City of Columbia Missouri Police Department

600 E. Walnut Street
Columbia, MO 65201

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 22, 2017

CONTACT: Bryana Larimer
Public Information Officer
(573) 817-5049
[email protected]create new email

Suspicious incident in the 200 block of Apple Tree Court

(COLUMBIA, MO) -

Today at 11:52 a.m., Boone County Joint Communications received a report of a hostage situation with a gun in the 200 block of Apple Tree Court. A female caller stated she was being held hostage at gunpoint by an intimate partner.

Columbia Police officers were dispatched at 11:54 a.m. Given the nature of the reported call, the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team and Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) were deployed. The caller provided an address that was determined to not be valid. Officers worked within the block range to quickly evacuate three multi-family buildings in the area as they searched to locate the incident.

After two and a half hours of evacuating and searching the area, officers were unable to confirm a hostage situation. No suspect or victim was located and no further calls were received. At approximately 2:30 p.m., the scene was cleared by the scene commander, Deputy Chief of Police John Gordon.

"We must take all reported incidents of this nature seriously," said Deputy Chief Gordon. "We will use every resource feasible for precautionary measures and to ensure the safety of our citizens."

Throughout the duration of the investigation, a total of 33 sworn personnel were on-scene intermittently; this included the Deputy Chief, Lieutenants, Sergeants, Patrol officers, SWAT, CNT, detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division (CID), and K-9 officers. The investigation into the received call is on-going.

2017-006497



City of Columbia Vision
Columbia is the best place for everyone to live, work, learn and play.

City of Columbia Mission
To serve the public equitably through democratic, transparent and efficient government.

-30-