Armed robbery suspect arrested after brief standoff with HSPD

A local man wanted on a warrant for an alleged armed robbery last month was arrested late Saturday following a brief standoff with Hot Springs police, shortly after the department’s SWAT team arrived on the scene.

Jeremiah Henry Kidd, 21, of 301 Gardner Street, was taken into custody at his residence shortly before 11 p.m. He had warrants out for his arrest for aggravated robbery (punishable by up to life in prison), aggravated assault with a firearm and first-degree terroristic threatening (each punishable by up to six years), as well as discharging a firearm within city limits.

Kidd “was seen by an officer entering the apartment,” HSPD Public Information Officer 1st Class Omar Cervantes told The Sentinel-Record on Monday.

“They attempted to contact him via loudspeaker without success. The SWAT team was activated and (Kidd) turned himself in shortly after the team arrived,” he said.

Kidd was held on $120,000 bail and was scheduled to appear in Garland County District Court on Monday.

Kidd was arrested on January 8 for burglary and aggravated assault. He is accused of pistol-whipping a woman at a New Year’s Eve party and later returning and entering the house where the party was taking place. He was released on January 15 on $15,000 bail. A hearing in the case is scheduled for August 20 to determine the admissibility of any statements he made to police after his arrest.

According to court records, Kidd had previously pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree terroristic threatening on July 20, 2023, and was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended.

According to the probable cause affidavit in Saturday’s arrest, police arrived in the 300 block of Gardner on June 17 for a disturbance and officers were told the department’s gunshot detection system had sounded an alarm at that location.

Officers spoke with the alleged male victim, who stated he was “invited” to Kidd’s residence that evening to discuss an argument the two had previously had on social media. While standing on the patio outside the residence, he claimed Kidd retrieved two handguns and “held them in his hands as if he was ready to shoot him.”

While still holding the weapons, Kidd allegedly told the man, “Empty your pockets” as he pulled back the slide of one of the weapons. When the man asked Kidd what he was doing, Kidd allegedly said, “I’m not playing, seriously,” and then attempted to hit the man with one of the weapons, but was able to avoid being hit.

The man refused to empty his pockets and walked away. Kidd allegedly told him several times, “I’m going to shoot you in the face.” The man walked away from the house while Kidd stood in the front yard. The man claims Kidd “shot him at least once.”

Police found a 9mm cartridge case in the driveway of the home at 301 Gardner Street. They also found surveillance camera footage from another home “that confirms the shooting,” the affidavit states.

The report from the fire alarm system also confirmed the position of the cartridge case at the time of the shooting, it said. On Friday, an arrest warrant was issued for Kidd on the various charges.