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Clarksville Suspect Uploads Facebook Video At Beginning Of 9-Hour Standoff

CLARKSVILLE (KFSM) – The felon accused of barricading himself inside a Clarksville home for nearly nine hours Friday uploaded a video to Facebook at the beginni...
Clarksville Suspect Uploads Facebook Video At Beginning Of 9-Hour Standoff

CLARKSVILLE (KFSM) – The felon accused of barricading himself inside a Clarksville home for nearly nine hours Friday uploaded a video to Facebook at the beginning of the standoff. In the video, the man states he is committing suicide and apologizes to his family.

Authorities stormed the house eight-and-a-half hours after the standoff began and took the suspect into custody, according to the Clarksville Police Department. The suspect was transported to Johnson Regional Medical Center, after which he is expected to be transferred to a mental health facility or the Johnson County Detention Center, said Clarksville Police Chief Greg Donaldson. An arrest warrant identifies the suspect as Jason Dewayne Jones, 34.

"It's scary," neighbor Sue Woodard said.

Police responded at 4:30 a.m. to Delsie Street in reference to a man who was threatening suicide and had barricaded himself inside a home. An arrest warrant states Jones went to his mother's house early Friday morning and had an argument with her. He then went into her sewing room and grabbed a metal object and ran to his bedroom, saying he was going to shoot himself, the warrant states.

"I know this boy real well," neighbor Phil Woodard said. "He's not a violent person and I know if he reached a point, he's more out to hurt himself than anybody else."

In a video uploaded to Jones' Facebook profile at 4:31 a.m., Jones states he is killing himself because he "can't stand to live in your (expletive)-up world." He also denies he is taking "the coward's way out" and apologizes to his family, telling several of them he loves them. The video ends after two minutes and 18 seconds.

A family member notified local police of the situation, after which Clarksville police, Arkansas State Police and the Johnson County Sheriff's Office responded. Authorities tried several times to contact the suspect throughout the morning, but were unsuccessful, Donaldson said.

After exhausting all other options, authorities stormed the home around 1 p.m., located Jones and brought him into custody, the police chief said. No one was seriously injured.

Donaldson said the suspect may face criminal charges. An arrest warrant affidavit states a potential charge of felon in possession of a firearm. Jones is a convicted felon and cannot own or possess a gun, the warrant states.

The standoff shut down an area south of Interstate 40 in Clarksville throughout Friday morning. The police chief said officers and firefighters blocked off Delsie Street and diverted nearby traffic, including local school bus routes.

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