4 Children Survive Hostage Situation

Kerrville resident James Vest was arrested Monday morning at 6 a.m. after a 6-hour standoff at his home. The standoff began at 11:45 p.m. Sunday evening. James Vest threatened to kill his 4 children if his wife did not return home from out of state.

Reports to the Kerrville Police Department started to flood in Sunday around noon, nearly 12 hours before the standoff began. James Vest was angry that his wife had left him. According to Vest's father-in-law, Vest had sent text messages to his wife with the threats against the children if she did not return home by noon Monday.

Police said they monitored James Vest on Sunday and attempted to make contact Sunday evening.

Sgt. Phil Engstrom tried talking to James Vest's 16-year-old son at a back fence, however, the boy refused to speak to him. This alerted Engstrom that there was a serious problem. Engstrom took the boy into protective custody.

The Hill Country Combined Special Operations Unit were not able to convince Vest to let the other children go. Vest was agitated that they had taken his 16-year-old son. James Vest refused to come out of the home. Police were able to see Vest pointing a handgun at them through a back door.

The children, ages 5, 12. and 14 were confined in a bedroom in the home. Around 1:45 a.m. Monday morning, all three of the children climbed out of the bedroom window unharmed. They confirmed to police that their father indeed had a gun. Once the father realized his children had fled, he became very irate but still refused to come out of the house. Officers realized that he was not going to come out on his own. They obtained a warrant for James Vest's arrest and fired tear gas canisters into the home. Still, Vest did not come out of the house so officers went inside to investigate and found him in a back bedroom. James Vest was arrested and taken to Sid Peterson Regional Medical Center before being taken to Kerr County Jail. Vest is being charged with aggravated kidnapping.

James Vest is a veteran of Desert Storm and has multiple charges listed on his rap sheet, including many arrests for assault and domestic violence. Police say they have been dispatched to the home before this incident and that "We (the officers) all have dealt with him."

Sources:

Kerrville Daily Times, Front Page, "Hostage Standoff Ends Safely"