Police: Barricade suspect was long gone

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) - Newport News police are still looking for a man that led them into a tense standoff Tuesday night.

Police said 23-year-old David Marrow escaped through a back window in his mother's two-story townhome on Rochester Court before the tactical team could arrive. According to Newport News police, Marrow's escape may have been covered by the people inside the home.

Tuesday night, police were already in the area investigating a report of a missing child when they heard shots fired around 7:53.

"A couple of officers ran across 48th Street into the 4700 block, where they observed a male with a handgun," Tactical Team Commander Lt. Christopher Cook said. 

The officers chased the armed man on foot to what was later identified as his mother's home. The officers were able to secure her release, along with another woman who was inside the apartment.

Cook explained, "They were not very forth coming with information and that did not help us with our attempts to find out who he was or exactly where he went."

Unsure of the suspect's exact whereabouts and concerned about the safety of other people inside, the officers called for the tactical team around 7:45 p.m., but Marrow was already gone.

"Ah, the subject apparently dove out the back window and the officers weren't aware that he had actually done that...," Cook said.

That's because the officers chose not to follow the suspect, whom they knew was armed, into a confined area behind closed doors.

Cook added, "Ah, once you lose sight of the subject you don't know if he's going to be hiding behind the first door you get to or if he's jumped out the back window, so you're better off holding what you got."

The officers would have to wait 20 minutes for the tactical team to arrive.

Cook told WAVY.com, "[There are] 32 members on the team, not one person is a full time 'TACT' member. Everybody has collateral duties..."

That is not uncommon for police departments in a city the size of Newport News. So, assembling the team is a factor when considering response time.

Even once the team arrived, time is needed to assess the situation and get everyone in place. The Newport News TACT team's ultimate goal, anytime the team is called out, is to resolve the situation without any one getting hurt, including the suspect.

If you have seen David Marrow, call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.