A drug suspect has surrendered after holing up in a Tampa house for 90 minutes Thursday afternoon with his two year old son.
The standoff started earlier today when Tampa police officers set up a drug buy with 27 year old Willie Conner. When officers arrived on foot at the location, the suspect tried to run over the officers with his vehicle. He crashed into a fence, but still managed to flee in the vehicle.
The officers ran back to their vehicle, but the suspect had already left the area. Approximately six blocks away, the suspect hit a citizen’s vehicle at 19th Street North and Giddens Avenue. Witnesses saw the suspect get out of the car and take his toddler out of the back seat. A passenger in the suspect’s vehicle then drove off in the car.
The suspect then ran with his 2 year old into his house on Arlington Avenue. Officers tried to make contact with the suspect, but he was not responsive. The Tactical Response Team and hostage negotiators responded to the scene. Negotiators convinced him to come out of the house peacefully after a 90 minute stand off.
There were no injuries.
