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Ocala
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Ocala man surrenders after barricading himself in room with 10-month-old child

John Anthony Barrett

An Ocala man was jailed Sunday after a woman called 911 claiming he was holding their child hostage.

Ocala Police officers responded to a home in the northeast section of the city and spoke with the woman, who claimed that 31-year-old John Anthony Barrett had injured her by striking her in the face and headbutting her. She said Barrett had barricaded himself in a bedroom with their 10-month-old child and made the statement that “law enforcement wouldn’t take him alive.” She also told officers that Barrett was armed and had access to several firearms, a police report states.

After several attempts, a police department hostage negotiator was able to make contact with Barrett via text messaging. Another officer drafted an arrest warrant and the SWAT team and Major Crimes detectives responded to assist in the incident, the report says.

Eventually, the hostage negotiator was able to convince Barrett to surrender. He was taken into custody without incident and the child wasn’t harmed, the report says.

Barrett was transported to the Marion County Jail, where he was charged with domestic battery and resisting without violence. He was being held on $1,000 bond and is due in court July 30 at 9 a.m. to answer to the charges.