AKRON, Ohio — An Amber Alert that was activated Sunday night for a 5-year-old boy in Akron has been canceled.
In new details provided Monday morning, police say it was around 4 p.m. Sunday when a 29-year-old woman brought her son to Akron "for an arranged visit with the child's father" at a residence in the 900 block of Barbara Avenue.
The man, identified as 31-year-old Sean Eckel, allegedly threw punches toward the woman after the visit, grabbed the child from the car and fled to a nearby laundry room.
"While gathering information during the initial stages of the investigation, officers received information that Eckel was reportedly armed with a handgun and area residents reported hearing a gunshot," according to a press release from Akron police.
Police, who were assisted by SWAT, began an hours-long search throughout the city and later concentrated their efforts on the Wilbeth Homes area.
"Based on circumstances, officers issued an arrest warrant and an Amber Alert while they continued their search for Eckel and the child," police said.
The Amber Alert was activated shortly before 11 p.m.
"Investigators developed additional information to narrow their search to a residence in the 1300 block of Sylvan Avenue," police said. "Once officers surrounded the apartment, they quickly determined that Eckel was hiding with the child. A short time later, around 11:20 p.m., Eckel released the child unharmed, and he was reunited with his mother."
The Amber Alert was then canceled around 11:41 p.m.
SWAT was called back to the scene around 11:45 p.m. "after Eckel barricaded himself and refused to come out."
"When SWAT arrived, they began utilizing various de-escalation techniques and other methods to convince Eckel to surrender," according to Akron police. "After ignoring additional commands to surrender voluntarily, chemical irritants were deployed. SWAT eventually entered the apartment and found Eckel hiding under a pile of clothing."
He was taken into custody around 1 a.m. "without further incident."
After being medically evaluated at an area hospital, police say Eckel was booked into the Summit County Jail and charged with kidnapping, abduction and domestic violence.
The following counties were included in the Amber Alert: Carroll, Coshocton, Guernsey, Holmes, Portage, Stark, Summit, Tuscarawas and Wayne.
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