Suspect involved in erratic incident identified, charged

A suspect arrested in an incident involving two children and a gun Tuesday at The District apartments in Cape Girardeau has been identified.

According to Lt. Joey Hann of the Cape Girardeau Police Department, 25-year-old Arlandre T. Newsom of Cape Girardeau was arrested after he and his girlfriend, along with two children, forcefully entered an apartment in the 500 block of South Spring Street. Newsom reportedly pointed a handgun in the direction of the tenants, and property damage had occurred inside the residence.

Officers were able to peacefully disarm Newsom at gunpoint, and the two children were safely recovered from the mother, according to a news release.

"The children are safe," Hann said. "Our officers took custody last night and children's services became involved at that point."

When officers arrived at the scene, they determined Newsom and his girlfriend were under the influence of an illegal substance and behaving erratically, according to the release. Officers noticed the woman involved was bleeding from a cut she had sustained during the incident, and she was transported to a local hospital for treatment. As of Wednesday, Cape Girardeau police were still trying to determine whether the woman involved in the incident is a victim, or whether she has witnessed further crimes.

Newsom is charged with first-degree burglary, endangering the welfare of a child, unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful use of a weapon. He remains in custody at the Cape Girardeau Police Department on $30,000 cash-only bond.

This is the second incident this week where a Cape Girardeau police officer has had to disarm an armed suspect, and in both circumstances officers were able to reach a peaceful conclusion.

"The Cape Girardeau Police Department has always sought to meet and exceed training standards, specifically in the areas of public safety response and de-escalation," Hann said. "We can never predict when a suspect is going to force a violent encounter upon us but our department hosts regular training sessions that prepare our officers for these instances.

"Our Officers drill on sound tactical responses, verbal de-escalation and defensive techniques that utilize the minimum amount of force necessary to control a situation. This type of training pays dividends when you review our recent encounters with violent offenders and our officers proficiency in protecting the public and detaining the offenders without further escalation."