One man is in custody after walking into a hospital with a gun this morning and holding a 10-year-old boy hostage.
The Community Memorial Hospital was put into lockdown just after 8:00 Monday morning after a man armed with a handgun entered the building.
"A pursuit started, and at the end of the pursuit we came here and that's when he barricaded himself inside," Spink County Deputy, Jenna Appel said.
The man, identified as 30 year old Matthew Mathern, also also accused of holding a 10-year-old boy hostage. He eventually let him go.
"It was a complete relief knowing that the child had been released from here and then our next goal became keeping everybody else safe, the responders and the defendant who is currently in custody," Spink County States Attorney, Vic Fischbach said.
The hospital had about 30 to 40 staff members and six patients inside at the time of the standoff. They were all evacuated before the situation was over. Hospital staff say they prepare for situations like this.
"We just recently put in our lockdown system not quite a year ago, this was the first time we really used it, and it worked, we needed it, and again we go through these on an annual basis," CEO for Redfield Community Hospital, Michael O'Keefe said.
At about 1:30 Monday afternoon, Mathern surrendered.
"This was very intense, volatile situation that ended as best as it possibly could have," Fischbach said.
Law enforcement say Mathern also had an assault rifle and ammunition in a vehicle in the hospital's parking lot.
Mathern faces potential charges of aggravated eluding, child endangerment, kidnapping, and simple assault.
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The Community Memorial Hospital was put into lockdown just after 8:00 Monday morning after a man armed with a handgun entered the building.
"A pursuit started, and at the end of the pursuit we came here and that's when he barricaded himself inside," Spink County Deputy, Jenna Appel said.
The man, identified as 30 year old Matthew Mathern, also also accused of holding a 10-year-old boy hostage. He eventually let him go.
"It was a complete relief knowing that the child had been released from here and then our next goal became keeping everybody else safe, the responders and the defendant who is currently in custody," Spink County States Attorney, Vic Fischbach said.
The hospital had about 30 to 40 staff members and six patients inside at the time of the standoff. They were all evacuated before the situation was over. Hospital staff say they prepare for situations like this.
"We just recently put in our lockdown system not quite a year ago, this was the first time we really used it, and it worked, we needed it, and again we go through these on an annual basis," CEO for Redfield Community Hospital, Michael O'Keefe said.
At about 1:30 Monday afternoon, Mathern surrendered.
"This was very intense, volatile situation that ended as best as it possibly could have," Fischbach said.
Law enforcement say Mathern also had an assault rifle and ammunition in a vehicle in the hospital's parking lot.
Mathern faces potential charges of aggravated eluding, child endangerment, kidnapping, and simple assault.
