Police in West Little Rock, Ark., have released dashcam footage of a Dec. 19 pursuit and standoff that began after a man allegedly kidnapped his child from a Walmart.
The Little Rock Police Department said Farris Deloney, 43, fired shots in the parking lot during an argument with his girlfriend and then drove away with their baby.
After police tried to stop Deloney’s SUV, he allegedly led them on a short chase on the highway before stopping at an exit. As police surround the vehicle, one officer can be heard on the radio saying: “He’s got a gun in his hand up to his head.”
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“You can tell from the video the officers were still amped up when they first initially stopped him because you heard a lot of yelling,” Lt. Michael Ford, spokesperson for the Little Rock Police Department, said.
Moments later, Ford said officers focused intently on de-escalating the situation peacefully.
“What’s your baby’s name?” an officer asked at one point during the video, slowly moving towards the car. “How old is she?”
While police continued to ask Deloney to drop his gun, an officer made her move. She pulled the baby from the passenger seat and walked away from the vehicle.
The dashcam footage shows around six police officers negotiating with the suspect until he surrendered to police without incident.
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Following his arrest, police said Deloney was treated for mental health issues, which they believe may have contributed to the situation.
Deloney was charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault and two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
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