On Saturday, March 21, 2015, at approximately 9:00 pm, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a male individual stating that he had just shot his grandmother, was holding a 5-year old hostage, and had wired the house with explosives in rural Knoxville.
Law Enforcement Officers responded and secured the area. When the Sheriff arrived on scene, Highway T-15 was closed and neighbors were evacuated, he made contact with the person by phone believed to be the caller. That person was found to be in Ankeny and the Ankeny Police Department responded and confirmed his location. When this information was confirmed, Law Enforcement Officers made contact with people in the residence and determined no one was injured and there was never a hostage situation. Once the scene was secured, the highway was re-opened and neighbors were allowed back in their residences. No charges have been filed at this time, but the investigation is ongoing. Sheriff Sandholdt stated, “Thanks and appreciation goes out to all involved with this incident
but especially to those residents inconvenienced by being evacuated from their homes and those impacted by the road closure. This could have been a very dangerous situation for all parties involved.”
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Iowa State Patrol, the Knoxville Police Department, the Ankeny Police Department, Mine Task Force, and the Knoxville Fire and Rescue.
Originally posted March 22, at 1:25AM