In Brevard County, a three-hour long standoff in Cocoa is over. The suspect is in custody and a child is safe.

  • 3-hour standoff with barricaded man over
  • James Hale, 31, was inside home w/ 5-year-old son
  • Hale facing domestic violence charges

SWAT team members with the Brevard Sheriff's Office came in to assist Cocoa Police with James Hale, 31, who was barricaded inside the School Street apartment and was not coming out.

Investigators say this all began late Thursday morning when a woman came to the police department claiming she had been beaten by her boyfriend, and that he was in the home with her 5-year-old son.

Officers came to the apartment and worked unsuccessfully to get Hale to give himself up.

In the middle of it all, a report came in of an unrelated death in a nearby home, and when officers went to investigate, SWAT found an open door to the apartment where the suspect was refusing to come out, and they made the arrest.

“SWAT team came in, saw the individual, (and) he complied,” said Yvonne Martinez with the Cocoa Police Department. “They basically told him to show his hands, and he complied. And we were able to get him into custody.”

Hale is facing domestic violence charges.

In the meantime, officers were able to get the 5-year-old boy, who wasn't hurt and is now reunited with his mother.

The investigation into the death at the nearby apartment continues.