Creston Avenue Hostage Situation Resolved

By CHRIS MATTHEWS

Crisis was averted today as the hostage situation on Creston Aveune ended without violence. Camilo Mejias, 27, released his infant son Matthew into the custody of the NYPD at 5 p.m. and surrendered himself shortly thereafter.

“Anytime we get someone out successfully it’s a 10, so we’re very happy about the outcome of this,” said Lt. Jack Cambria, commanding officer of the hostage negotiation team.

The happy ending brought welcome close to a nerve-racking day. All told, the hostage stand-off lasted nearly ten hours. Onlookers cheered as news that Matthew was safe spread.

Detectives Robert Yaeger and Jose Martinez led the negotiations that led to Mejias’ surrender. They explained that officers were able to observe Mejias the entire day and never feared for the childrens’ safety. “At no time did we feel the two children were in danger at all,” said Lt. Cambria. “Time was on our side. If we would have rushed in, we don’t know if he does in fact have a weapon or any mechanism to hurt that baby.”

Coincidentally, today marks the 35th anniversary of the formation of the NYPD hostage negotiation team. The forces’ negotiators were at a conference downtown celebrating the day when they received word of the events transpiring in the Bronx. Cambria explained that he immediately dispatched negotiators to the scene.

According to his family, Mejias simply wanted to see his son. His wife had obtained a protective order against him and he feared he would be unable to visit Matthew. “He cried two months straight because he couldn’t see his son,” said Jose Mejias, Camilo’s brother. “What should a man do when he is desperate?”

Jose Mejias explained that he and his brother had been drinking the night before and had discussed his plight. “ ‘Please let me see my child,’ he would say,” explained Mejias. “He got drunk and things happen.”

Police confirmed that Mejias did not appear to have sinister intentions. “He seemed to be a very caring, nurturing father,” Lt. Cambria said. “He was changing the baby’s diapers, he was feeding the baby.”

Though the day ended happily, the bigger picture paints a sad story. A loving, though troubled, father is likely headed to prison and his son deprived of his presence. “I can understand, everybody wants to see their children, that’s the most important thing in the world to you as a parent,” said Det. Yaeger.