Suspect In Custody After Barricade Situation At Tuscaloosa Hotel

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The Tuscaloosa Police Department’s Special Response Team (SRT) on Thursday assisted the U.S. Marshals in taking a high-risk suspect into custody after he barricaded himself inside a hotel room in Tuscaloosa.

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TPD said following the standoff that SRT members responded to the Ramada Inn on Skyland Blvd. East around 9:30 a.m. to assist in apprehending a suspect, who was reportedly armed and refused to leave his room.

Tuscaloosa Police Chief Brent Blankley said officers attempted to negotiate with the suspect via text messages and phone calls for nearly two hours before gas canisters were deployed.

He said the suspect — eventually identified as 43-year-old Uvaldo Garcia — surrendered and was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals at 11:45 a.m.

“We took a lot of steps to ensure everyone’s safety, from evacuating the hotel guests to using
drones and a slow, methodical approach,” Blankley said. “Those efforts paid off, and we were able to assist in the safe apprehension of a dangerous suspect.”

This is a developing story. Tuscaloosa Patch will have more as the situation develops.