ITAWAMBA COUNTY, Miss. — A little girl was rescued late Sunday evening following a 32-hour hostage situation in Mississippi.
According to reports, it all started Saturday just before noon when Nathan Shephard went into a home on Alice Hall Road and things turned violent. At some point, the child’s father was killed and the little girl taken hostage.
Around 12:30 p.m. Shephard reportedly made the little girl call 911 to report a disturbance at the home. After making the call, the child snuck back into the room and called again, warning dispatch that Shehard was armed and waiting at the door for authorities, The Itawamba County Times reported.
Authorities said they were able to get the suspect’s cell phone number and made contact with him multiple times over the next 32 hours.
During that time, he continued to use the little girl as a shield against police. He was eventually shot and killed by police when he released the girl after she asked to use the bathroom.
Investigators did not release a motive for the incident. However, they did confirm that the child’s father and the suspect knew each other.
