LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / February 16, 2000

GARYVILLE – What St. John Parish deputies believed to be a hostage situationearly Saturday ended with the peaceful arrest of the suspect.

Capt. Michael Tregre reported that Eric J. Kenner, 19, 160 Grant St.,Reserve, was charged with aggravated assault following a disturbance at his ex-girlfriend’s house on Historic East Street.

Deputies were called at 4:58 a.m. Saturday and told of a disturbanceinvolving weapons. They arrived to find a 22-year-old woman upset at beinglocked out of her own home by Kenner, who was still inside with her 1-year- old son. Kenner had reportedly threatened to shoot anyone who came near.A perimeter was set up around the house in the 400 block of Historic East Street, and demands were made for Kenner to surrender.

Meanwhile, Kenner had already y escaped from the house before the deputies’ arrival, and he called the sheriff’s office at 6:17 a.m. to say hewas no longer in the house but that the child was safe inside the residence.

Maintaining the watch on the house other deputies were dispatched to search for Kenner in the neighborhood. The suspect was found walking south onHistoric Main Street, carrying a SKS semi-automatic rifle with a 30-round clip. He was ordered to lay down the rifle and then lay upon the ground, wherehe was arrested at 6:17 a.m.Tregre said the couple had dated for eight months but came to a parting of the ways. That morning, the woman had discovered Kenner in her home andleft him in the house to go to her sister’s residence.

However, Kenner locked the door behind her and remained inside with the child until he made his eventual escape.

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