11-Year-Old Arkansas Boy Taken Hostage Dies After Being Shot, Accused Killed In Police Firing

An 11-year-old boy, who was taken hostage and shot, succumbed to his injuries on Friday night. The man who was holding the child hostage was shot dead by the police during a confrontation.

The shocking incident occurred in Little Rock, Arkansas, when the suspect, identified as 32-year-old Brent Martin, took the child, identified as Jordan Roberts, as a hostage and held him in his home.

According to the police report, the child’s mother, Maranda Alford, came to the Northwest police substation on Friday evening and informed the deputies that Martin had held her son hostage.

The deputies immediately rushed to a house in 1 Karon Court in a neighborhood just west of John Barrow Road. On arrival, the officers heard multiple shots being fired from inside the home.

"The officers were attempting to gain communication and wait on our SWAT team," Little Rock Police Chief Keith Humphrey said in a press conference.

The officers entered the house and were confronted by Martin. Officer Scott Dettmer and Lt. Dana Jackson, during the confrontation, shot Martin. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The officers then searched the house and found Jordan in a separate room lying unresponsive with two gunshot wounds.

"Gunshots were heard from inside the residence. We have now learned that those shots ... were being fired by the suspect and ... killed Jordan Roberts," Humphrey said.

The officers performed life-saving procedures and Jordan rushed to Arkansas Children's hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

"With everything going on, their main focus was to save the life of this child," Humphrey said.

He said officers Dettmer and Jackson, who will undergo an internal investigation regarding the shooting, did everything possible to save Jordan during the incident.

"This was an imminent situation, and it happened only in a matter of seconds. They never thought about their safety. I'm telling you right now our officers are hurting," Humphrey said. "They tried everything they could do to save that young child, and that's something that they will remember the rest of their lives."

According to the incident report, Martin was living with Jordan and his mother. The relationship between Martin and Alford is unclear. Police were investigating the same.