SWAT team arrests suspect after standoff
The standoff lasted about eight hours.
Published Oct. 19, 2010
Police officers called a Code Red at 10:45 p.m. Wednesday, when a suspect with two felony warrants refused to exit a building.
The Columbia Police Department responded to a report received at about 8:15 p.m. of a wanted subject being located at 200 S. Scott Blvd., apartment B, according to a news release.
When the officers arrived at the duplex, one officer observed Edward Charles Whitaker in the residence. CPD called a Cod Red at about 11 p.m. when Whitaker refused to exit the residence, the release stated.
He attempted to enter the unoccupied connecting apartment through the attic of the duplex. Members of CPD’s SWAT Team entered the residence and arrested Whitaker a little after 4 a.m. Thursday.
CPD spokeswoman Jessie Haden said a Code Red is when SWAT is activated to a critical incident.
“A critical incident is any incident which requires resources outside the scope of routine patrol response,” Haden said.
A barricaded subject who is unwilling to exit a building or a hostage situation are two instances where Code Reds would be called, Haden said.
“Our SWAT team has been in the news a lot lately, with regard to serving search warrants and doing dynamic entry,” Haden said. “What I think a lot of people don’t understand is that when you have a search warrant to be served, dynamic entry is absolutely the best way to make entry because a search warrant is for evidence.”
It’s really important for officers to secure a residence, to preserve evidence and ensure safety, Haden said. The element of surprise is essential when serving a search warrant.
“We knew he was there," Haden said. "We all knew it and there was no secret, so going in quickly with dynamic entry is the most dangerous thing you can do in a situation like that."
Haden said in those situations, the SWAT team is assembled and a Code Red is called with the SWAT team standing by.
A woman and boy exited quickly when CPD issued verbal commands, Haden said. Whitaker did not listen to the commands.
“We couldn’t stay out there during morning rush hour or even approaching it,” Haden said. “That would just have been crazy, because it would have potentially put more people in danger as they got up and began their day. Prior to the sun coming up and the morning rush hour, we went ahead and made entry and got him arrested, so we could clear the area before that time of day came about.”
CPD had received information from an unnamed source that Whitaker was at the location, Haden said. CPD also verified he had an active warrant for his arrest before calling a Code Red.
“There are two times in the state of Missouri where a police officer is required to make an arrest,” Haden said. “One of those times is if it’s a domestic violence situation and we can determine a primary physical aggressor. The other time is if somebody has an active warrant.”
Whitaker was arrested on charges of second degree burglary, failure to register as a sex offender, resisting arrest, a felony state warrant for driving with a revoked license and a second felony state warrant for endangering the welfare of a child, according to the release.
Charges have been filed against Whitaker, according to court records.
CPD called three Code Reds during 2009, Haden said.
“We can go months without having a Code Red,” she said. “We have only a handful each year, three to five maybe.”