An Arizona man who held 11 National Guardsmen who were transporting COVID-19 vaccines at gunpoint Monday is behind bars at the Lubbock County, Texas detention center.
In a statement, Idalou Police Chief Eric C. Williams identified the suspect as Larry Lee Harris, 66, of Wilcox, Arizona.
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According to Williams, Harris allegedly followed three vans carrying the National Guard soldiers. who were taking COVID-19 vaccines to Matador.
Williams said Harris trailed the vans from Love’s Travel Station on East Regis Street to Highway 62/82 & County Road 3600 and tried “multiple times to run the vans” off the road.
Harris turned his vehicle into oncoming traffic and stopped the three National Guard vans before pointing a gun at one of the soldiers and identifying himself as a detective and demanding to search the vans.
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The statement said that Harris ordered the soldiers out of the vehicles at gunpoint,
Law enforcement officers from the Idalou Police and Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office responded. Harris told them he thought the people in the vans had kidnapped a woman and child, the statement said.
“Harris appeared to be mentally disturbed,” the statement said. “This was a very dangerous situation since the suspect was standing in the midst of the unarmed Guardsman with a loaded weapon.”
Harris is expected to be charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful restraint, unlawful carrying of a weapon, impersonating a public servant, and interference with Texas military forces.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
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