When Liberty County deputies arrived on the scene of a 911 report about a disturbance in the 800 block of Baker Circle in Ames early on Tuesday, Nov. 19, a heated standoff broke out.
A male suspect was reportedly holding three people inside a house and not allowing them to leave, according to the call, which was placed at 4:30 a.m. The presence of guns in the house was also reported to the deputies.
When officers arrived, they discovered the front door open and allegedly saw the culprit, who was later identified as Liberty resident Arrand Eugene Godfrey, 52. Godfrey is said to have fled into the house, shut the door, and refused to return when he saw the deputies. Three people were confirmed to have stayed inside with him.
As the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team (SRT) and investigators were sent to the scene, police units promptly established a perimeter around the residence, according to Capt. David Meyers.
Around 6:20 a.m., the SRT team arrived, and a skilled hostage negotiator tried several times to get Godfrey to give up without a fight. Meyers claimed that after numerous attempts, the suspect refused to cooperate.
After that, deputies placed non-lethal OC canisters throughout the house. The three hostages—two women and one man—left with their hands up shortly after the front door opened. SRT deputies yelled for Godfrey to turn himself in after the hostages were secure. He unlocked the door a few seconds later and complied without any more problems.
SRT deputies arrested Godfrey, who is currently being jailed at the Liberty County Jail. He faces charges of Aggravated Assault With a Deadly Weapon in addition to an active parole warrant.