically then all bets are off. He has already done so much mental damage to that poor little kid that I don't know what will help with that.
JANNP: Read post #76. And just remember....kids are resillient....pray for the parents....gotta be basket cases.
I really do feel for this boy and his parents, I really hope this does end soon and well. I do feel that more needs to be done in the mental field to help people with problems and issues. I have a step daughter that when I was 8 months pregnant with her to be sister attacked me at the age of 20 in our home. I had to get a order of protection after that for myself and my daughter that had been born. I had that order because she after that said she was going to come kill me and her sister. I was scared more than words can say. I blame the system because she had went for help to get off drugs and they kept letting her out before she even got in the door. One or two days and oh she was fine. Not true at all. After two years with the protective order the new judge tells me when I tried to renew it, no I cant have another one because she had not harmed us in the first two years. I was so upset over the system not protecting me any longer and my child. Where is she now in prison for the last two years and gets out April 12, 2013 and am I worried yes, she was sent to prison because of drugs. So yeah I feel this world of ours is all messed up and really not here for the ones who need help.
I'm just curious how he is keeping this young child occupied in such a confined space without the child freaking out and throwing a colossal fit. Having been confined to the house for consecutive snow days when my children were small, I was willing to come out with my hands up with no argument to anyone. I am not trying to be smug or flippant, but I honestly have to question the dynamics of the situation inside that bunker that has allowed it to continue for so long.
Television, coloring books, hotwheels cars, Cheezits.
The kid is probably the best tool the negotiators have - and don't think they don't know it!
dykes is probably one of a long list of vets that needed treatment but was dumped like garbage. our country has a history of not taking care of it's vets. i had a friend who handled agent orange in nam and suffered medical problems. the va wouldn't do $hit to help him. his teeth started falling out of his mouth. he died at a relatively young age of cancer. use em and abuse em.
And you , sir, are probably right. It is a national disgrace. Lots of lip service, but it hasn't improved a great deal in decades.
Bunkers need ventilation, in fact law enforcement is using the bunkers vent system to supply the boy with his meds. Authorities should pump knock-out gas into the ventilation system and then break down the damn bunker door.
This town and people have it right. Pray pray pray. a fervent prayer availeth much. Prayers from Montana. May Jesus keep this boy save, shelter his mind, and help his family a friends to stay strong in the faith.
wow !!! don't you all see what is happening! this is about a man that thinks the govt is after him. and he has a little boy . i am sure that the people that are taking to the man has heard the little boy or it would't of gone on this long. 2#people don't you see that this isn't about the guns or about what you are r/d. i can't believe all of you left and right thinks this way. it's about all of us standing together as one. that's why it's coming to this. think about it . this is suppose to be about the little boy and if you are a person that belives in god then give the boy some prays and if your not then give the parent's on this little boy some hope. that's what this is about
do you really think its about guns Look at what is happening around us if you are r/d there fighting or if you want guns or not guns . This is about a little boy and if they hadn't been able to hear the little boy do you think it would still be going on. All of us better start looking at the real problem we are dividing ourselfs r/d guns y/n we are fighting each other. watch out here it comes! Pray for the little boy!