MELBOURNE, Fla. – A wanted criminal is now facing several new charges after police say he burst into a random family's home and barricaded himself inside.
Melbourne police said their Game Over Task Force spotted Wade Dante Jackson, 24, inside a vehicle around 3:45 p.m. Wednesday on Avenue D.
Police said Jackson is a violent felon with a long criminal history and was wanted for violating his probation.
When police tried to pull over the car, they said Wade took off. Police chased the vehicle for several blocks until it crashed outside a home on the corner of Crescent Drive and Brevard Drive.
Police said Jackson then ran inside the home, which was occupied by a father, mother and their 6-year-old son. The family was able to safely run out of the home.
"Her son was in her arms... You could see that he was just holding her so tight, not knowing what was going on," said neighbor Kelly Lukas, who witnessed the whole thing. "I feel sorry for them. I mean they're in their home where they belong and some criminal is running out on the street, having no regard for citizens or the police or anyone."
Police said Jackson barricaded himself inside the family's back bedroom for the next five hours. Melbourne's SWAT team was called in and shot several canisters of tear gas into the home.
Around 8:45 p.m. Wednesday, police said SWAT officers entered the home and took Jackson into custody. Jackson was taken by ambulance to be checked out at a local hospital, but police said no one suffered any serious injuries.
During the ordeal, portions of Avenue A, Brevard Drive and Crescent Drive were closed while people living nearby were ordered to leave their home.