Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol SWAT Team have arrested a Blair man following a 17-hour standoff near West Point.
At approximately 5:00 a.m. Friday, NSP received a call for assistance from the Cuming County Sheriff’s Office. They had received a report of a person threatening self-harm at a location just west of West Point. The Sheriff’s Office obtained information that the subject was in possession of multiple firearms and had threatened to harm others the prior week.
Troopers, Sheriff’s Deputies, and the West Point Police Department set up a perimeter around the area, which was a field west of the Elkhorn River. Authorities determined that the subject was using a deer blind as shelter. Crisis Negotiators contacted the subject, but communication was sporadic throughout the day. Because of the location, authorities determined that there was no danger posed to bystanders or the town of West Point.
Troopers utilized drones at times to monitor the situation from a safe distance. Shortly after 2:00 p.m. the subject exited the deer blind with a firearm and shot down an NSP drone. The subject fired several more rounds throughout the incident and made additional threatening statements.
An arrest warrant was issued and the NSP SWAT Team was activated. The SWAT team used two NSP armored vehicles, known as MRAPs, to approach the deer blind. The suspect continued to fire rounds. After the suspect again refused to exit the deer blind, chemical munitions were deployed, but the suspect still refused to exit. At approximately 10:00 p.m., the SWAT Team utilized an MRAP to push the deer blind onto its side. At that point, the suspect surrendered and was taken into custody without incident.
The suspect, identified as James Hynes, 70, of Blair, was arrested for making terroristic threats and obstruction. Additional charges are pending. He was medically cleared at the hospital in West Point and then lodged in Thurston County Jail.
No law enforcement officers were injured during this incident. Thank you to the West Point Police Department, Cuming County Sheriff’s Office, and West Point Rescue for their assistance.
(From Nebraska State Patrol Website)