The suspect in Friday morning's statewide AMBER alert for a North Judson boy is in custody following a multi-hour standoff involving multiple law enforcement agencies, according to the Starke County Sheriff's Department.
Dwayne Clemons was taken into custody without incident after a tense standoff at a residence on Donna Street in North Judson. The missing child was located safe earlier in the morning and turned over to the Indiana Department of Child Services.
At approximately 7:35 a.m. Friday morning, Starke County deputies were responding to conduct a welfare check at a home in the 5200 block of South A Street in North Judson when dispatch received critical information from an individual at the residence indicating the missing boy was there.
Deputies arrived quickly at the scene and positively identified the child before transferring custody to the Indiana Department of Child Services.
While at the South A Street location, deputies learned that Clemons was inside a residence in the 2600 block of Donna Street, approximately two miles away.
A multi-agency response was immediately coordinated, bringing together:
- Starke County Sheriff's Office Strategic Response Team
- U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- FBI GRIT Task Force
- Marshall County Sheriff's Department
- North Judson Police Department
Law enforcement established a perimeter around the Donna Street residence and began attempts to communicate with Clemons.
A trained negotiator from the Starke County Sheriff's Office attempted to make contact with Clemons multiple times using both telephone calls and loudspeaker announcements, according to the report. When these attempts were unsuccessful, authorities escalated their approach.
After making announcements via loudspeaker directing Clemons to exit the residence, the U.S. Marshals Service deployed chemical agents into the home.
Clemons subsequently exited through the back door of the residence and was taken into custody without incident. No injuries were reported during the operation.
The case represents a successful resolution to the AMBER alert system, which was activated Friday morning to help locate the missing North Judson boy. The alert mobilized law enforcement agencies across Indiana and engaged the public in the search.
The swift recovery of the child and arrest of the suspect demonstrates the effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation and the AMBER alert system in protecting children.
The Starke County Sheriff's Department continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the child's disappearance and the AMBER alert. Additional details about charges against Clemons have not yet been released.
The child's condition and the specific nature of the case remain under investigation by authorities and the Indiana Department of Child Services.
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