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Alabama standoff 2013: Details emerge about man at center of hostage drama
15.com ^ | 3 February 2013

Posted on 02/03/2013 7:23:52 PM PST by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

MIDLAND CITY, AL - As an Alabama standoff and hostage drama marked a sixth day Sunday, more details emerged about the suspect at the center, with neighbors and officials painting a picture of an isolated man estranged from his family. Authorities say Jim Lee Dykes, 65 -- a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War known as Jimmy to neighbors -- gunned down a school bus driver and abducted a 5-year-old boy from the bus, taking him to an underground bunker on his rural property. The driver, 66-year-old Charles Albert Poland Jr., was buried Sunday. Dykes, described as a loner who railed against the government, lives up a dirt road outside this tiny hamlet north of Dothan in the southeastern corner of the state. His home is just off the main road north to the state capital of Montgomery, about 80 miles away. The FBI said in a statement Sunday that authorities continue to have an open line of communication with Dykes. The little boy requested Cheez-Its and red Hot Wheels cars, and both were delivered to the bunker, FBI spokesman Jason Pack told The Associated Press. Authorities had said they also were delivering medicine and other comfort items, and that Dykes was making the child as comfortable as possible.

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TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alabama; bus; hostage; standoff
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To: Jim from C-Town

“The longer the stand off goes, the more likely there will be a bad outcome.”

Actually, that is not the case. ‘Talk and time’ is what brings these things to a peaceful conclusion.

As for the gas.... the bad guy can kill that child within seconds and regardless of the gas, he will have seconds. Besides, for all anyone knows this guy has already taken precautions to defend against gas.

Like I said, “talk and time”.


21 posted on 02/03/2013 8:15:02 PM PST by Gator113 (Leave my guns alone and REGISTER THE DAMN LIBERALS!!)
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To: 3Fingas

“He is anti-government and listens to a lot of talk radio”

Have “journalists” said anything about who big city gang bangers listen to?


22 posted on 02/03/2013 8:24:55 PM PST by beef (Who Killed Kennewick Man?)
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To: Gator113

I noticed the local Sheriff was thanking the killer for taking care of the little boy. For some reason I think that is what the FBI told him to say.


23 posted on 02/03/2013 8:24:55 PM PST by yarddog (One shot one miss.)
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To: Nifster
I listen to Alex Jones before Levin,Savage,and Free Talk Live, then John Batchelor.
24 posted on 02/03/2013 8:59:42 PM PST by Bronzy
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To: beef

Yup. Makes me wonder what radio the banger in an article caught with a gazillion bucks worth of coke in the article up above listens to..........


25 posted on 02/03/2013 9:01:10 PM PST by owlpellets
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To: yarddog

It likely was.

It is just one more way for LEOs to reenforce their message to the bad guy. Keeping him calm and putting the best face on the situation may end up saving the child’s life.


26 posted on 02/03/2013 9:06:24 PM PST by Gator113 (Leave my guns alone and REGISTER THE DAMN LIBERALS!!)
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To: 3Fingas
"He is anti-government and listens to a lot of talk radio....the journalists are trying to put this on the Conservative movement."

Yup...Rush made him do it.

27 posted on 02/03/2013 9:14:12 PM PST by blam
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To: Bronzy

considering the man is a stark raving lunatic I am not impressed. Batchelore is a useless ....


28 posted on 02/03/2013 9:15:21 PM PST by Nifster
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To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

THANK GOD there are hundreds of paramilitary police operatives from a dozen different .gov branches there to protect us from this old lone madman in a hole!


29 posted on 02/03/2013 9:29:36 PM PST by kiryandil (turning Americans into felons, one obnoxious drunk at a time (Zero Tolerance!!!))
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To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

Some media reports say Dykes is a VietNam “era” veteran having served in Japan during VietNam but never there, while others state he is a decorated vet who actually had boots on the ground. Which is it? Dykes was in the Navy, was not a Seal, so what ground combat troops does the Navy have that are not SEALs or Marines?

I live just a few miles from Midland City. I was told tonight by a person who said her boss lives next door to Dykes and that (allegedly) he has enough provisions stored in the bunker for an extended period of time along with other chilling comments.


30 posted on 02/03/2013 11:01:39 PM PST by miele man
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To: miele man

I wouldn’t be surprised if this guy was paid to do this by Big Sis and the Obummer regime so as to spur another executive order for “the equal time” bill against conservative talk radio. At this point, I wouldn’t put ANYTHING past these jack booted thugs.


31 posted on 02/04/2013 3:43:49 AM PST by AbolishCSEU (Percentage of Income in CS is inversely proportionate to Mother's parenting of children)
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To: Mastador1

Even it was safe to knock out the guy it may be impossible to open the door from the outside. The door may be barred so securely that the necessary explosive would kill everyone in the small room.


32 posted on 02/04/2013 4:23:03 AM PST by RadiationRomeo (Step into my mind and glimpse the madness that is me)
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To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin
"Government records and interviews with neighbors indicate that Dykes joined the Navy in Midland City, serving on active duty from 1964 to 1969. His record shows several awards, including the Vietnam Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. During his service, Dykes was trained in aviation maintenance."

Here's another one that the biased press always slips in. If the crazed gunman was ever connected to Vietnam or the Marine Corps, it always gets mentioned in the article. As if that has some immediate bearing on the situation. It appears to me, that this guy was an airplane mechanic most likely on an aircraft carrier that probably sat off the coast of Vietnam and flew sorties. This man was most likely never even trained in combat arms with that experience. Don't get me wrong, I'm not denigrating his service because it was very valuable indeed. My point is that if he had been trained as an airplane mechanic in Alabama would that have any bearing on the case? So why bring it up? Because in the presses mind, everyone who ever served in Vietnam is just a psycho waiting to break out and gun down little children that's why.
33 posted on 02/04/2013 4:52:02 AM PST by Old Teufel Hunden
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To: beef

No. journalists are supportive of gang members and the culture from which they sprang. They just don’t want to live next door to them, have their personal possessions taken by them, be beaten to a pulp by them, or have their daughters date them. They know what the gang members listen to because they have them same drivel on their ipods. Journalists like to pretend they are cool and “down with the homies”, yet they are afraid to be around them and really have little or no personal contact with them.


34 posted on 02/04/2013 5:40:04 AM PST by 3Fingas (Sons and Daughters of Freedom, Committee of Correspondence)
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To: Tenacious 1
"There must be a great reason they haven’t considered this. I assume there are logistic details I don’t know about.

Likely enough anesthesia strong enough to knock this guy out would be too strong for a little boy.

Since police have gotten close enough to give the child things he wants and needs through some kind of pipe, surely this a possible route to take.

What to do...what to do. His parents must be out of their minds with worry...

35 posted on 02/04/2013 1:10:17 PM PST by hummingbird
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To: Tenacious 1
"A tiny camera on a wire"

That might help.

Put a bug in one of the kids cars, but I guess any attempt to break this up could put the child in danger.

36 posted on 02/04/2013 1:15:52 PM PST by hummingbird
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To: Mastador1; Tenacious 1
"Well I’m glad I’m not the only one guilty of that. Sometimes my fingers, like my mouth start working before my brain!"

I'm in the same club!

37 posted on 02/04/2013 1:20:09 PM PST by hummingbird
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To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin; AbolishCSEU

As you’ve probably heard, the cops stormed the bunker and in a short exchange of gunfire, killed the wacko. The child is just fine and is apparently enjoying his hospital stay. Local TV said tonight explosives were found in the bunker and in the ventilation pipe. I had been told this last evening that the feds had X-rayed the bunker roof and saw explosives inside (although this isn’t or hasn’t been made public AFAIK).


38 posted on 02/05/2013 9:25:05 PM PST by miele man
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