A DoorDash driver alerted police to a suspicious order, which led authorities to uncover a hostage situation at the Sweetwater Inn in Texas on Monday, September 22. According to a news release from the Sweetwater Police Department, officers responded to the report around 11:30 a.m.
Upon arrival, police found a 42-year-old man armed with a handgun barricaded in a motel room with another person held hostage. Officials told McClatchy News that while officers attempted to communicate with the suspect, the hostage managed to escape when the man went into the bathroom.
Despite being alone in the room after the escape, the suspect continued to refuse officers’ commands to exit. A crisis negotiator from the state Department of Public Safety was called and eventually persuaded him to surrender peacefully.
The man was arrested on charges of aggravated kidnapping and drug offenses. Authorities said that the former hostage is also facing drug-related charges. Details about what made the DoorDash order suspicious were not released due to an ongoing investigation.
Sweetwater is located approximately 190 miles west of Fort Worth.
