On Christmas Day in 2017, celebrity weight-loss guru Milan Ross spent the morning with his two children singing and making videos portraying a happy, loving family. Milan had high hopes that when his ex-wife arrived to pick up the boys, his recent success and the spirit of the season would spark new hope for a future together. But disappointment coupled with alcohol would lead to a much different outcome, and less than 2 hours after the singing stopped, Milan would commit unspeakable acts of violence against his own family.
In addition to calls from witnesses reporting the violence, Milan dialed 911 to state that he killed his wife and threatened that if police tried to enter his apartment, he would kill his kids. A six-hour hostage standoff would ensue, with negotiators racing to understand the man and his motives, and tactical units struggling to find advantage in an almost hopeless scenario.
Learning Points: • Triage of early intelligence • Taking breaks • Active listening • When things turn suicidal • TPI’s • Making important decisions as a team • Non-responder techniques • Dealing with the aftermath of critical incidents