Seven officers, including four U.S. Marshals, hurt in Huntsville SWAT raid deck collapse
HUNTSVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ)
Seven law enforcement officers were injured after eight SWAT team members fell through the deck of a Randolph County apartment building Tuesday morning while serving a felony warrant, according to Steven Lewis, the United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Missouri.
"Someone described it almost as if a trap door opened and it fell that way," Lewis said. "Not away from the structure, but straight down, which gave them almost no time to react."
Four hurt were Deputy U.S. Marshals, two North Missouri Drug Task Force members, and one county deputy, Lewis said. All seven were taken to hospitals for treatment, and none of the injuries were life-threatening.
"All received injuries that would be consistent with a pretty serious fall. Some broken bones, some other type injuries," Lewis said.
Lewis said some may need surgery. Randolph County Sheriff Andy Boggs told ABC 17 News that no deputies were hurt in the SWAT raid, but rather a Moberly police officer.
The sheriff's office wrote in a news release that the team, made up of North Missouri Drug Task Force members, local SWAT officers and U.S. Marshals, was serving a high-risk warrant at 402 Vaunita St. in Huntsville when the collapse occurred.
Lewis told ABC 17 that two people were taken into custody Tuesday— one in the morning at the apartments and another who wasn't home during the raid but was found later in the day.
An ABC 17 News reporter arrived on scene around noon and was told by a woman who identified herself only as a "caretaker" of the property that management was not allowing media on the property. The reporter saw half the deck of a two-story apartment was missing. Three of the six upstairs units no longer had access to their doors.
A group of people were seen using a ladder to bring down some belongings from an apartment and load them into a car.
The woman said management has helped find accommodations for upstairs units 10-12, where the porch collapsed, but did not elaborate. She also said tenants in apartments 8 and 12 were arrested.
The reason for the porch collapse is being investigated, according to the release.
Multiple nearby residents told ABC 17 News they were not surprised at all to see a SWAT team zooming down their street.
“The drugs that are in and out of here [the apartment complex], it's terrible," Huntsville resident Melanie Foster said. "And I won't be sad if it goes.”
She said it's not just the activity there that worries her; it's also how badly the building seems to be falling apart.
“It is a hazard, it's a danger," Foster said. "If that happened, as you can see, the next half is getting ready to go.”
An ABC 17 reporter noticed the remaining half of the deck had at least one portion where it appeared to be slightly caving in.
The Tuesday release from the sheriff's office did not provide the reason for the warrant being served. The U.S. Marshals spokesman also could not provide further information Tuesday.
ABC 17 News is awaiting a statement from property management. The city does not require building inspections for apartments.
