A man involved in a domestic incident in Newington on Sunday allegedly kidnapped two children and took off to Stamford where he led police on a pursuit that ended after multiple crashes and an hours-long standoff.
The domestic violence incident was reported at 12:10 p.m. at a home where 36-year-old John Lacen-Romero allegedly assaulted a woman, according to the Newington Police Department.
Following the alleged attack, he allegedly took two children from the resident and took off with them in a vehicle, police said. Newington officers notified law enforcement agencies throughout the state before the vehicle was found by officers with the Stamford Police Department.
John Lacen-Romero was arrested following a domestic incident in Newington which led to an alleged kidnapping that extended into Stamford where a police pursuit and a standoff occurred. (Courtesy of the Newington Police Department)
Stamford Police Capt. Thomas Scanlon said officers investigating the alleged kidnapping pursued Lacen-Romero as he was involved in “numerous motor vehicle accidents.” He got onto Interstate 95 South at one point before getting off the highway at Exit 7 where he reportedly struck another driver, disabling his vehicle, Scanlon said.
According to Scanlon, Lacen-Romero barricaded himself in the vehicle with the two children inside around 1:45 p.m. in the area of North State Street and Canal Street. The response to the area included Stamford patrol officers, the Special Response Team, Hostage Negotiation Team, drone units, Connecticut State Police, the Stamford Fire Department, Newington Police and Stamford EMS.
Scanlon said the barricaded incident lasted for hours before the Special Response Team “took deliberate action due to the overwhelming concern for the two children in the vehicle.” He did not elaborate on how police resolved the incident but said Lacen-Romero was taken into custody and the children were found safe.
The children were taken to an area hospital for an evaluation, police said. Newington police said the incident remains under active investigation.
“The Newington Police Department would like to thank the Stamford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, and all others for their swift response and assistance in ensuring the safe recovery of the juveniles,” the department said in a statement.
