Man arrested, child dead after lengthy SWAT standoff in Elkhart, neighbors react
ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. -- An intense scene in Elkhart unfolded this weekend as a SWAT standoff ended after more than 18 hours.
37-year-old Ryan Snyder was placed under police custody around 4 p.m., Sunday after a standoff that began around 9 p.m., Saturday night.
The Elkhart County Sheriff's Office initially responded to the home in the 57000 block of Pendelton Drive Saturday night for a welfare check of a man and two children.
Ryan Snyder
Police were warned the man was armed and threatening to harm the children and law enforcement.
The Elkhart County Regional SWAT team responded to assist at the scene just after midnight and attempted to contact the man. He refused to exit and allegedly fired a gun before barricading himself for the next fifteen hours.
The Indiana State Police Emergency Response team was called to assist with the situation and entered the home to arrest suspect Snyder after more than 18 hours.
A two-year-old boy was found dead in the home, leading to an investigation through the Elkhart County Homicide Unit and Indiana State Police.
A four-year-old girl was also found inside, treated at the scene, and released to a relative.
Synder was taken to a local hospital to be evaluated and then incarcerated at the Elkhart County Jail.
This case is being investigated by Indiana State Police detectives and the Elkhart Homicide Unit.
A neighbor described the standoff as unusual for their normally quiet neighborhood.
"It's a pretty quiet neighborhood. So, we're all a little frazzled with this happening in here. I saw it this morning on Facebook on the Baugo Fire Department page. And so naturally, everyone in the neighborhood is being pretty nosy and as I came down here to drive and see what was going on," Maleana Swaenepoel said.
Another says she is still in shock by the intense standoff.
"It's just a lot of talking with him they ended up trying to bust the windows down to get in. Had some drones present and robot but unable to get any communication at first and then I think they were talking to him by cell phone, but it's been going on all night," Amanda Swords said.