2-year-old boy dies, man in custody after standoff, police say

ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. (WNDU) - A 2-year-old boy was found dead and a 37-year-old man is in custody after a standoff in Indiana that lasted more than 18 hours, authorities said.

The Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office said they were initially called around 9:05 p.m. Saturday to a home in Baugo Township to check the welfare of a man and his two children.

Deputies said they attempted to make contact with the man but were unsuccessful. Police said they later learned the man was armed and threatened to harm his children and law enforcement.

Elkhart County Regional SWAT was called to the scene around 12:10 a.m. Sunday, but the man refused to exit and reportedly fired his weapon several times outside of the house toward police before barricading himself inside. At this time, officials do not believe any officers fired back.

Indiana State Police SWAT was called to the scene later Sunday morning and took over negotiation duties.

“We basically went into a holding pattern of having our negotiators here attempting to make contact throughout the morning, noon and even into the afternoon hours attempting to make contact with the suspect so we could talk to him and come to a peaceful resolution to this whole event,” Indiana State Police Sgt. Ted Bohner said.

After hours of failed attempts at negotiations, Bohner said the state police SWAT made its way into the home around 3:30 p.m. and took the man, identified as 37-year-old Ryan Snyder, into custody. Snyder was taken to the hospital to be checked out before he was incarcerated at the Elkhart County Jail.

Police found a 2-year-old boy dead inside the home. Officials said they are looking into the cause of the boy’s death.

The other child, a 4-year-old girl, is said to be OK considering the traumatic circumstances, authorities said. She was treated at the scene and released to a relative.

No other injuries were reported, but Bohner said there are a lot of broken hearts among law enforcement who spent many hours at the scene trying to reach a peaceful resolution to the standoff.

Indiana State Police and the Elkhart County Homicide Unit are handling the investigation. The Elkhart County Prosecutor’s Office will determine charges against Snyder.

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