A Pratt, Kansas man was arrested on Friday evening following a lengthy standoff with law enforcement. The suspect, identified as Jacob Davis, 36, was located by a K-9 unit hiding in a crawl space beneath his residence after allegedly violating a protection order and barricading himself inside his home.
Key Takeaways
- Jacob Davis, 36, was arrested in Pratt, Kansas, following a police standoff.
- The incident began with a disturbance call related to a violation of a Protection from Abuse order.
- Davis allegedly threw fireworks at children before barricading himself in his home.
- A police K-9 unit located Davis in a crawl space, leading to his arrest.
- He faces multiple charges, including stalking and assault of a law enforcement officer.
Series of Incidents Preceded Standoff
The situation began around 4:45 p.m. on Friday when the Pratt Police Department received a call about a disturbance in the 700 block of Champa Street. According to the police report, the female caller stated that Jacob Davis was the cause of the disturbance. She also informed officers that an active Protection from Abuse order was in place against him.
By the time officers arrived, Davis had already left the location. While police were investigating the initial call, a separate report came in from another individual who claimed their vehicle was nearly struck by one matching the description of the car Davis was driving.
Escalating Behavior Reported
Law enforcement continued to search the area for Davis's vehicle. At 6:09 p.m., the original caller contacted police again, reporting that Davis had driven past her house and was honking his horn. Officers located his vehicle unoccupied shortly after this report but could not find Davis at that time.
The situation escalated further at 6:37 p.m. when police received a third call from the same reporting party. It was alleged that Davis had once again driven by the residence and thrown two mortar-style fireworks in the direction of children. Fortunately, no injuries were reported from the incident.
Understanding Protection Orders
A Protection from Abuse (PFA) order is a civil court order designed to provide protection from harm by a family or household member. Violating such an order is a criminal offense and can lead to immediate arrest and further legal consequences.
Confrontation at Suspect's Residence
Following the fireworks incident, Pratt Police located Davis's vehicle at his own home, located at 1001 Champa Street. Upon arrival, officers were met by two aggressive dogs. According to the official statement, officers deployed pepper spray to prevent an attack from the animals and secure the scene.
Police reported that Davis refused to comply with verbal commands and proceeded to barricade himself inside the house. Due to the developing standoff, the Pratt County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team (SRT) was called to assist. The SRT established a secure perimeter around the property.
Discovery and K-9 Apprehension
After securing the area, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the residence. In an attempt to have Davis exit the home peacefully, the special response team deployed both CS (tear gas) and OC (pepper spray) gas into the building. This measure proved unsuccessful, as Davis did not surrender.
During the operation, officers discovered a crawl space underneath the home, which had two separate access tunnels. Initial efforts to use a remote-control device to search the confined space were also unsuccessful. With other options exhausted, authorities decided to deploy a police K-9 unit into the crawl space.
The trained canine successfully located Davis hiding within the tunnel system. He was then taken into custody without further incident.
Multi-Agency Response
The resolution of this incident involved a coordinated effort between the Pratt Police Department and the Pratt County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team, highlighting the use of specialized units for high-risk situations like standoffs and barricaded suspects.
Multiple Charges Filed
Following his arrest, Jacob Davis was transported and booked into the Pratt County Jail. He faces a number of charges stemming from the events of the evening.
The charges filed against him include:
- Violation of a Protection Order
- Assault
- Assault of a Law Enforcement Officer
- Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer
- Stalking
The investigation remains ongoing. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.