Armed standoff in Bloomfield leads to tear gas assault

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. — Details were released Tuesday morning regarding a standoff Friday afternoon and evening about four miles northeast of Bloomfield.

According to Stoddard County Sheriff Carl Hefner, at approximately 3:15 p.m. on Friday, the department received several calls stating that Danny Wayne Pullum of rural Bloomfield was shooting off assault rifles into trees and over houses.

Deputies were dispatched to the scene immediately. Deputy Andy Harris was the first to arrive on the scene.

"When I arrived, I opened my patrol car door and as I exited the vehicle, Pullum opened the screen door to the residence and aimed a black rifle directly at me," Harris said in his statement filed with the court. "Pullum stated at that time, 'Leave now and don't die.' I went to the rear of my vehicle for cover and Pullum stated again, 'Leave now and don't die.' I went to the driver's door of my patrol car and Pullum told me, 'Don't come back or I'll kill all of you.'"

Harris then left the residence and called for backup. Hefner reported that the rifle Pullum aimed at Harris was a Russian SKS.

Nearly every deputy with the department and some from the Missouri State Highway Patrol responded in minutes, according to the sheriff, and Pullum locked himself inside his home, located at the junction of Route AB and County Road 525.

Hefner said that immediately after arriving on the scene, officers began evacuating neighbors and telling them to stay away until the situation was under control.

"When I got there we made numerous attempts over the public address system to get him (Pullum) to come out of the house so we could get him some help," Hefner said Tuesday morning. "By this time, it was dark and we were sure there was no one else in the house with him."

The sheriff then contacted Pullum's mother to get his cell phone number so he could try to talk Pullum out of the house using that method.

"I tried to call (Pullum) several times and eventually made contact," Hefner said. "He informed me he was not coming out of the house and that he would harm anyone who tried to come in. He told me he had several weapons and plenty of ammunition and then he hung up the phone."

At that point, Hefner contacted the Sikeston Department of Public Safety and requested their SWAT team be brought to the scene. The SWAT team arrived a short time later with at least 10 members and several vehicles with communication towers and lights to illuminate the property.

"I talked and pleaded with [Pullum] several times, but he refused to come out," Hefner said. "I told him then if he didn't come out peacefully, we would tear gas his house. He said to do what we felt like we needed to do."

With the Bloomfield Fire Department and Stoddard County EMS personnel on standby, they did just that.

Hefner gave the SWAT Team the order to launch tear gas through a west bedroom window, where they believed Pullum to be hiding, and into the living room window.

"Within about one minute, the suspect came out the front door with his hands in the air and peacefully surrendered," Hefner said. "It was a very volatile situation that had all of the ingredients to go badly but had a great ending."

Pullum was then treated by EMS and released to Stoddard County deputies, who transported him to the Stoddard County Jail, where he remains, with no bond having been set.

Hefner repeatedly stated the importance of how well all of the agencies involved worked together to ensure a safe ending to a potentially catastrophic situation.

Following Pullum being placed into custody, members of the Bloomfield Fire Department worked to fumigate the house.

During the entire standoff there were no injuries.

Officers seized four assault rifles, two pistols and numerous rounds of ammunition from the residence.

"We weren't going to take any chances running in there because time was on our side," Hefner said. "The cooperation of all the departments is why everything went so well. It went off exactly as we're taught it should in classes that prepare us for these situations."

Pullum has been charged with four counts of the Class A felony of armed criminal action, two counts of the Class C felony assault of a law enforcement officer, one count each of the Class D felony of making a terrorist threat, the Class D felony of unlawful use of a weapon and the Class D felony of resisting felony arrest.

He has been given no bond and will appear for arraignment Thursday morning at 9 a.m. before Judge Joe Satterfield.

"The most important thing is that everyone got home safely," the sheriff said. "When everyone goes home to their families and goes to bed at night, that means it's been a good day."