HOUSTON – One man has been placed in custody after holding his girlfriend hostage inside a hotel room in the South Acres area, Houston police report.
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Lieutenant Larry Crowson reports the incident began around 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday after Southeast patrol officers were called to a Woodspring Suites on Cityscape Avenue about a woman being held against her will.
Hostage situation south of Houston
What we know:
According to officials, the woman texted a relative and said her boyfriend was holding her hostage. When officers arrived, no one answered the room door.
Police were eventually able to get in contact with the victim through a relative, but she was not specific about where she was or the circumstances.
Lt. Crowson says officials did some research and found out the boyfriend and victim had a previous pattern of family violence. In one instance, the boyfriend was involved in a SWAT standoff where he wouldn’t come out of the home and set it on fire before authorities could get him out.
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SWAT set up a perimeter around the hotel and attempted to make contact with the suspect. He got on the phone but was uncooperative and would not confirm if the victim was okay.
Houston police report SWAT decided to make entry by using a breaching charge and a flash bang as distraction devices.
The suspect was taken into custody and has been charged with unlawful restraint, officials said. He was taken to a hospital to be checked out and will be booked in Harris County Jail. Police report he was having a psychotic episode.
According to Lt. Crowson the woman was rescued safely. There were no weapons found.
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What we don’t know:
The identity of the suspect has not been released.