Prosecutor: Man Held 4 Kids Captive, Used Baby As Shield In Standoff
HIGHLAND PARK (WWJ) - A 21-year-old man who allegedly used an infant as a human shield is jailed in connection with standoff in Highland Park.
James Gist faces kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, first degree home invasion and gun charges in the incident that happened just before noon on Monday.
According to Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, Gist was carrying a gun when he fled from police, diving through a front window of a home in the 60th block of Grove in Highland Park.
The homeowner, who was asleep on the couch, was awakened as the defendant crashed into the house. Worthy says Gist ran upstairs where he held four children, ranging in age from 9 months to 9 years old, captive for several hours.
Following a brief standoff with a police special response team, Gist eventually emerged from the house carrying the youngest child as a shield.
Gist was arrested; and the kids were taken to safety. The children had not been physically harmed.
This was the second time Gist has gotten into trouble while fleeing police.
In December of last year he was charged with assaulting, resisting, obstructing or causing injury to a police officer after he allegedly punched and bit a cop who was pursuing him on suspicion of shoplifting at a Macomb County Target store.
According to the Michigan Department of Corrections database, Gist took a plea in that case and then absconded from parole back in April.
Gist was also charged Thursday with removing his tether. He was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in 30th District Court
