Pana Police responded to a barricaded subject on Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday Pana Officers were dispatched to the 500 block of North State Street due to a call for a violation of an order of protection on an adult male. Officers responded and discovered property damage and evidence to establish probable cause to arrest the adult male for the violation but the subject had fled the area.
Officers located the adult male at a separate location and requested he exit his residence while speaking to him through an open window. The male armed himself with a knife, barricaded himself inside his residence and initiated a standoff with officers who were not aware if additional weapons were inside. Additional Pana Officers, along with the Christian County Sheriff’s Office and Central Illinois Enforcement Group (CIEG) responded and secured a perimeter around the residence; Pana Ambulance and EMS were called to a staging area nearby. Officers negotiated with the subject for several hours, including utilizing family members but gained no cooperation. A decision was made to removed uniformed officers and squad cars from the area to reduce pressure on the subject while leaving covert surveillance on the property. The residence was under surveillance for nearly 12 hours waiting for the subject to exit and be taken into custody for the criminal offense and prevent additional court-ordered violations and possible injury against the protected victim.
On Thursday at 10:20 in the morning, the same subject was seen leaving the residence on foot and resources were called in, including the Pana Police K-9 Unit, Pana Officers, Christian County Deputies, and CIEG officers, to apprehend the subject. The Pana K-9 Unit tracked the subject through a densely brushed area where the subject was found hiding and laying in the back of a pickup truck holding a 12-inch knife to his chest. Officers secured a perimeter and continued to negotiate. At 10:35 in the morning during negotiations, a taser was deployed and the subject was temporarily incapacitated and dropped the knife. Officers quickly secured the subject and requested Pana Ambulance and EMS to respond and was transported to Pana Hospital for evaluation.
Pana Officers remained at the hospital with the subject who was in police custody and threatening himself. The entire incident was nearly 30 hours in length. Chief Bland was appreciative of the support from the Pana Officers and Dispatchers, Christian County Deputies and Dispatchers and Agents from the CIEG who were involved. Regional Radio News has not learned of the subject's name at this time, as it is being withheld for privacy and may be released at a later date. Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for more updates.
