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SWAT team finds man passed out after allegedly holding girlfriend, children hostage in home

Posted at 8:39 AM, Nov 26, 2015
and last updated 2015-11-26 19:37:23-05

SPANISH FORK, Utah - A 52-year-old man is in custody after holding his girlfriend and two children hostage for nearly three hours overnight.

Officers said a man wouldn't let his girlfriend and two of three children, ages 12 and 2, leave the apartment near 900 E. and 431 N. at about 11 p.m.

Police said a third son, 12, got a neighbor's attention and said his stepfather was threatening his mother with a gun.

That neighbor then called 911.

The SWAT team was called in and spoke with the suspect but he would not cooperate and refused to come out of the house.

The other apartments in the complex were evacuated as a precaution and the SWAT team got into the suspect's apartment just before 2 a.m.

Once inside, authorities found the man passed out in a bedroom; a 12-year-old son and 2-year-old son were also found inside the unit.

The woman and children were not harmed.

Officers said the 12-year-old boy in the apartment is the suspect's son and the other 12-year-old boy that had a neighbor call police is the woman's son, along with the 2-year-old boy.

Authorities said they were told the 52-year-old man, whose name has not been released, had threatened to kill his girlfriend and the children.

Officers said the man was heavily intoxicated and taken to the Spanish Fork Police Dept. for questioning after the incident.

Police searched the apartment and found three loaded .40 caliber handgun magazines however they have not yet found the gun.

Authorities said the suspect is from The Bronx in New York.