News

Actions

Man charged with abduction after Norfolk police standoff

Posted at 2:33 PM, Sep 30, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-01 15:27:04-04

NORFOLK, Va. – A hostage situation involving three young children was resolved without incident early Sunday morning.

Johnathan Harris. (NPD)

Johnathan D. Harris, 33, was arrested following his surrender to police after negotiators were successful in talking him out of a residence in the 1400 block of East Tanners Creek Drive around 1:30 a.m.

After Harris was taken into custody, police found four people, three children and one adult, inside the residence who had been held against their will. All four people were unharmed.

Officers received the 911 call around 10 p.m. Saturday night. The caller told police dispatchers that Harris was inside the residence and refused to let his three children, ages 6, 7 and 9, and a woman, 54, leave the house. The caller told police officers when they arrived that Harris made threatening statements toward the children and the woman.

A police special operations team, a bomb squad and police negotiators responded and set a perimeter around the house. Shortly after 1 a.m. negotiators were able to contact Harris over the phone.

After speaking for over 15 minutes, Harris surrendered to awaiting special operations team members outside the house without incident.

Detectives have charged Harris with four counts of abduction by force without justification and he is currently being held in the Norfolk City Jail without bond. Detectives believe the incident stemmed from a domestic situation earlier in the evening.