Local hostage negotiator speaks out on Alabama situation

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH_ - What were hostage negotiators up against in Alabama?

24-Hour-News 8 talked to a Danville investigator who said time played a big role in the Alabama hostage situation.

"Outside looking in,  the FBI did a fantastic job," said Danville Police Chief Investigator William Wright.

Wright is talking about the seven day standoff in Midland, Ala. that ended successfully Monday evening. Negotiators rescued the 5-year-old boy taken hostage in an underground bunker. The hostage-taker, 65-year-old Jimmy Lee Dykes, died in the incident.

"The outcome, which was to get the child out safely, is what they achieved," Wright said.

Wright is also a hostage negotiator. He said throughout this seven day ordeal, rescuers were up against different situations - many of them unknown.

"There's a lot of factors especially in this scenario that were unknown that they had to take into account, so with that..those are all things as a negotiator you have to look at," Wright said.

Among the unknown is how the hostage-taker is treating the victim.

"This gentleman had some mental issues they had to deal with; they needed to learn about him; they need to find out why he was doing this," he said.

Wright said investigators had to stay in close contact- that meant hundreds of people working around the clock.

"They needed to try and develop a relationship to try and get this in successfully," said Wright, "In these type situations, time is your friend; the longer you can get the situation to go on without deteriorating it's usually going to result in a successful outcome, you can't say that every time, but normally it's better to have time on your side."

Wright said it's not surprising the 5 year-old victim may have developed a relationship with the man. He said the boy will need some counseling going forward.

The little boy turns 6-years-old on Wednesday.