BREAKING: Standoff ends peacefully, suspect in custody

IVY JACOBS PHOTO - Firefighters from Posey, Jackson, Bowling Green, and Center point volunteer fire departments were posted nearby during the standoff at Best Western Plus Inn Friday morning. The departments were available to provide assistance if necessary, thankfully the suspect was taken into custody without further incident around noon, 26-hours after the standoff began.

UPDATE BY INDIANA STATE POLICE issued at 1:27 p.m.

At approximately 12:30 p.m., on December 4, 2020, the suspect peacefully surrendered to the Indiana State Police South SWAT team.

The suspect has been identified as Shannon Jeffers, age 40, of West Terre Haute, Indiana. The original warrant for Jeffers was issued out of Vigo County for a probation violation on original charges of possession of methamphetamine and a felon in possession of a firearm. Jeffers was taken into custody and transported to the Clay County Jail where he will be facing a charge of attempted murder, Level 1 Felony, according to Clay County Prosecutor Emily Clark.

INDIANA STATE POLICE - Shannon Jeffers, age 40, of West Terre Haute, Indiana.

Detectives from the Indiana State Police Putnamville Post are leading the investigation into the incident.

Assisting: US Marshals Service, Terre Haute Police Department, Clay County Sheriff's Department, Indiana State Police Central, and South SWAT teams, Posey Township Volunteer Fire Department, Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Department, STAR Ambulance, and Clay County Coroner's Office.

Original Story

Over 26-hours after a standoff with several law enforcement agencies initially began at Best Western Plus Inn at I-70, officials confirm the unidentified wanted suspect, who was armed, was taken into custody shortly after noon Friday without incident.

The situation began Thursday morning.

Officers from the US Marshal’s Office, Clay County Sheriff’s Department, and Terre Haute Police Department detectives assigned to the Vigo County Drug Task Force attempted to serve an arrest warrant for a subject staying on the second floor of the hotel.

Apparently, after announcing their presence, the suspect allegedly pointed a handgun at the officers, who backed away from the room to prevent further hostility.

The suspect allegedly kept two hostages - an unidentified female and a juvenile - in the room and fired at least one round through the door.

Officers immediately initiated a safety perimeter while evacuating the employees and people staying at the hotel to safety.

Later Thursday afternoon, the suspect released the two hostages without incident.

Only law enforcement officials were inside the inn during negotiations initiated by members of the Terre Haute Special Response Team (SRT) in hopes of resolving the situation peacefully.

Members of the Indiana State Police SWAT Team took over negotiations overnight into Friday morning.

Witnesses said they heard law enforcement using speakers overnight to communicate with the suspect and set off loud tones.

Officials confirmed the noise was from tactical techniques being used by the SWAT team in an attempt “to gain voluntary compliance.”

ISP shut down a portion of the intersection at State Road 59 and US42 and State Road 59 south of the intersection, with traffic diverted as a safety precaution.

No injuries have been reported at this time.