No injuries in Rich Hill standoff Saturday

Nevada Daily Mail

On Saturday, several deputies from the Bates County Sheriff's Office were performing surveillance on the residence at 201 E. Chestnut, Rich Hill. The deputies received a tip that a wanted subject was living at the residence. The wanted suspect was identified as 32-year old Russell D. Kercher.

Kercher had several outstanding warrants -- A $25,000 warrant for second degree burglary and a $25,000 warrant for failing to obey a court order out of Cass County and a shoplifting warrant out of Harrisonville.

Deputies observed Kercher coming in and out of the residence with two children. At approximately 5 p.m., deputies attempted to make contact with Kercher before he retreated back inside the residence. Deputies attempted to get Kercher to the door and for several minutes identified themselves as they knocked on the door. Deputies could hear Kercher making sounds in the back room and refusing to come to the door. Shortly afterwards a call for additional deputies to respond was made. As the deputies began setting up a perimeter they received information that the subject had caution indicators including that he was known to be violent and would resist arrest. They also received information that the subject had access to several long rifles in the residence and may potentially be armed.

The Sheriff's Emergency Response Team was called in to assist along with the Bates County Crisis Negotiation Team. Those teams attempted to make contact with the subject by calling the residence on the phone and giving orders on the loud speakers. Several times lights inside the residence would come on and then go off. Caution was used due to the fact that there were at least two small children inside with the suspect. After several hours of no contact with the suspect the SERT Team deployed a throw phone inside the residence through a window.

At that point the subject began to yell to the deputies. The subject and the two children exited the residence where he was taken into custody without any injury.

Sheriff Anderson said, "Our first priority was to ensure that the children in the house were brought out safe, our second priority was the safety of the citizens of Rich Hill. I feel that the deputies on scene took all the necessary precautions and used whatever equipment needed to meet those goals. In this case everyone went home safe and the wanted subject was taken off the street for now".

Charges are being forwarded to the Bates County Prosecutor in this incident and the subject is being held on the outstanding warrants.