Law officers forced to deal with many dynamics during deadly standoff

ITAWAMBA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – More questions are being answered in the aftermath of a hostage standoff in Itawamba County.

A boarded up window and crime scene tape are stark reminders of the deadly hostage situation that unfolded at a home on Alice Hall Road in northeast Itawamba County.

“We had a lot to deal with,” said Sheriff Chris Dickinson.

The sheriff says 40-year-old Nathan Shepard killed 43-year-old Paul Blackburn Saturday afternoon, then took Blackburn’s ten-year-old daughter hostage at the home owned by Blackburn’s parents.

The sheriff says Blackburn likely confronted Shepard about a criminal case in Alabama, involving both families, which started the 32-hour drama.

Negotiations were ongoing with Shepard, who insisted on using his personal cell phone, instead of a phone offered by the sheriff’s department.

Sheriff Dickinson said Shepard told the ten-year-old her father had been knocked out, but authorities knew better.

“We realized reading between the lines that Mr Blackburn was deceased, what we were worried about, does the little girl know,” said Sheriff Dickinson.

Every hostage situation is delicate and the sheriff said this one was especially so.

He points out that the suspect was high on meth when he came to the house Saturday afternoon.

Also, the suspect and victim knew each other and were friends, they had worked together before. But the sheriff says it became clear early on, that the suspect was not going to come out voluntarily.

Shortly after nine on Sunday evening, Shepard moved away from his hostage and a MHP SWAT team sniper took action.

Sounds of the drama ending were captured live by WCBI’s Cash Matlock.

“When your reporter was doing the live shot, that is the exact moment it went down, when shots were fired, two explosions blowing the doors , that was moment threat was eliminated,” said Dickinson.

The sheriff said SWAT team members had the ten-year-old girl out of the house within seven seconds. He says the child is with family members and was not harmed physically.

Sheriff Dickinson also wants to thank area residents for supplying food and drinks to law officers throughout the standoff.

The FBI, MBI, MBN, MHP SWAT Team and Itawamba County Sheriff’s Department responded to the standoff.