Donald T. Gazaway, 31, was charged with kidnapping, felonious assault and inducing panic after the incident that started Jan. 12 at a Liberty Twp. apartment in the Springs at Liberty Township complex located off Hamilton Mason Road.
A Butler County grand jury handed down an indictment with additional charges of aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery and two counts of having weapons under disability.
Butler County Common Pleas Judge Charles Pater has set Gazaway’s trial to begin July 7.
MORE: Phone messages sent just before fatal prom night crash, court docs show
Gazaway remains housed in the Butler County Jail in lieu of $1,001,000 bond.
Detectives say Gazaway was let into the apartment, and there was an altercation. The adults, including the alleged hostage’s mother, fled. But Gazaway took the child hostage before surrendering hours later.
Detective Joe Nerlinger said during a previous court hearing that about 25 bullet casings were removed from the scene and Gazaway fired the majority of the shots from the apartment before moving to the garage with the child.
When taken into custody, three guns were found with Gazaway, Nerlinger testified. Live rounds were also found.
The child was not physically injured, according to the sheriff’s office, though officers said they saw Gazaway use the boy as a shield. That, they said, prevented them from making any movement toward the residence.
The child cried during the standoff, “Let me go, let me go,” Nerlinger testified.
About the Author
