MEDINA, Ohio (TCN) —A 43-year-old father recently died during a standoff with authorities after allegedly abducting his young daughter on her birthday.
Authorities issued an Amber Alert out of Empire, Ohio, on Nov. 11, alleging Charles Alexander took the 7-year-old girl, who the Medina County Sheriff’s Office says was his non-custodial child.
According to WJW-TV, Medina County Sheriff Terry Grice said during a press conference that Alexander “forcibly” kidnapped his daughter from her grandmother’s house after he had already tried to pick the girl up from school. Alexander allegedly struck a woman with his truck while driving away from the area.
At around 8 p.m., Brunswick police saw Alexander driving a stolen U-Haul within their jurisdiction and attempted a traffic stop. The sheriff’s office said Alexander failed to stop, and a pursuit ensued.
During the chase, Alexander allegedly threatened to shoot himself and his daughter. At some point, investigators allege the 7-year-old girl sat on Alexander’s lap, and he aimed a gun at her.
According to WJW, the 7-year-old victim is heard in 911 calls saying, “Am I going to heaven today? I don’t want to go to heaven today.” Alexander allegedly asked to talk to the child’s mother.
Officials reportedly used stop sticks, and the vehicle came to a halt in a parking lot.
Alexander allegedly continued to say he’d harm himself and his daughter, and a member of the Ohio State Highway Patrol Response Team “neutralized the threat.”
Believing Alexander might have been armed, authorities reportedly negotiated with the suspect to get him to surrender. However, the sheriff’s office said gunshots erupted in an officer-involved shooting, leading to Alexander’s death.
No officer was harmed during the incident, and the 7-year-old girl was safely returned to family members.
Grice said Alexander had a history of mental illness.
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