A domestic argument in Clarkdale escalated into a hostage situation over the course of Wednesday, July 29.
Clarkdale police responded to a report of shots fired in the Centerville neighborhood near State Route 89A at 8:50 a.m., Clarkdale Police Chief Randy Taylor said. Police were not releasing the exact address of the incident as of presstime.
When police arrived, they found the female victim out in the yard, Taylor said. The woman had been reportedly injured by a male suspect but Taylor said no one had been injured by the gun that had been fired.
The suspect, described as a male in his early 30s, was still inside the home when police arrived, Taylor said. The man’s identity also wasn’t immediately available.
“He barricaded himself inside the home with two children,” Taylor said. The children were young, around ages 4 and 6.
When Clarkdale Police officers realized that the incident had become a hostage situation, Taylor said they requested the assistance of the Verde Valley Regional SWAT team.
The SWAT team set up on the scene around noon and a negotiator begin to talk with the suspect. Taylor said that at first, negotiations were going well.
“They were able to get the children out of the house,” Taylor said.
Taylor said that eventually, the SWAT team decided it would need to go in and get the suspect. The team went in to the home around 3 p.m., Taylor said, and was able to take the suspect into custody.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Taylor said the suspect was at Verde Valley Medical Center. Taylor said that charges against the suspect are pending but will include domestic violence, aggravated assault and kidnapping.
Mark Lineberger
Larson Newspapers
