Police say drones and a K-9 deputy helped end a standoff in Tyler.
A member of the Smith County Sheriff's Department along with a K-9 Deputy initiated a traffic stop on an alleged felony suspect in the Econo-Lodge parking lot located at 2631 WNW Loop 323 in Tyler.
Additional personnel with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety were also on location at the time of the stop, according to Sgt. Larry Christian.
The Smith County Sheriff's Department alleged that upon parking his truck, the suspect, Nasir Saleh-Saad Jabr, age 35, immediately barricaded himself in his vehicle and refused to cooperate with the lawful commands of law enforcement personnel.
Police alleged that a female passenger managed to exit the truck, and she was removed to a safe location. They said it was quickly determined that the suspect was armed with at least one handgun, so a perimeter was quickly established, and citizens were removed from the area.
According to police, trained negotiators and SWAT Operators from both the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Smith County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene. They were able to establish contact with the suspect in an attempt to resolve the standoff.
The Smith County Sheriff’s Office said they also utilized several drones to monitor the actions of the suspect while he was in his vehicle.
After several hours, negotiations began to deteriorate, and a decision was made to take additional action to neutralize the situation.
According to the Sheriff's Department, the priority was the safety of officers and the suspect.
At approximately 6:30 p.m., SWAT personnel were able to breach the back glass of the truck and utilize a flash-bang device within the cab of the vehicle.
They were then able to quickly shatter the driver’s door window and extract the suspect before he had the opportunity to take any action, according to police.
UT Health EMS quickly assessed Jabr’s medical needs, and he was subsequently transported to UT Health ER for treatment.
At this time, Nasir Jabr is being held on the Parole Violation warrant, and other charges are expected shortly, police say.
The successful conclusion of this incident was a combined effort involving the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Tyler Police Department, Texas Rangers, Tyler Fire Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Editor's note: Any person suspected, accused, arrested, or charged with a crime is presumed innocent if and until they are convicted in a court of law.
