Two officers arrive on the scene of an ordinary disturbance call. A man is threatening his neighbors. However, in just a moment, the situation will escalate into something much worse. >> Does he have any knives? >> Any knives? >> Guns? >> They have guns. >> The suspect is armed. >> Okay, we're going to block the main entrance right here. >> My neighbors threatened me. Try to kill police. Tried to kill police. I have it on video. >> We have deployed a SWAT team on route to >> step out slow. >> Shot out. >> On March 11th, 2023, a peaceful morning descended into chaos in Steel Creek, Charlotte, as one man began a campaign of terror that has put an entire neighborhood in danger. But to understand how police got this schizophrenic man under control, we need to take a look at every tactic and technique the SWAT team used throughout the 30-hour standoff. It started at 6:45 a.m. on Saturday morning when Antai walked into his front garden, megaphone in hand, and threatened to kill his neighbors on Grier Fork Drive. The clock started immediately when 911 started receiving calls from some of those neighbors. >> My neighbors threatened me, tried to kill me, threaten to kill police. I have it on video. We're scared. >> Okay. And when you say he's threatening you, he do it in person on the phone with >> Yeah. phone with a megaphone. He's out in front of his yard. >> Charlotte 911. I need police. I need to formal communicating threats report. I'm working with CMPD um crisis response team and um our neighbor is threatening us currently. Community policing crisis response team helps mediate disputes between neighbors and can often settle arguments without having to call 911. They specialize in people who have behavioral problems or those with substance abuse. And they've been involved with Tai on no less than 13 other occasions after his threatening behavior towards his neighbors. Unfortunately, this situation is much too serious for the CMPD this time, and the police have to step in for what will be their 47th interaction with Tai. He's at the door on a megaphone yelling. >> Here we go. >> Good morning. >> How you doing? >> Ron has a warrant for his arrest. >> I don't know because >> we have to take him. >> He has a warrant for his arrest. >> Does he have any knives? >> Any knives? Guns. >> They have gun fit. The gun had the six six >> uh revolver. >> Yeah, >> he has that. >> Yeah, >> we're we're going to try to get out of this range in case he shoots. He can't see us to shoot. >> In order to make sure the cops have the right information, they're going to need to break down the language barrier. So, her daughter is soon on the phone helping to translate for the officers, ensuring the cops can properly assess the gravity of the situation without second-guessing themselves. >> Who is this? >> Might have been. Oh, hello. >> Hello. Hi. >> Hey, this is Officer Miller with Charlotte Police. We're just trying to clarify with the language barrier for your mom. But um Ann has a order for his arrest to go to jail. She's advising that he has what we can best tell is a revolver, a gun. I just want to confirm that he does have that with your mom. If you if you can ask her if he does have a gun. >> Yes. Yes, of course. I will ask her. >> All right. Go ahead. She said that he does have a revolver in his throat or somewhere. >> Does he have bullets in the revolver? Is it loaded? >> Yes, she said it's loaded. >> She was trying to explain another um possible weapon and I couldn't understand what she was saying. So, can you ask her if he has any other weapons? >> Said that he has a baseball. >> And what kind of dog does he have? >> There's two dogs in there. um like a mediumsized dog and the other one is like a small team. >> Now the cops have a much better picture of what they're facing. They know that Tai has a gun and it's loaded. They suspect he has a dog in there with him. And although the mother claims it won't bite, these cops can't take any chances. Tai also has a warrant out for his arrest for communicating threats in another incident, making this a criminal barricade. The difference between a criminal barricade and a noncriminal barricade is simple. A non-criminal barricade usually means a suspect isn't wanted for a crime and is often a case of a suicidal suspect. A criminal barricade means the suspect is wanted for a crime, is a possible danger to others, and needs a drastically different approach. These cops don't have access to the resources this kind of response will need, and SWAT is called in to take over this standoff. SWAT has an arsenal of armored vehicles at their disposal, as well as riot shields, expert negotiators, and specific training to deal with this exact kind of situation. But just because SWAT has been called doesn't mean the negotiations stop there as police continue to try and convince Tai to hand himself in while they wait for the team to arrive. >> Mr. Ty, this is Charlotte Meammer Police Department. We're outside. Mr. Ty, I need you to come outside. We're not going anywhere. We need you to step outside with your hands up. >> Tai already has a warrant out for his arrest for communicating threats in another incident. And police know he's highly strong, potentially violent, and extremely unpredictable. If they're going to talk him out of the house, they're going to have to convince him there's no danger. >> It It would help me understand this a lot better if we were talking face to face. >> Dude, are you going to kill me? >> No, that I'm not. >> Are you going to put me in handcuffs? Yes, I will have to put you in handcuffs. >> And then you're not you're not going to let me back from my house. You're going to take me somewhere. >> Listen, you do have a warrant. >> Yes. >> For communicating threats. Okay. That's why we're here. >> Yes. And I can change my identity. >> We have to serve that warrant. Okay. That's just me. I am. My name is King Ty. >> I'm not in the business of lying. Okay. I don't want to lie to you. I don't want to steer you in the wrong direction. All right. The trouble that you're in is very minor, okay? It's not a big deal. >> By reassuring him that he won't be hurt if he surrenders, the negotiator can try to prevent the situation escalating or even turning violent. During negotiations like these, police will try to deescalate the situation and keep the suspect as calm as possible. But in this case, Tai seems so unhinged that there's no way they can make him see reason. If things deteriorate any further, it's possible Tai might make good on his threats, and this situation could turn deadly. Nobody wants to kill you. I promise you that. I do not want to harm you and no officer out here wants to hurt you. That I can promise you. >> Take me alive. >> Nobody wants to harm you and we don't want you to harm yourself. All right. >> This is war, dude. You broke my door. >> This is not war in front of everyone, right? >> No, we do not want you to hurt yourself. It seems peaceful negotiations aren't working as no matter what the negotiator tries, Tai just won't cooperate. >> Become uh very consistent that he will not leave that home. It's just circles, circle, circles, man. Like it's uh it always Yeah, it always circles back around to I'm going to kill myself or you're going to kill me. Period. I'm not coming out of this house. I'm going to die today. With Tai armed, barricaded in his house, and threatening to kill people, the police need to keep him calm and deescalate the situation until backup arrives. Shortly afterwards, the SWAT team finally arrives at the scene to bring this standoff to an end. >> Hey, get youring people ready to have a plan. Who's ready? >> Trying to push the robot up. See if I can get over stuff. >> The SWAT team finally at the scene. They can get a better look at their surroundings by sending in robots and drones. But they first need to find the best place to gain entry into the house, which in this case is right through the front door. >> 2539. >> Well, I will call you. I just need you to answer your phone. Todd, >> this is very important. Nobody is here to hurt you. We are only here to help. Your mom is worried about you and we are here to make sure that you get the help you need. >> By breaching the door, the SWAT team is trying to see inside the house. If Tai isn't willing to negotiate, then SWAT may have to force their way inside and face Tai in his own home. But this just agitates Tai further, and he closes the door in defiance. Once again, SWAT has no idea what's waiting for them inside, so they decide to break down the door again. Only this time, they intend to rip it right off its hinges. Although this has made it easier for SWAT to enter the house, the negotiator's job is about to get even harder as breaching the door has only agitated Tai further and this standoff is threatening to spiral out of control. >> I want to myself. I'm not going to be here and be cut off by some goddess who I don't EVEN GIVE A ABOUT. LEAVE ME ALONE. Let me control the voice. Literally the voice is controlling me, man. >> You are stronger than that. >> Dude, I'm possessed. >> You control the voice. Listen, I have faith that you can control that voice. Okay. >> Okay, then let me do it. If not, I'm just going to myself and get this voice out of my head. Go to heaven. >> No, don't let that voice win. >> I have no control over my mind, dude. I'm telling y'all. I'm under my control. >> You are stronger than that. Okay, you can do it. And I we can help you. This could be some kind of manic episode Tai is experiencing as he's definitely not of sound mind, especially when he's talking about voices controlling him. He's angry that his mother's front door has been destroyed. And the cops know they've made him mad. Their priority is to try and deescalate the situation. So, they try and convince him they'll fix the door after he hands himself in. But Tai's reaction is not what the cops were hoping for. >> Not my door, man. I I spent an hour telling you that was going to happen. >> We can't live here no more. >> The door can easily be fixed. >> We are poor. It's only my brother. >> Who's going to take care of your mother if you harm yourself? >> I'm going to let you take me alive. >> I can give your mother a number to our risk management. And our risk management can help fix the door. Okay. >> And we all know that myself. But you can't be. >> No. >> That's why I'm acting like an idiot. >> Nobody's hurting. Nobody said you're acting like an idiot. Listen. >> Well, you act like an idiot. You broken my door. So, I'm myself now. >> And I told you we were going to do it. >> He hang up on you. >> We're now 5 hours into this standoff and the house is completely surrounded. On the sidelines, police are trying to obtain an involuntary commitment order. These are issued to individuals who are experiencing mental health problems that impair their ability to reason. This would be the third time on Thai has been issued with an involuntary commitment order. But despite how serious the situation is, they still can't enter the house without a search warrant. This is often a long process, but in this case, it only took a couple of hours after convincing a judge the warrant was absolutely necessary to help bring this standoff to an end. So now 8 hours into this standoff and with the search warrant in hand, SWAT started their meticulous operation to clear any obstacles from their path. A process they call tactical breaching. >> You brought me to the rule of my house. You have no legal right. >> Tactical breaching is more than just breaking down windows and doors as it allows easy access to the house and allows police to see inside the house. But it's still not safe for the officers to enter the house. As Tai is still hiding and armed with a gun. There's only one way to see inside the house without putting lives at risk by using the latest technology to their advantage, like drones and robots. >> All right. Well, we're going to send we'll send a robot in up the steps if we can get around. >> I'm in the living room, so I had to go through the garage. >> Okay. All right, sir. Well, hope you'll get the drone up. >> So, this is what the living room looks like. Police robots have been around for decades, but are limited to low ground. With Tai hiding upstairs, police need to utilize one of the newer members of the team, the drone. First developed for military purposes, drones have become increasingly more popular with police departments all across America, just like here in Charlotte. >> I'm doing what I can to push my way through. >> Robots in the laundry room. A lot of junk though, trying to push this stuff out of the way. It's just like wandering around. >> Drones can reach places people can't and give police a bird's eye view of the upstairs of the house without a single officer being put in harm's way. It also shows how quickly a situation can go from quiet to dangerous in the blink of an eye. >> I can try to push it through the front door, but I can't promise anything. >> That drone has just been destroyed. But now police know exactly which room he's hiding out in. After a second drone is destroyed, Tai suddenly appears at the front door of the house and he's armed with a handgun. What he might not realize is he's in the targets of several sharpshooters who are scattered around the area with various views of the house, ready to fire if Tai presents a threat to them, their fellow officers, or anyone else in the area. >> He's trying to put the door back up. It looks like gun in his left hand. Shot out. Shot out. He went back up the steps. >> That was just a warning shot after one of the sharpshooters perceived Tai to be a genuine threat. But the warning shot did its job and Tai retreated back into the house. After he returned upstairs, he called 911, initially claiming he'd been shot. It turns out he was lying. But during the same call, he told police he was no longer on Tai and had become Lucifer. >> Charlotte 911. I saw the police shot uh a person because he was holding a gun and pulling at police and the police shot and he's dead. I need to make a police report. >> Okay. Well, where you at? So we can make a report. >> I'm in heaven. >> Oh, okay. >> Yes. My name is Lucifer. >> This was one of four different personalities he's taken on over the course of this standoff. And in order to keep him talking, police will play along and call him Lucifer. But any hopes that they have of ending this standoff before nightfall are slipping away as negotiations come to a standstill. >> This is Lucifer. >> Can I help you? >> Lucifer? >> Yeah. >> This is Hong. Are you okay? >> I know you are. Yeah. I'm an angel of God. >> I want to help you. Lucifer. Lucifer, where are you? >> Call you mother for help. Tai may be in need of the kind of medical help that these cops can't give him, but that doesn't make the situation any less dangerous. It's now 10 hours into this standoff and the tactical breaching continues. Two vehicles in the driveway are removed to prevent the suspect from making a quick getaway and more windows are breached around the house as the standoff goes into the night where Tai continues with his bizarre exchanges with negotiators. >> Take order out. I tell you, I'm an army. I don't prevent nothing but delay and out of my house. I don't need a delay. Stop talking to me. I don't talk to the police. >> Yeah. Stand by. >> Got the window open. Kind of looking out towards my direction. >> There's no talking. You are doing it. It's illegal. I have the right to practice religion. Leave me alone. This incident has now been going on for over 13 hours, and tactical breaching has removed most of the doors and windows. Negotiations continued into the next morning, but they couldn't get Tai to give himself up. So, SWAT turned to their arsenal of other tactics to continue the effort to bring this standoff to an end peacefully, including the smoke grenade. >> All right, you ready? kind of whimp was that? Smoke grenades can help create a visual barrier and disorient a suspect. The sudden sharp sensory overload can lower the suspect's will to resist and encourage them to surrender peacefully. But the SWAT team isn't done yet and decides to enter the house to cut the power off. >> Are you good? >> Yep. All right, move. This tactic serves two purposes. Firstly, it solves some of these safety concerns as electrical equipment and lights will be deactivated to prevent accidental fires or explosions, especially when the suspect has firearms. With the house now a complete wreck, a small fire could prove disastrous and engulf the whole house in minutes. Cutting the power also adds psychological pressure, as removing electrical equipment the suspect may be using could leave them feeling isolated and alone, especially during the night. But despite their best efforts, Tai refused to leave the house at all. And it was starting to look like this standoff might never end. But then at 1:18 p.m., an hour after they cut the power, Tai was seen coming downstairs. This is the moment SWAT tried to bring this standoff to an end with the help of OC powder chemical munition, better known as tear gas. The effects of tear gas on the body include an unbearable burning sensation in your eyes, nose, and on your skin. This is exactly the kind of experience that was waiting for Tai if he went back upstairs where they've just fired it. For the first time since this 30-hour standoff began, this prompted Tai to come out of the house and confront SWAT face to face. Police will always try to achieve a peaceful resolution in cases like these. But as they have been for the last 2 days, they'll be ready to shoot if Tai opens fire. >> I got you. I got you. I promise you're good. Come on. Yeah. Stay on the phone. You can stay on the phone. Come to us. Come on. No. No. Come on. You're good. Come on. Come on, sir. I got you. Come on to me. Just be careful. You're good. Come on. Yep. Keep >> walk. >> Yeah. Come on. You keep walking. You're good. Bring the dog with you. Come on. >> Oh, we're not, brother. Come on. Yeah, your dog's good. Come on. >> Okay. Yep. >> Hey, I'll take over verbal so you can make a call on that other side. >> Keep coming to us. >> Don't shoot me. >> We're not going to shoot you. You keep coming to us. You're doing good. >> Just You're fine. Keep walking towards us. Keep your hands ready. You're good. You're good. We see your dog. We see your phone. You're good, Auntie. Keep walking towards us, brother. You're You're doing good. Can we move? He's facing away. >> Bang him and move. >> Yeah. >> Move. Move. Get on the ground. I'm coming. Don't shoot my dog. I'm coming. I'm coming. Don't kill my dog. Please. I'm coming. back in my bag. >> That's the handgun he'd been concealing in his clothing and could have been used at any moment. This is a perfect example of a SWAT team who did everything by the book and achieved their goal of a peaceful arrest. It may have taken 30 hours for this to end, but by choosing the right moment, they brought this neighborhood's ordeal to an end with only one bullet fired and zero casualties. Please.