MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - Police took a man into custody without incident after he barricaded himself, his mother, his girlfriend and their small child in a south Memphis apartment Monday afternoon.
Memphis police were called to the 900-block of Mississippi Blvd just before 1 p.m. on Monday, March 4 on reports of an armed man holding three victims hostage. Officers blocked off the area for nearly two hours as they tried to talk to the man, 24-year-old Vernard Stafford.
Stafford's mother and his one-year-old daughter escaped; a short time later, Stafford surrendered to police and released his girlfriend from the apartment. Nobody was harmed.
"My brother has always been the quiet one - never bothered nobody, cool with everybody in the neighborhood but her," said the suspect's sister, Shannon Stafford. "He's never been a problem child, he just fell in love and got caught up in the moment."
It's a moment that has apparently repeated itself. According to family members, a similar situation happened a few months ago and Stafford was still out on bond from that incident.
Vernard Stafford was later charged with Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Kidnapping and Violation of Bail Conditions.
