Amber Alert leads to pursuit through Cherokee CountyMan surrenders after hostage negotiation near Remsen

On Jan. 30, at approximately 3:28 p.m. an Amber Alert was issued by the Iowa Department of Public Safety on behalf of the Jefferson Police Department for Bryson Duong, age 7. Bryson was attending school at the Greene County School when he was taken by a noncustodial parent, Brandon Duong. Duong left the school in a black Toyota Tacoma.

At approximately 4:40 pm, Duong’s vehicle was spotted by the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office near Safford Avenue and 230th Street south of Correctionville and Cushing areas. An attempted traffic stop by Woodbury County failed and a pursuit ensued.

The pursuit continued in a northerly direction entering first Cherokee County then Plymouth County. Pursuing officers at one point lost contact with the suspect’s vehicle but were able to relocate it near Highway 3 and Sunset Ave east of Remsen. 

During the pursuit it became known that Duong was possibly armed with a long rifle. Shortly after pursuing officers relocated the suspect’s vehicle, it crashed and the driver exited the vehicle with Bryson. Duong proceeded into a field on foot and armed with a rifle, using his son as a shield.

A perimeter was established around the section and members of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), which consists of deputies and officers from the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee Police Department, and the Le Mars Police Department, were able to locate Duong and Bryson with an armored rescue vehicle. 

Negotiators established contact with Duong and communication continued for several hours. The Iowa State Patrol also responded to the scene with a second armored rescue vehicle which included members of the Iowa State Patrol and Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office tactical teams. 

At approximately 8 pm after extensive negotiations Duong was taken into custody without incident or injury to either party. Brandon Duong was transported to Plymouth County Jail where he was held on a warrant issued out of Greene County, Iowa for Violating Custody Order, a class “D” felony. The investigation is ongoing and subsequent court documents show that he is charged with second-degree kidnapping while armed with a dangerous weapon.

There is video security footage showing Duong taking Bryson during recess and running towards the black Toyota Tacoma. Court documents also show that Duong left his cell phone behind to avoid being tracked. On Monday, February 5 Duong’s court-appointed attorney entered a not guilty plea in Greene County District Court. At press time he is still held in Greene County Jail under a $50,000 bond.

Cherokee Sheriff Derek Scott, who was involved in the pursuit and on the scene after the crash, was addressed by Cherokee Supervisor Dave Skou at their most recent meeting about the incident. Skou said “I was approached by two Cherokee city police officers, Nate James and J.D. Rogge the other day and they wanted to express their gratitude for Cherokee County chipping in for that armored police vehicle. If it wasn’t for that armored police vehicle, that child would have died.”

Scott confirmed the equipment Skou referenced, an armored vehicle (bearcat), was purchased by the combined CERT team with a contribution of $25,000 from the Cherokee County Supervisors. “The bearcat is housed in LeMars but available anytime we need it,” Scott explained. 

Scott added, “The incident went through Cherokee County and it could have easily been here as well. In speaking with the administration of Plymouth County I believe that that bearcat was a necessary tool in ending this situation without injury to the victim or officers on scene. I was on scene at this. Plymouth County and our CERT team did an amazing job with this situation.”

Agencies involved in the apprehension of Duong included: Plymouth, Woodbury, Sioux, Cherokee, and O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office, Kingsley, Hinton, Remsen, LeMars, Cherokee, and Marcus Police Departments, Iowa State Patrol, Division of Criminal Investigation, Department of Narcotics, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Human Services, Alcohol Tobacco Firearms (ATF), Remsen Ambulance and LeMars Fire Rescue.