Facebook Live footage shows Texas gunman, 26, smoking a joint while talking to police negotiators during 18-hour stand-off after taking his mom, sister and brother hostage and shooting three cops
Police have identified the man they say shot and wounded three officers before holding three family members hostage in a Cedar Park home during a near 18-hour stand-off that ended ‘peacefully’ Monday.
Joseph Desean Taylor, 26, was taken into custody without incident just before 9am yesterday as he walked out from 2304 Natalie Cove with his mother, his final hostage, to surrender to law enforcement.
Just over an hour earlier he had also released his teen brother, and his sister following negotiations with investigators that began shortly after 3:10pm Sunday, when Taylor first barricaded himself and his family members inside of 2304 Natalie Cove.
Taylor, who reportedly suffers from manic depressive disorder, broadcast for more than an hour on Facebook Live during the impasse, filming himself negotiating with police and speaking with a family member who pleaded desperately for his surrender.
He has since been charged with three counts of aggravated assault on a public servant and three counts of aggravated kidnapping, police say.
The 26-year-old was previously arrested at the same address last year, after he reportedly strangled his 15-year-old brother after the teen refused to give him money.
After barricading himself and the family inside the home, Taylor went on Facebook Live for around an hour. During the stream, one of Taylor’s sisters is heard pleading with him on the phone to go outside and get in an ambulance because he was bleeding.
Officers responded to the home and were immediately met with gunfire once inside. The officers returned fire though it remains unclear if they struck Taylor (Pictured: Several bullet holes are seen on the patrol vehicle that first responded to the scene)
The latest incident began when Taylor’s mother called police Sunday morning to report that her son had kicked in her front door and was acting aggressively.
Officers responded to the home and were immediately met with gunfire once inside. The officers returned fire though it remains unclear if they struck Taylor.
Interim Cedar Park Police Chief Mike Harmon says more than 50 rounds were fired during the incident, though it isn’t clear how many of the rounds were fired by Taylor or the officers.
The three responding officers were all shot and wounded, though none suffered life-threatening injuries.
They were identified late Monday as Jacqueline Quiles, who has been with the department four years; Cris Hester, a 10-year veteran of the force; and Nik Anderson, who has served with CPPD for eight years.
One of the officers was shot on the side of their bulletproof vest, one was shot on the top of the head and received stitches; and the third one was shot in the left upper bicep area.
Each of the officers received treatment at a hospital. Two have been released, with Anderson is said to be in a stable condition after undergoing surgery.
The Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Rangers, SWAT, Round Rock police, Leander police and the Williamson County sheriff’s office then responded to the incident.
After barricading himself and the family inside the home, Taylor went on Facebook Live for around an hour. During the stream, one of Taylor’s sisters is heard pleading with him on the phone to go outside and get in an ambulance because he was bleeding.
She told him she didn’t want him to ‘bleed out’ from an arm injury he’d sustained. Taylor responded that seeking medical treatment seemed ‘like a good idea, but it’s not going to work like that’.
A woman standing near the suspect then interrupts the call, saying they need to answer a call from the police department.
Taylor is also heard on the video speaking to a police negotiator, who asks him how everything is going. He responds that nobody is harmed but all want to leave.
When the negotiator asks him to come outside so responders can treat his injury, the suspects says 'I'm having a conversation with my family' and later hangs up.
Taylor is also heard on the video speaking to a police negotiator, who asks him how everything is going. He responds that nobody is harmed but all want to leave.
The injured officers were identified as Jacqueline Quiles (left), who has been with the department four years; Cris Hester, a 10-year veteran of the force; and Nik Anderson (right), who has served with CPPD for eight years.
Police officers work in front of a house in Cedar Park, Texas, where a standoff began Sunday
Police officers were seen arriving at the house, in the Heritage Park area, on Sunday
The Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Rangers, SWAT, Round Rock police, Leander police and the Williamson County sheriff’s office then responded to the incident
Taylor kept his family members locked inside the home overnight, staying in regular contact with on-scene negotiators and described as highly ‘communicative’ by Chief Harmon.
Around 7:45am Monday, Taylor released his sister, brother and a family dog from the home after a breakthrough in talks with police.
The two hostages were interviewed by authorities and looked over by medics at the scene. Police have since said that neither were injured.
Harmon said the man’s mother played a key part in helping her son and daughter get out of the house.
Just over an hour later, Taylor walked out of the home alongside his mother. He was taken to a nearby hospital for examination before being booked into the Williamson County Jail on Monday afternoon.
His mother, meanwhile, was said to be unharmed with her condition described as ‘OK’.
Harmon said the 18-hour ordeal is ‘the most complex situation I’ve been involved with in 20 years of working in law enforcement.’
The police chief revealed this is also not the first time Cedar Park PD have responded to the home.
According to Williamson County court records, Taylor was previously arrested for family violence in September last year.
A probable cause affidavit states Taylor strangled his 15-year-old brother when the two got into a physical fight over money.
‘When the complainant refused to give the defendant money he became angry, pushed him to the floor, got on top of him and put his hands around his neck and choked him,’ the affidavit states.
Three officers were shot in the incident on Sunday, but are expected to survive their injuries
Mike Harmon, chief of Cedar Parks police, provided an update on Sunday night
The incident was first reported after 3:00pm local time in Texas
Taylor’s mother and her two adult daughters reportedly broke up the fight, however the teen reportedly said he was ‘scared for his life and thought [Taylor] was going to kill him.’
Taylor's mother said at the time he has been diagnosed with a mental health condition but refused to take medication for it.
Police reported that during this incident, his sister threatened to call the police. She said he responded with threatening to kill her son.
Taylor's mother said at the time he has been diagnosed with a mental health condition but refused to take medication for it
Taylor’s mother told police at the time that she owns a gun for personal protection but had hidden it from Taylor because he had ‘exhibited violent behaviors for an extended period of time.’
However, she said he found it and bought ammunition for it, telling her that he needed it now to protect himself from people trying to ‘get him.’
She said that Taylor had also called out-of-state relatives, threatening to take her life and the lives of other family members.
Taylor’s grandmother, Helen, said she received two calls from the 26-year-old, in which he stated both times that he was going to ‘take down’ his mother and that she needed to prepare for sad news.
Taylor was then charged with assault causing bodily injury – family violence, a third degree felony. In March 2020, the State said there was probable cause to arrest Taylor, but filed to dismiss the charge due to insufficient evidence.
It's unclear if the same gun described by Taylor's mother in the 2019 incident was the same weapon used to fire upon officers on Sunday.
When approached by KVUE about the 2019 incident, Helen said she wasn’t ready to discuss details.
‘I pray that all will take into consideration, and read up on mental health, of what our family has and will go through. Prayers for all involved, please. This is a very difficult time, and I would hope that Joseph can get the mental help he needs. I pray for the officers and thank them for trying to help my family,’ she said in a brief statement.
Facebook Live footage shows Texas gunman, 26, smoking a joint while talking to police negotiators during 18-hour stand-off after taking his mom, sister and brother hostage and shooting three cops
![Facebook Live footage shows Texas gunman, 26, smoking a joint while talking to police negotiators during 18-hour stand-off after taking his mom, sister and brother hostage and shooting three cops]()
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August 18, 2020
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