STANDOFF: Suspect threatened to cut up the kids… SWAT then...

UPDATE — 11:30PM — LATEST WHDH CHANNEL 7 NEWS COVERAGE OF LAST NIGHT’S ORDEAL:

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UPDATE — 6:15PM — WCVB Channel 5 in Boston interviewed the mother of the 6-month-old and 2-year-old who had their lives threatened this morning at knifepoint. According to WCVB, the mother is Ciera Taylor, age 19… and she identified the suspect as her boyfriend, Matt Sweeney, age 22 — that information has not yet been officially confirmed by police.

WCVB REPORT:

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ONGOING WCVB COVERAGE OF THIS STORY

Initial HN coverage:

HYANNIS – [DEVELOPING] – At about 1:00Am this morning, five squad cars surrounded 63 Baxter Road after they received a “third party” call that a man was threatening his girlfriend with a knife.

Police approached a basement apartment and the suspect came out momentarily, but then ran back inside… He then barricaded himself in the basement apartment.

He was considered armed with a knife and very dangerous. Police did a background check and learned he had a violent past and that he may possibly be suicidal as well.

According to police radio traffic, the suspect may have also been in violation of a restraining order…

A police negotiator and SWAT team were deployed to the scene.

A Hyannis Rescue unit also responded and staged at the nearby KFC parking lot.

According to radio communications, police operatives observed the suspect at one point sitting on the bed and texting. The negotiator tried reaching him by phone but the call went straight to voice mail. The negotiator then tried texting and the suspect eventually responded.

According to radio transmissions, he texted he would hurt the children. He wanted everyone to quit and leave him alone.

He continued on threatening the lives of the children if police didn’t back off, according to radio communications. He threatened the lives of both the kids and police, saying things would get “messy.” At one point he allegedly texted, ‘this is going to end up in blood… the cops… the kids…’ He went on to text that he would cut up the kids to show how serious he was…

It was then the negotiator had no choice but to take things to the next level. The SWAT Commander on scene was notified, and just after two and a half hours into the standoff, the “Chief” reportedly gave the go-ahead for “entry.”

The above details have yet to be officially confirmed and are based solely on observations from just outside the scene, along with radio transmissions.

Check back for further details and developments…

The following video picks up right after the go-ahead was given…

[Press play… Select HD in the settings and enlarge player for best quality…]

UPDATE 6:20AM: Police are talking about which details they will be releasing. New “domestic violence ” laws restrict police in certain situations… however, when situations escalate to the degree mentioned above it goes beyond the mere domestic and reaches a point where it becomes a crime against the people, presenting new challenges for police and the press. A press release is hopefully forthcoming at a later time.

5/23/2015

Robert Bastille,

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