LANCASTER, Pa.-- An Elizabethtown man is charged with holding his young son and ex-girlfriend against their will during a standoff incident Sunday night into Monday morning.
Errol Ezequiel Bedford, 26, is charged with unlawful restraint, reckless endangerment, and endangering the welfare of a child regarding the 6-hour incident at a home on Locust Drive in West Donegal Township.
Bedford stabbed himself with a knife during the incident and is being treated at a hospital. He is expected to be there for multiple days before arraignment on the charges.
On Monday morning, Northwest Regional Officer Seth Arnold filed charges – 2 felonies and a misdemeanor - with District Judge Scott Albert.
Bedford’s 2-year-old son and Bedford’s ex-girlfriend, the child’s mother, fled the home during the standoff. They weren’t injured.
Lancaster County Special Emergency Response Team (SERT), including a negotiator, assisted Northwest Regional police at the scene.
The incident started about 8:20 p.m. with a 911, hang-up call from the Locust Drive home. Police responded and encountered Bedford outside. Police recognized him because he was wanted on warrants. Bedford ran inside the home and barricaded himself in a room, with the woman and boy.
During discussions with Bedford, police learned he had a knife. Police could hear the boy crying. Bedford said the child was all he had left and didn’t want to leave him.
The boy was released about 45 minutes after Bedford locked them inside the room. The woman was released soon after that.
Bedford continuously told police he wanted to be shot and knew if he charged at police they would have to shoot him.
SERT eventually made entry into the bedroom and removed Bedford. He had stabbed himself with the knife prior to SERT making entry.
SERT and police cleared the scene about 2:45 a.m.
Bedford underwent emergency surgery. Once cleared, he will be arraigned on the charges and bail will be set. Bedford also will be held on the active warrants, from Dauphin and Lebanon Counties.