A subway toddler was safely rescued Wednesday and her father was taken into custody for threatening the child’s life with a knife.
The dramatic scene took place on subway streets and ended in a stalemate in a Norman neighborhood.
Oklahoma City Police were looking for Adam Herrera, 35, who evaded the warrant. They did not expect the wanted man to risk his child’s life.
Residents of a Norman neighborhood near 12th Avenue and Tecumseh Road watched a three-hour stalemate from their backyards.
“It was quite disturbing to see a toddler involved and to hear what was going on,” said Walker Hinds, a witness. “It was very sad.”
Law enforcement eventually convinced Herrera to hand over the two-year-old child he allegedly held with the knife. An officer was able to hold the toddler safely in his arms.
“Seems healthy and no injuries at this point, I was told,” said Master Sgt. Robbie Robertson, Oklahoma City Police Department.
Shortly thereafter, Herrera was arrested along with the knife with which he was threatening his daughter’s life.
“The gun he originally had has been recovered and is in our care,” said Robertson.
Neighbors said they were relieved to see the child safe.
“It was overwhelming to see how they got custody of the child,” said Hinds. “But then it was also a relief to see him in police custody.”
Police said it all started around 4 a.m. when an officer tried to stop Herrera at a traffic stop in southwest Oklahoma City. Instead, Herrera took off and led the police on a chase at speeds of over 100 miles per hour at times.
The chase ended in Norman when one of the suspect’s tires burst. He carried the child to a nearby neighborhood and the police cordoned off the area while they negotiated with the armed man.
Ultimately, a life or death hostage situation ended peacefully.
“The child was the most important thing for us, the first priority,” said Robertson.
Herrera was admitted to the Oklahoma County Detention Center for 11 complaints related to the chase and stalemate.
Related: WATCH: OCPD rescues 2-year-olds from being held hostage
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