The suspect in a roadside hostage situation is in custody after being shot in the neck by an officer, according to Lufkin Police.
The unidentified man is accused of holding a hostage at gunpoint Monday night and ordering them to drive from Cherokee County toward Lufkin.
“911 dispatchers attempted to de-escalate the situation by talking to the suspect on the phone and later attempted to patch a Lufkin Police Department crisis negotiator through to talk the suspect into surrendering,” a news release stated. “The suspect made threats against the hostage and ceased all communication.”
Around 8:20 p.m., law enforcement officers from Cherokee and Angelina counties responded to U.S. 69 North, near Durant Road, where the vehicle was stopped in the southbound lane of the highway.
Body camera video released by the Lufkin Police Department shows law enforcement officers approach the light-colored Kia Optima.
“Officers observed the suspect still holding the handgun toward the hostage,” the news release stated.
Officers shouted commands to “drop the gun,” multiple times before firing through the vehicle’s rear glass.
The body camera video then appears to show the suspect being pulled from the car and officers removing a pistol from the front passenger seat.
City of Lufkin communications director Jessica Pebsworth said the suspect was struck in the neck with rifle rounds and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
The hostage was not harmed in the incident.
The suspect was later released to Cherokee County Sheriff’s officials and faces multiple felony charges, according to Pebsworth.
“This investigation is in its early stages and will be investigated by the Texas Rangers as is our standard policy.”
Overnight, traffic through the area had been slow-moving as law enforcement worked to clear the scene.